BigAleinstein

On-line abuse is just one example. You can have a credit card stolen or used in person.

But the question remains, when does your liability end with a credit card issued by a European bank if there are unauthorized charges?

BigAleinstein

In the US, it is usually the first $50 which is often waived for better customers.

annhig

big Al - it's the same in the UK unless they can prove that you gave your pin no to someone else or were complicit in the taking of the money, when it would be fraud, I suppose.

Improviser

To get the best possible advise Stephy you need to say what country you live in and what bank your cards are from.

There is no question that you should not listen to anyone who tells you take a ton of cash. Cards are THE best way to handle your money when travelling. The only question is which are the BEST cards to use.

For example, someone who travels once a year for a couple of weeks vacation, it may not make a big difference what exchange rate their card provider will charge them but for anyone who spends any real amount of time travelling, some cards are far better than others.

There are other factors that affect which cards you should use as well. As noted, you need a card with a PIN. A card that is not chipped may not work in all ATMs. If you plan to rent a car you might want to have a card that provides you with car insurance. etc. etc. etc.

For those asking about liability, it varies by bank and country. Some things are determined by law and some by the bank itself. For example, Nationwide in the UK says you are liable for up to 50 GBP but not for anything after you report it. In other words, if someone uses it before you report it, you're liable for the 50 GBP. If it is not used until AFTER you report it, you are liable for nothing.

If you use a card from the CIBC bank in Canada, there is zero liability regardless of when the transaction took place, before or after you reported the card lost/stolen. But you are expected to report the loss/theft in a timely manner of course.

There is one circumstance to watch out for. Almost invariably you will find in the Cardholder Agreement that you are liable for ALL transactions that take place using your PIN number. So if you were mugged, gave up your PIN number to the crook at knife point, guess what kiddies, you're liable.

Improviser

By the way, it is not unknown for travellers to conspire to defraud a credit card provider. One guy gives another guy his credit card. It's used in a place that does not have a PIN system. ie. you sign for the purchase. It's used several times in a one day period. The next day the person to whom the card was issued reports it lost/stolen. The two people involved split the goods or cash the goods are sold on for.

The unscrupulous travel too you know.

The same happens with travel insurance and fraudulent claims. At one time I lived in a very busy tourist area and the number of tourists I met who claimed to have lost a gold bracelet while swimming in the sea was beyond belief, literally. It is a common scam to report such a loss to the police, take a copy of the police report home and then claim from the insurance company. The insurance companies know of this of course but it's hard to prove. So they pay the claim, make a note not to insure that person again and count it as a 'cost of doing business'. Of course the honest traveller then ends up paying a little bit more for their insurance as a result.

Not all scams are perpetrated ON tourists, some are perpetrated BY tourists.

BigAleinstein

Not all scams are perpetrated ON tourists, some are perpetrated BY tourists.
___
They are the worst. First they do not know where to go and then the steal money. I liked it better when Rick Steves advised people to take uneaten food from cafeteria trays.
________________

Thanks Ann. Years ago on a card issued by a European bank, you were liable until you informed the bank. I just did not know when that ended.

annhig

Is it safe to use my credit card to do online shopping?
BigAl: I took this from the WHICH? website about credit cards:

<<Shopping online: find out more about your rights
Using your credit card to buy over the internet (or by phone or post) is as safe as using your credit card in person. In general, if your credit card is used fraudulently, the most you can be held liable for is £50. But under the 'distance selling regulations', if anyone dishonestly or fraudulently uses your credit card or debit card to buy from a supplier anywhere in the European Union by phone, fax, internet, digital TV or mail order, you can cancel the payment and get a full refund from the credit card issuer. (In other words, you are not liable even for the first £50.)

Even though you are protected, you should still be careful whenever you use your credit card and use your common sense about who you give your credit card details to>>

BigAleinstein

Thanks, I appreciate it.

xyz123

In the USA, one's liability is restricted to $50 but quite frankly I do not know of any bank that even bothers with the $50.

And as noted, while chip and pin does make in person buying somewhat more secure it does nothing, nada about on ine fraud which accounts for the vast majority of fraud.

aliced

xyz123, my chip and pin card weighs substantially more than my other credit cards; janisj, it was issued by Chase which bank is readily prominent in the States; agree w/ crckwc1, that any ATM used should be connected to an open bank in case it disappears into the machine. That is #1 reason why we start with at least 100 euros upon arrival. Yes, fraud can keep on this thread and up all night!

Pegontheroad

I'm still shaking my head over people telling Stephy that she shouldn't take credit cards or ATM cards and should instead haul around large amounts of cash.

I wonder if those people have ever been outside the U.S.

xyz123

aliced...not wishing to be argumentive however I have several cards containing emv chips and their extra weight is negligible...I have read reports that Chase is experimenting with new kinds of credit cards and perhaps it does weigh more but your card, issued by Chase, is not chip and pin. All of Chase's cards with emv chips issued in the USA are chip and signature not chip and pin. It isn't the emv chip that causes extra weight (I have at least 5 cards with emv chips and none weigh more than credit cards without emv chips!).

janisj

Xyz beat me to it. Aliced, your Chase cc is not a chip and PIN. it does have a chip (must be a heavy one ) but that doesn't necessarily make it chip&PIN

janisj

Oh -and yes, you probaby do have a PIN, still doesn't make it chip & PIN

Patty

Chase issues metal cards which are heavy.

Improviser

A bit confusing.

There are metal cards such as the Chase Saphire which do indeed weigh considerably more than a plastic card.

There are cards with chips including several offered by Chase. They are indeed chip and signature which means they are still of limited use when travelling. There are a lot of places where only chip and pin are accepted. The USA is seriously behind in this regard.

What doesn't make sense though Alice is your comment re your Chase card being heavy (indicating a metal Saphire card) when there are no metal cards with chips.

Here is a fairly recent list of US cards with chip technology.
http://thepointsguy.com/2013/05/us-c...h-smart-chips/

Improviser

Here is a good article on chip and signature vs. chip and pin.

http://www.cardhub.com/edu/chip-and-...and-signature/

Bottom line, chip and pin is preferable if you can get it.

Dukey1

Bottom line having just returned from Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Spain.... you do NOT need a chip and pin credit card.

Improviser

Oh Dukey, why make such foot in mouth remarks. It all DEPENDS on what you use your card to do.

Try using your non-chip and pin card in an automated ticket machine in Europe for example. Duhhhh, won't work.

Yes you can swipe or sign in some places but not in ALL places. A chip and pin works in ALL places. Does the word 'preferable' need more explanation than that?

annhig

you also need chip and pin cards to pay for petrol at an automated petrol station in France.

our UK ones work perfectly.

which was lucky when we had nearly run out of petrol at about midnight.