Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards?

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:58:56 -0800, "Stephen Dailey"
<smdailey DeleteThis @seanet.com> wrote:

>Which type of credit cards are more common in Australia: signature
>(typical of the US) or chip-and-pin (typical of Europe)? I only have
>signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems in Australia?
>
>===
>Steve
>Shoreline, Washington USA
>smd98155@yahoo.com
>10 Feb 2008, 1858 PST

My Mum just received her first chip-and-pin card; also the
first I've seen here. My Visa and MC are both signature
cards; both can also be used as debit cards with PIN as can
my two bank debit-only cards.

You should have no problems with a signature card, provided
that it is a card recognised by the trader. Most of the
majors (Visa, MC, Amex, Diners) are recognised but some
traders charge a surcharge for the last two.

You will need a debit card or a CC with pin to get money out
of an ATM. But that's the same world-wide.



Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Slovenia
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

Both types of cards are used; both accepted. A signature only card will
present no difficulties in use in Australia.

If however you intend to use your card to withdraw cash from ATMs - PINs in
Australia are usually 4 digits only.




"Stephen Dailey" <smdailey RemoveThis @seanet.com> wrote in message
news:op.t6cakig8bk5a85@office1.hsd1.wa.comcast.net...
Which type of credit cards are more common in Australia: signature
(typical of the US) or chip-and-pin (typical of Europe)? I only have
signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems in Australia?

===
Steve
Shoreline, Washington USA
smd98155 RemoveThis @yahoo.com
10 Feb 2008, 1858 PST

--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:42:10 -0800,
<texan....usenet RemoveThis @texas...removethisbit.usacom..> wrote:

> On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:58:56 -0800, "Stephen Dailey"
> <smdailey RemoveThis @seanet.com> wrote:
>
>> Which type of credit cards are more common in Australia: signature
>> (typical of the US) or chip-and-pin (typical of Europe)? I only have
>> signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems in
>> Australia?
>>
>> ===
>> Steve
>> Shoreline, Washington USA
>> smd98155 RemoveThis @yahoo.com
>> 10 Feb 2008, 1858 PST
>
> It may pay you to advise your credit card issuer that you are going
> overseas. We've had problems from time to time just going
> interstate before they are on the phone asking if we are travelling or
> ??

I don't bother calling the CC companies if i'm only traveling in the US or
Canada, but I alwasy call them before I go overseas, so no problem there..

Thanks to everyone for your replies!

===
Steve
Shoreline, Washington USA
smd98155 RemoveThis @yahoo.com
11 Feb 2008, 2158 PST
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

4 Digit only?
That's sure news to me, my Visa and Mastercard have been 6 digit PIN since
forever.
When you hand over your card to make a purchase, the sales assistant or
checkout chick will ask if your card is credit or savings, even if you hand
over an Amex or Diners.
Signature cards are the norm, and we are seeing more and more electronic
signature pads.
Most likely nobody will check your signature anyway, they are pretty slack
most of the time.
If you use Amex or Diners most smaller places and ALL service stations will
add a surcharge onto the amount, the surcharge will be waay above what Amex
and Diners charge these merchants, but its a nice little sneaky earner for
them and they get away with it.
If you want money from a hole in the wall then obviously you will be using a
PIN, all the major cards are recognised here.
Same rules apply here as everywhere else, when paying make sure you see the
card used right in front of you, don't let someone take your card away out
of sight.
It always pays to let your credit card companies know where you will be
going, Amex and Diners are very good, if your card is suddenly being used
somewhere far removed from your usual usage area, you WILL receive a phone
call to check it out, safe guards them as well as you.



