Do any Australian banks issue chip'n'PIN credit cards that actually work overseas too?
About three years ago - after a couple of big credit card frauds overseas - I swapped all my Aussie bank cards for chip'n'PIN for their greater security. They work in Australia. They work nowhere else in the world. My credit cards still get processed overseas the old-fashioned way by paper signature. So changing them to avoid overseas skimming frauds was a waste of time. The UK and much of Europe are exclusively chip'n'PIN now, it is well-established in APAC and even the US has started to introduce it. I thought things might be better a couple of years down the track but apparently not. Can anyone tell me different?
I have used them in supermarkets okay in the US. In France some motorway tolls worked and others (frustratingly) didn’t. In other other cases I think the signature is an extra level of security on top of the PIN. It does vary a bit though, probably to do with interbank arrangements, local regulation, and the type of card being used.
'Chip N Pin' transactions is Mastercard, Visa, Amex and Diners Club preferred way for global transactions, as it is more secure than the old magnetic stripe transactions. The USA, Asia and some countries in Europe are still lagging behind the rest of world but Mastercard and Visa, have told their global card issuers, that 'Chip N Pin' cards must be issued for all new and reissued cards. I think that Mastercard and Visa has set a deadline of 2020.
I’ve not had a problem with Chip & Pin anywhere - from Kyrgyzstan to Portugal to Mauritania to Suriname. In some countries Chip, Pin and Signature is required and in some very few cases photo ID is needed with all credit card transactions.
The exception of course is the USA, where chip cards often seem to be viewed as a communist plot.
The only time I've had an issue with a chip card was before Australia required their use and thus I didn't have one while in the Netherlands. At the time, their transport ticketing machines were chip card only (no mag strip, no cash). If you had anything else, you had to go to a service counter and pay an extra fee per ticket.
Many stores in the US are confused by the chips, others have no issue.
Last month I was in Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine and was able to use my chip card to tap and/or PIN with my ANZ-issued cards. The only countries in which I recall having issues with my Australia-issued cards was in Canada and the USA.
Chip readers in the US are now far more common than old swipe machines. When using an Australian chip card in the US don't enter a PIN, just hit enter and it will go through.
Occasionally, you can even use Australian contactless cards where contactless is accepted like Wallgreens.
Also from 1st Feb 2018, Amex will not require ANY signature for ANY transaction worldwide.
Interesting. I have CBA-issued Mastercard / AMEX. As recently as last month in Singapore they still needed signatures, PIN / PayWave were not available to me.
It also depends on whether your card issuer issues you with a 'chip and PIN' or 'chip and signature' card by international standards. Many Australian banks issue the latter which allows you to change the PIN via the bank's website or mobile app, and still lets you use the PIN in Australia, but overseas the card will often default to signature as the PIN isn't stored in the chip, so the overseas terminal sees it as a 'chip and signature' card.
Some card issuers like AMEX Australia instead encrypt the PIN inside the card chip (when you use it in Australia, you may see 'PIN OK' on the EFTPOS screen before the transaction is processed), which then makes the card PIN-compatible with most PIN-capable overseas terminals.
I would assume the tap and go contactless tech is the same in the UK as in AUS, but who knows. I'm sure i've used my UK chip 'n pin cards in AUS a coupla times, so perhaps it works the same in reverse ?
Do any Australian banks issue chip'n'PIN credit cards that actually work overseas too?
About three years ago - after a couple of big credit card frauds overseas - I swapped all my Aussie bank cards for chip'n'PIN for their greater security. They work in Australia. They work nowhere else in the world. My credit cards still get processed overseas the old-fashioned way by paper signature. So changing them to avoid overseas skimming frauds was a waste of time. The UK and much of Europe are exclusively chip'n'PIN now, it is well-established in APAC and even the US has started to introduce it. I thought things might be better a couple of years down the track but apparently not. Can anyone tell me different?
