ArizonaGuy

I got a survey from Chase today. Survey was to be about the "British Airways Visa with Smart Chip Technology" I recently received, and I'd get 1000 BA miles if I qualified fully.

So I went through it. Asked what airlines I participated in (choices of BA, DL, UA, US, WN) and what cards I have (again, same 5 airlines).

I of course marked off the BA Visa, among others. Asked me to verify that I'd received the card with chip, explain what the message was in the included letter and whether I understood it, what I knew of smart chip technology, what the difference was (if I knew) between chip & pin versus chip & signature. Then asked why I hadn't used it (haven't been outside the US since receipt) and what it would take to get me to use it (have a future trip, have more bonuses, no annual fee, and permit chip & PIN).

6 to 8 weeks from now I get 1000 BA (cough Avios) miles.

cbn42

Why would it be different? Because merchants know fully well that an American bank is not going to bother sending someone to Europe to sue them.

Even in the US, merchants get away with all kinds of things that are against the contract, like minimum purchases higher than $10, credit card surcharges, and so on. Banks may have the right to object, but it isn't really in their interest to do so.

kebosabi

Weekend trip to Canada perhaps?

sdsearch

Depends what you do in Canada, though, as to whether it's even a test.

Other than with gas stations, I never had problems with my normal US swipe card. So someone going to Canada but not driving might not have any problems at all, depending on what else they were doing.

(Gas stations I had to find one, after several tries, near the airport where the clerk could do the swipe.)

kebosabi

I would consider Canada to be a good place to test chipped cards since, as you mentioned, it's still ok to use mag-stripes (for a while) in Canada, but at the same time, the backend systems to accept transactions via the chip are also active.

That being said, even if a 7-Eleven in Dallas, TX has a POS that has a slot for a chipped card, it probably wouldn't work by using the chip feature of a chipped Chase card because the backend systems isn't online yet. One would end up buying a bottle of Coke at the Dallas 7-Eleven using the mag-stripe.

OTOH, buying a bottle of Canada Dry at a 7-Eleven in Vancouver, BC would be a good place to test a chipped Chase card since the backend systems are online. Theoretically, chip-and-signature should work at a 7-Eleven in Canada. If it fails, revert to the mag-stripe.

Besides, Canada is a lot closer than flying all the way to Europe.

radioactive

I've got a MBNA card that causes me some frustration in gas stations and train stops in Europe.

I called Chase customer service this morning to convert my Rewards card into the BA card, but the woman declined and said:

-They do not offer a card with Chip and PIN
-If I wanted the BA card, I'd need to apply (no conversions allowed)

She did also recommend I call some number and ask about the "Chip and Sign" card, which JP Morgan services (not Chase, apparently)... The card is:

https://creditcards.chase.com/credit...dium-card.aspx

Which, while nice has a $595 annual fee and is really meant for private bank customers ($30M+ net worth).

What other options are there for EMV cards?

mia

Here is the link to the JP Morgan Select card that the CSR probably intended to mention. It is substantially similar to Chase Sapphire card, but without the marketing hype or introductory bonuses, and with Chip & Signature:

https://www.chase.com/index.jsp?pg_n...h90&msc=&affid

Please review older posts in this thread to find discussions of the card, and also this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...signature.html

JEFFJAGUAR

Just reading an interesting story, well maybe not so interesting, about the busting of what was described as the largest credit card theft ring yet. It goes on to state how much was stolen. But what's significant is this. It seems they're using the old fashioned method of stealing credit card numbers and then counterfeiting cards. Chip and pin would certainly prevent that, wouldn't it. Just another indication of the arrogance of the US banks who claim they don't need chip and pin protection.

Incidentally, here is a question regarding this. I know European credit cards even though they are chip and pin also have magnetic strips to be used in backward third world countries like the United States. Can these cards be counterfeited? I guess so if they are used in the USA.

kebosabi

CIM USA and SmartSoft Team to Offer End-to-End EMV Card Personalization and Instant/Central Issuance for U.S. Market

I'm yearning for this to hit my neighborhood branch.

D582

Yes, credit card thieves are now skimming the mag stripes in Europe and sending them to the US where there is barely any EMV so the fraud cost is basically being shifted to the US

danpeake

I got an email from Citi on Oct. 5 extolling the virtues of using the card for travel (I have the Citi Premier Card - formerly the Premier Pass World Elite MC) and one of the bullet points said:

"Here's just some of our progress so far:
...
• Shop with confidence. Because magnetic stripe cards
don't always work internationally, many of our products offer
a chip card for overseas travel.
..."

I called Citi and the agent I spoke with was perplexed as to why an email with that information had already gone out, but she told me that starting Nov. 16 my card and other "travel focused" Citi credit cards would have the option of requesting a Chip-and-Pin card. She said I would receive information about it but even if I didn't I could call and request the card on Nov. 16.

Anyone receive the email or information about the Nov. 16 roll out date?

radioactive

Thanks for the hint. I called and converted an old Chase card into it. I'm looking forward to trying it!

nccarguy

I have a US Bank Flexperks signature visa. I called two months ago and requested the new chip card. I was told that it was a pilot program and they were not accepting and further card members for the pilot. I thought about it again today and called. The CSR said it was still in the pilot phase but they were happy to send me the card. She transferred me to a supervisor who verified my address and said the card would be in my hands in 7-10 days.

I need to keep reminding myself...if you don't get the answer you want, call back and get another CSR on the phone. I am going to Tahiti in November and the UK in December, Can't wait to see if it works.

Sticman

Be patient. I also was approved for this by the supervisor but the chip card order was cancelled internally two different times by US Bank. Basically, keep on them. Their process for issuing chip cards is a mess.

JFKLAX321

No. That works only for cash advance. There is no PIN associated with the chip in the Chase chip-and-signature cards. While I haven't tried mine yet in an automated machine (trains for example), some have mentioned it would/should work in most cases.