" A Mate" <maybe.DeleteThis@somewhere.com.au> wrote in message
news:47b03aff$0$8437$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> Both types of cards are used; both accepted. A signature only card will
> present no difficulties in use in Australia.
>
> If however you intend to use your card to withdraw cash from ATMs - PINs
> in Australia are usually 4 digits only.
>
>
>
>
> "Stephen Dailey" <smdailey.DeleteThis@seanet.com> wrote in message
> news:op.t6cakig8bk5a85@office1.hsd1.wa.comcast.net...
> Which type of credit cards are more common in Australia: signature
> (typical of the US) or chip-and-pin (typical of Europe)? I only have
> signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems in Australia?
>
> ===
> Steve
> Shoreline, Washington USA
> smd98155.DeleteThis@yahoo.com
> 10 Feb 2008, 1858 PST
>
> --
> Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/
>
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

"Sid" <don'tmailme@forget.net> wrote in message
news:13r1squ9ajq9k19@corp.supernews.com...
>
>
>
>
> " A Mate" <maybe DeleteThis @somewhere.com.au> wrote in message
> news:47b03aff$0$8437$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
>> Both types of cards are used; both accepted. A signature only card will
>> present no difficulties in use in Australia.
>>
>> If however you intend to use your card to withdraw cash from ATMs - PINs
>> in Australia are usually 4 digits only.

Wrong 4 & 6 the AM will recognise which.
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

"Alan S" <nothere.RemoveThis@there.com> wrote in message
news:r9nvq3lvuqmp3vghjqd9mtj2s51la9479m@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:58:56 -0800, "Stephen Dailey"
> <smdailey.RemoveThis@seanet.com> wrote:
>
>>Which type of credit cards are more common in Australia: signature
>>(typical of the US) or chip-and-pin (typical of Europe)? I only have
>>signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems in Australia?
>>
>>===
>>Steve
>>Shoreline, Washington USA
>>smd98155@yahoo.com
>>10 Feb 2008, 1858 PST
>
> My Mum just received her first chip-and-pin card; also the
> first I've seen here. My Visa and MC are both signature
> cards; both can also be used as debit cards with PIN as can
> my two bank debit-only cards.

First I've heard of here in Australia too, though recently when making a
large transaction, an overseas airline booking, I was required to register
my Mastercard for a secure PIN number before I could complete the booking
process.

> You should have no problems with a signature card, provided
> that it is a card recognised by the trader. Most of the
> majors (Visa, MC, Amex, Diners) are recognised but some
> traders charge a surcharge for the last two.

Some also for the first two also unfortunately. e.g Qantas, Jetstar, Aldi,
and one of my local fuel stations (which I don't patronise any more as a
result - fuel prices are high enough without being surcharged.) I have
some sympathy for the traders with the latter cards, they don't get
reimbursed immediately and those cards charge much higher commissions.

Regards

David Bennetts
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:29:12 +1100, "David Bennetts"
<davibenne-nospam.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com.au> wrote:

>
>"Alan S" <nothere.TakeThisOut@there.com> wrote in message
>news:r9nvq3lvuqmp3vghjqd9mtj2s51la9479m@4ax.com...
>> On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:58:56 -0800, "Stephen Dailey"
>> <smdailey.TakeThisOut@seanet.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Which type of credit cards are more common in Australia: signature
>>>(typical of the US) or chip-and-pin (typical of Europe)? I only have
>>>signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems in Australia?
>>>
>>>===
>>>Steve
>>>Shoreline, Washington USA
>>>smd98155@yahoo.com
>>>10 Feb 2008, 1858 PST
>>
>> My Mum just received her first chip-and-pin card; also the
>> first I've seen here. My Visa and MC are both signature
>> cards; both can also be used as debit cards with PIN as can
>> my two bank debit-only cards.
>
>First I've heard of here in Australia too, though recently when making a
>large transaction, an overseas airline booking, I was required to register
>my Mastercard for a secure PIN number before I could complete the booking
>process.
>
It was a new CBA card.

>> You should have no problems with a signature card, provided
>> that it is a card recognised by the trader. Most of the
>> majors (Visa, MC, Amex, Diners) are recognised but some
>> traders charge a surcharge for the last two.
>
>Some also for the first two also unfortunately. e.g Qantas, Jetstar, Aldi,
>and one of my local fuel stations (which I don't patronise any more as a
>result - fuel prices are high enough without being surcharged.) I have
>some sympathy for the traders with the latter cards, they don't get
>reimbursed immediately and those cards charge much higher commissions.
>
>Regards
>
>David Bennetts
>

Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Slovenia
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

> I only have signature-type cards; could I expect this to cause problems
> in Australia?

We had no problem with our similar VISA card last Spring
 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards? 

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 >> Stay informed about: Australia: Chip-and-PIN Credit Cards?