Avoid fraud attempts against card while traveling?

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Air Cruiser

You all have given me a great deal to think about including some extremely good information.

One thing RangerJay mentioned, which I have no idea what they are "chip" cards.......? Chip cards? I don't know if they have those around here. What do they look like? Wow, I'm feeling really behind the times now.

Thanks again.

Deb

The US banking industry is lagging behind the international industry...probably in the name of profits. I have a couple of cards that have the chips embedded in them. Chips are harder to fake than a regular magnetic stripe. They have been the standard in Europe for several years. I travel internationally and fewer and fewer places are taking the US style stripe only cards because they have had so much trouble with them being fraudulent.

Aaron

[Phoenix]

A good example of a chip card is the American Express Blue Card, which is clear/transparent with the blue American Express logo in the center. As stated above, the embedded chip contains data similar to that on the magnetic strip that everyone is used to seeing on the back of regular credit cards. However, this smart card actually communicates with the chip card reader and the card processor or issuer each time it's used, and the chip provides many new fraud features that are not possible with the old cards.

Europe has adopted chip cards based on the international EMV standard (EMV is the acronym for Europay/Mastercard/Visa, the originators of this financial card standard, with American Express and JCB/Japan Credit Bureau as participants.) Anyone who traveled to see the Olympics or has visited Europe recently knows that the magnetic stripe cards used in the U.S. are no longer widely accepted there. In fact, chip card usage is starting to spread in the U.S. The main reason we haven't seen wide use here in the U.S. is the cost of manufacturing the chip card, itself; and the cost to merchants to convert to new chip card readers.

[Air Cruiser]

That is very interesting, thank you all for sharing the information on chip cards. I can see that they are the upcoming type of card, at the same time I understand why the US is lagging behind the drive to change over to it.

Deb

[reinergirl]

I have had many credit cards replaced when fraud was detected. The banks are pretty good about catching it before I do.

I do have a couple of rules, NO kiosks (like the ones installed in movie theatres to pick up tickets).... And always have one card in reserve that is never used except in an emergency. I remember being in a grocery store and my Amex card and Visa we're both declined due to fraud on the same day (different fraud sources too!). Thank goodness I had a backup because it was almost a week before the cards were replaced.

And it's not a good idea for your kids to have a CC that's linked to yours. Because of the places they frequent, like movie theatres and college campus's they are always having them cancelled due to fraud. My daughter replaced hers three times in one year!

A sad fact of life now... I guess we just become a little more vigilant and less trusting.

There are apps now that allow you to use your IPhone to swipe credit cards, the swipe terminal is so small it's barely noticeable. If you leave a purse unsecured someone could "borrow" your credit card and you'd be none the wiser.

And think twice about letting a credit card company know of your travel plans, they place a note on your account, and virtually any employee would know you are away from home setting your home up to be robbed. Ditto with stopping mail and newspapers...better to have a trusted neighbor pick them up.

Gosh I sound paranoid huh

[Air Cruiser]

Reinergirl, thanks for the additional info.

No, I don't think you are paranoid, just informed and prepared. I hadn't thought about the employees at the bank knowing about travel plans, but that's so true. We never have our mail held and newspaper stopped -- we have housesitters come when we're not here; there's always someone here.

Deb