I have seen this on the board before....I asked my Wells Fargo rep. (one at the desk-not a teller) No explanations !!! Same with my SWA Visa?
WF person did explain that only Pin" numbers" work inFrance--no letters..
How should i investigate further??

Forget about chip/pin in your credit cards. US-based banks and credit card issuers don't use that technology.

Just take the ATM and credit cards you already have -- they will work just fine . . .(You <i>may</i> have problems in automated ticket machines but even that is not universal)

What it means is US card issuers are at last moving to adopt EMV system of smart cards (with a chip), which is fast becoming a global standard. So if you use your card in a terminal in France, which has now moved close to 100% to EMV system (they had a native carte bancaire system from early 90s), instead of signing you will be asked to enter your PIN number (no letters) on a small keypad. If you use your card in countries and merchants where EMV hasn't been implemented (e.g. vast majority of terminals in US), you just sign the slip as before.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMV

Something that I found interesting is I was asked for my pin number when I used my VISA at a hotel. Also, this pin chip technology is at Pay at the Pump stations in Europe. This did not accept my pin number. This is important because if the bank sees this as an incorrect pin entry, it may shut your card down if you try too many times. It is always best to pay inside at gas stations.

But if your card is a USA credit card (rather than a debit or ATM card), you will not have a pin number. You you now need a pin number to use a credit card in France?

You do not need a pin number to use your USA CC. You will just need to sign.

If you live in France- Most CC in France have a chip which enables use of a CC with a pin instead of a signature. Some automated machines, such as gas pumps, are only accessible using a CC with a chip.

If you are using your CC and you are asked for a pin (for instance, at a restaurant or museum), just indicate that you need to sign.

You do need a pin to use your ATM or debit card to access cash at cash machines.

If you use PIN with a magnetic strip only U.S. credit card, does it not become a cash advance and you get hit with all sorts of fees?

I see promising sign of the chip technology in the U.S. I see more of more small businesses in the U.S. scanning my magnetic strip only U.S. credit card on a portable CC processing device I used to see only in the Europe. What is promising is an additional slot at the bottom of device with a chip symbol. This leads me to believe that the U.S. CC card industry (at least the suppliers of these retail processing devices) are preparing for eventual roll out of chip based U.S. credit cards. I hope this is the case.

I commented the additional slot on a CC device at my dentist's office, and the office staff did not have any idea what the additional card slot was for.

<i>What it means is US card issuers are at last moving to adopt EMV system of smart cards (with a chip)</i>

Unless something has dramatically changed very recently, the US banking has no plans whatsoever to change to EMV technology. If fact, the US is the only country (with a few eastern European country exceptions) to flatly refuse to adopt the technology.

What this means is that your US credit card will not be accepted at transportation ticket kiosks, pay at the pump gas stations, or many autoroute toll booths. I have had my non chipped card flatly refused by two restaurants this year and you can except processing delays as many new restaurants employees, unfamiliar with magnetic card processing, take a good amount of time simply swiping your card.

Industry observers are forecasting that, after the latest credit card fraud, US will move to adopt EMV system of smartcards within 2-3 years.

On the US side of the topic, my credit union last week sent my wife and me new ATM/Debit cards that have an embedded chip to use as a debit card at merchants enrolled in the PayPass system. So far the list of local vendors is mostly convenience stores, fast food places, and drug stores. I verified with them that the chip is NOPT the same system used un Europe.

I hope the chip technology in the U.S. is not going to be yet another initiatives crushed by the major players in the industry. I can just imagine entrepreneurs springing up to offer chip cards to desperate U.S. residents at a high premium if the oversea merchants no longer accept magnetic strip only cards. I suppose the banks can also offer chipped cards as "profit" center items.

Here is an article on what to do about chip and PIN problems in Europe:

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-ca...p-pin-1273.php

Chip and Pin in Europe was lauded as the answer to all the CC fraud that existed and that it would make it virtually impossible for fraudsters.

Not so, as it turns out. It has hardly made any difference and the fraudsters carry on unchecked. Card fraud and identity theft continue to grow here in the UK, with skimming devices on the odd ATM,(always check before you use one and some staff who process card payments being less than honest.

However, I guess it's the same everywhere and no worse here than in the US.

Sarastro's description 100% mirrors our experience in France in August of 2008. Not a huge inconvenience in Paris, where we always had 200 or so euros cash on hand, and I think only had one restaurant require a chip/pin.

On an extended road trip it can be a hassle at autoroute toll booths and at un-staffed gas stations, usually after 6:00 pm and sometimes from 12 to 2pm.

So, always get in the toll lane that indicates cash accepted and fill your gas tank during standard business hours.

BTW, Wells Fargo and a few others market a "wave through" credit card but it is not the same technology.

Thanks for the link greg.

Even through USA CCs do not have chip and PIN they do have "security codes." This is the three digit number on the signature pace after the CC number. Many merchants in my area ask to see my CC and enter that number on their register. Amex uses a 4 digit number on the front of the card. The security code is also needed when making online purchases at many sites.

As for number vs. alpha characters, the reason that you need a number is that very few ATM machines in Europe have alpha characters on the keypad. European alphabets are different everywhere so the numbers only mode makes sense.

My Canadian bank has just added Chip/Pin to my VISA card. I tested it in UK and worked fine, I'm assuming same for rest of Europe.

As stated above, this has nothing to do with any numeric password that would be used when I insert my CC into an ATM machine. Since I never do cash advances on my CC, I don't even know what that password is.

The password I now use on my VISA essentially replaces need for me to sign for any CC purchases. Just enter PIN and off I go.