>From: Peter Cameron <>
>If it's lost or stolen and I report it immediately I get a new one ASAP
>and the bank will track down video of attempted uses on the missing card.
>The thief, finder would have to have my PIN to use the card and machines
>keep the card after three failed attempts.
-- Not really, or at least, not necessarily.We're getting loose with the terminology.
The concern over the "debit" reference here occurs when you use your ATM card as a credit card, but without a PIN needed. These cards will have a mastercard or VISA logo and a valid mastercard/visa number, just like a credit card. You do not have to have a PIN to have purchases charged directly to your bank account. This has some obvious drawbacks, and advantages.
Now, there's a couple exceptions- you can have the mastercard logo, but only authorize the card for true debit transactions (at least at my bank), which means you HAVE to know the pin to make it work at a point of purchase- but many merchants don't have the debit card hardware (to enter your PIN), they just have the capability to run it thru as a regular credit card. So if you turn OFF the "charge card" feature, you limit where the thing can be used, quite markedly. Only merchants with true debit card hardware can then take it- there's no way to enter your PIN, and concerns about card number theft don't apply- trying to run it through as a regular credit card won't work.
One partial solution- instead of signing any card, write "PLEASE CHECK PHOTO ID" on the signature line.
That won't keep people from using the charge code inappropriately over the 'phone or similar if they steal the card # and you have the charge feature active, but it would help if you lost the card or whatever. If the cashier is awake.
David, perhaps after tax time your orders will pick up? :)
B
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