I have two New Zealand chip n' pin cards which have worked in the UK and all the time all over Australia. One downside is I sometimes use the wrong card and when the purchase is below a certain value no pin is required so wrong account gets debited.
rabbieb
rabbieb
Member since 31 Dec 2017
Total posts 6
Do any Australian banks issue chip'n'PIN credit cards that actually work overseas too?
patrickk
patrickk
Qantas
Member since 19 Apr 2012
Total posts 737
I have used them in supermarkets okay in the US. In France some motorway tolls worked and others (frustratingly) didn’t. In other other cases I think the signature is an extra level of security on top of the PIN. It does vary a bit though, probably to do with interbank arrangements, local regulation, and the type of card being used.
krisdude
krisdude
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
Member since 21 Jan 2016
Total posts 28
'Chip N Pin' transactions is Mastercard, Visa, Amex and Diners Club preferred way for global transactions, as it is more secure than the old magnetic stripe transactions. The USA, Asia and some countries in Europe are still lagging behind the rest of world but Mastercard and Visa, have told their global card issuers, that 'Chip N Pin' cards must be issued for all new and reissued cards. I think that Mastercard and Visa has set a deadline of 2020.
Dredgy
Dredgy
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 Apr 2017
Total posts 182
I’ve not had a problem with Chip & Pin anywhere - from Kyrgyzstan to Portugal to Mauritania to Suriname. In some countries Chip, Pin and Signature is required and in some very few cases photo ID is needed with all credit card transactions.
Himeno
Himeno
Member since 12 Dec 2012
Total posts 295
The only time I've had an issue with a chip card was before Australia required their use and thus I didn't have one while in the Netherlands. At the time, their transport ticketing machines were chip card only (no mag strip, no cash). If you had anything else, you had to go to a service counter and pay an extra fee per ticket.
Many stores in the US are confused by the chips, others have no issue.
User
User
Member since 01 Jan 1970
Total posts 0
Last month I was in Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine and was able to use my chip card to tap and/or PIN with my ANZ-issued cards. The only countries in which I recall having issues with my Australia-issued cards was in Canada and the USA.
AussieintheUSA
AussieintheUSA
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 30 Nov 2017
Total posts 3
Chip readers in the US are now far more common than old swipe machines. When using an Australian chip card in the US don't enter a PIN, just hit enter and it will go through.
Occasionally, you can even use Australian contactless cards where contactless is accepted like Wallgreens.
Also from 1st Feb 2018, Amex will not require ANY signature for ANY transaction worldwide.
http://about.americanexpress.com/news/pr/2017/amex-eliminates-signature-requirement-worldwide.aspx
rabbieb
rabbieb
Member since 31 Dec 2017
Total posts 6
Interesting. I have CBA-issued Mastercard / AMEX. As recently as last month in Singapore they still needed signatures, PIN / PayWave were not available to me.
aggie57
aggie57
QF
Member since 04 Apr 2014
Total posts 136
Most US retailers use chips now, the change has happened over the last 12-24 months. Australian cards generally work fine.
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
It also depends on whether your card issuer issues you with a 'chip and PIN' or 'chip and signature' card by international standards. Many Australian banks issue the latter which allows you to change the PIN via the bank's website or mobile app, and still lets you use the PIN in Australia, but overseas the card will often default to signature as the PIN isn't stored in the chip, so the overseas terminal sees it as a 'chip and signature' card.
Some card issuers like AMEX Australia instead encrypt the PIN inside the card chip (when you use it in Australia, you may see 'PIN OK' on the EFTPOS screen before the transaction is processed), which then makes the card PIN-compatible with most PIN-capable overseas terminals.
ThePomgolian
ThePomgolian
Member since 11 Jan 2018
Total posts 2
I would assume the tap and go contactless tech is the same in the UK as in AUS, but who knows. I'm sure i've used my UK chip 'n pin cards in AUS a coupla times, so perhaps it works the same in reverse ?
tonyw
tonyw
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 18 Jul 2015
Total posts 17
credit card readers for petrol (gas) in the US won't accept AUS cards as they're expecting a 5 digit pin
EdS
EdS
QF
Member since 21 Jul 2016
Total posts 25
I have two New Zealand chip n' pin cards which have worked in the UK and all the time all over Australia. One downside is I sometimes use the wrong card and when the purchase is below a certain value no pin is required so wrong account gets debited.
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
In most cases they're actually asking for your ZIP code, not your PIN. Enter 0 followed by your four-digit Australian postcode. ;)
Himeno
Himeno
Member since 12 Dec 2012
Total posts 295
I've never had a problem with a chip card overseas.
Was able to use pay wave at a supermarket in Singapore last year.