Chip and PIN-does it work abroad?

C

CCOVICH

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I had thought this was raised in a separate thread before (in relation to France), but I can't find it.

Recently went for a short break to Barcelona. While there, used my AIB Platinum card (which is Chip and PIN 'enabled') in several locations to pay for goods and meals. In higher profile stores, I was asked from my passport, but never asked to use my PIN. Restaurants accepted the card without asking for ID.

When departing from the hotel, I offered my card. The manager produced a terminal and I entered my PIN. No joy. Tried 3 times, and he then said that the correspondent bank was saying (via the terminal) that I needed to contact my bank. Now there was no issue with the PIN, so I am confused as to why the card wasn't accpected. I was able to use my Maestro card (and enter the PIN) to pay for the room.

On returning to Ireland, I promptly contacted AIB. They said there was no reason (from their point of view) why my card shouldn't have been accepted, i.e. no suspicious transactions, nowhere near my credit limit etc.

I have since used the card back in Ireland to pay for goods and entered my PIN with no problems.

Anyway, after all that, has anyone had a similar experience while abroad? Have they recieved an explanation?

It is worrying, especially when checking out of a hotel, as this is a sizeable expense (I was not allowed to sign for the payment via CC at the hotel, so I used Maestro). If I hadn't had the option of Maestro, it could have been potentially tricky situation. One workaround would be to pay cash through using your ATM card to withdraw (but not an ideal option), nor is withdrawing cash using your CC (due to charges incurred when doing so).
 
I haven't had to enter my pin while abroad. Most of the swipe systems I have come across are geared up for pin entry, but none of the sale people ever ask for my PIN so I guess the particular system is local to Ireland.

In a situation like the one you faced in the hotel, if you didn't have the Maestro then you could just have told the hotel to ring their bank and get a manual authorisation for the transaction. Unless things have changed significantly (and the banks have done away with human interaction entirely) then this option is still available. It would be different in a shop for example where you haven't bought anything yet and they couldn't be bothered to ring the bank, but it is in the hotels interest to get some form of payment on the spot and the easiest way to do this is to get an authorisation from their bank.

z
 
zag said:
In a situation like the one you faced in the hotel, if you didn't have the Maestro then you could just have told the hotel to ring their bank and get a manual authorisation for the transaction. Unless things have changed significantly (and the banks have done away with human interaction entirely) then this option is still available.
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Fair enough, if that option is available, well and good, but it didn't appear to be.

They would ring their bank as opposed to your bank?
 
Yup - they would ring their bank. Basically it is their bank who pays the money over to them, so the authorisation comes via them.

In reality the authorisation comes from your bank, but the hotel only has an agreement with their bank, who has an agreement with Visa worldwide who has an agreement with your bank who can verify whether your account is good or not.

I use the term 'bank' here but technically it is a different entitity. In your case it is a card issuer (who just happens to be a bank), but I can't remember the name of the entity for the hotel (acting as a 'merchant' in this case). If you know what I mean.

z
 
This facility used to be available in the old days when a transaction was over the floor limit in a shop. You would ring the bank, give the account details and the amount and they would come back with a Y/N and an authorisation number. I guess it is a lot less used now that most authorisation is done online, but they must still have the facility to cope with IT problems and communication outages.

z
 
Thanks again. Yes I too am using the term 'bank' where card issuer/provider would be more accurate.
 
Your card should have worked. France is a different story! When you used Maestro, did it also use a PIN, which presumably worked? Odd!

but I can't remember the name of the entity for the hotel (acting as a 'merchant' in this case). If you know what I mean.
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I think 'acquirer' is the term you are looking for.
 
This has happened me also. The card worked in the local supermarket and shops in the town but refused to work (for no apparent reason) in the out of town restaurant which had no nearby ATMs. It read the card ok and I entered my pin a few times but there was an error message each time. The waiter suggested that I contact the bank. Anyway, my husband's card did work - same bank, same credit card.

Card worked fine in other shops etc afterwards and at home.
 
I was in Riga recently and I was asked for my pin when paying for tobacco at the airport. Transaction went thru no problem. I suspect in your case that the line may have been busy or that the hotel may want you to pay cash. As an aside the hotel in Riga would only accept cash, I was paying a few days before departure so no problem as I was given enough time to nip to the ATM.
 
Hmmm. All sounds a bit hit and miss. If I am going abroad I do like to know in advance that my card will work. I guess insisting on a call to both banks next time should get around the problem if it recurs. And as there are two of us, you would like to think that one of our cards (different banks) would be accepted.

My next trip is to the US. Has anyone encountered problems there with Chip and PIN? Do they use this system Stateside?
 
CCOVICH said:
My next trip is to the US. Has anyone encountered problems there with Chip and PIN? Do they use this system Stateside?
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Not up to my last trip they didn't and I even got asked once, when the chip was noticed, was my cc a phone card too!
 
US acquirers and processors don't have any plans to introduce Chip and PIN in the short-term -- the conversion costs would be more than the fraud savings. Their fraud profile is different as most US credit card authentication and authorisation are online. So you should be fine.
 
Had a similar experience in the UK recently. Went to pay hotel with Visa. Input pin and got error message. Nothing wrong with pin so was suprised. No other means of paying either as I had little cash and no debit cards. Receptionist said that I could not 'sign' and suggested I call my bank. I asked to speak to hotel manager and she agreed that I could sign instead.

Have not contacted my bank about this yet as the card 'locked' up on account of entering the wrong pin at the hotel. Needed to use the Card for a trip to the US 10 days later and was afraid that they would want me to get a new card & pin - which would not arrive in time for my US trip.

No chip & Pin in the US so will sort it out when I get home. Card is working fine in the US.

Per MugsGame - given that there are no plans to introduce chip+pin in many countries it would seem that there will always have to be a manual option available also - otherwise how would tourists cope
 
whenever i use my chip and pin cards abroad i sign my name. i have never been asked to enter my pin.
 
In France, Irish chip & pin card works quite well in most of the shop with no problem. However, it never works in Petrol station, don't bother to go to the automated petrol station as your card would not be accepted which is really a pain as it tends to be the trend in France these automated petrol station. You will need to find one with a cashier and even there the pin doesn't work and therefore they will swipe your card and ask for signature.
 
Chip and pin doesn't work in Australia either. France it definitely does work most of the time, and I think it worked for me the last time I was in Italy too. Didn't use it so much there though.
 
In Spain, my chip and PIN card works fine - but after my PIN is accepted I have to sign aswell! The first time that happened I was afraid I'd be charged twice, but it was ok.
Before I got my PIN, I had no problem using the card - just said I didnt know my PIN and signed instead.
 
ragazza said:
In Spain, my chip and PIN card works fine - but after my PIN is accepted I have to sign aswell! The first time that happened I was afraid I'd be charged twice, but it was ok.
Before I got my PIN, I had no problem using the card - just said I didnt know my PIN and signed instead.
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Had a similar experience in Spain recently too - PIN and signature requested in one restauarant but everywhere else I used my card it was signature only.
 
PIN and Signature required for car hire in Prague recently. Everywhere else was still on signature only. Must be in the process of conversion there.
 
Just back from Canada this week, signed everywhere when using card except for one instance when pin was required. Was told by retailers that they have just started the changeover of terminals to facilitate chip and pin.
 
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