StuDudley

The machine you insert the card into knows if it is a pin or a signature card. Often we have to tell the "clerk" that it is a signature card so that he or she can give us a pen (along with the receipt) to sign with.

Stu Dudley

Sarastro

What exactly happens will depend upon where your purchase is made and the authentication protocol as specified by your card issuing bank.

When using your card at a restaurant, hotel, or store, you will wait for the equipment to print receipt copies for you to sign. The card reader will display instructions in English telling you when to remove your card. If you do not have a pen with you, and you should carry one, the employee knows you need one and will find one for you. You do not really have to say anything. Unfortunately the entire process takes much more time than simply entering a PIN which is what everyone else will be doing.

At a kiosk, if the purchase is below your card issuing bank´s no CVM limit, you do nothing. Just take your card when the reader tells you to. That´s it.

At some kiosks when purchases reach higher values, I have found those starting at about 80€ to 90€, the kiosk will ask you to enter your PIN. If your card has no PIN, I´m not sure what might occur other than your purchase request being possibly denied.

I do not particularly agree with the US banking industry´s chip & signature, online PIN solution to the world wide EMV credit card standard as simple PIN entry is fast and efficient.

At least it is an improvement to the old magnetic strip process and you can now use your cards almost anywhere.

WoinParis

For those who speak some French. Don't ever say 'je mets la pin où ?
Never.
C'est pas bien. Pas bien du tout.

xyz123

nikki...not to worry. In most restaurants, they will bring a wireless terminal to the table. The waiter inserts your card and a message flashes to him, signature required. The terminal then prints a receipt for you to sign as noted. The waiter may have to search for a pen. In most other situations, the same thing will happen. You don't have to tell the clerk anything. You insert the card, the message flashes signature required, a receipt is printed, you sign. The merchant has no way of knowing whether your card is chip and pin or chip and signature. Signature pads, at least in my experience, are next to non existent. No cvm even for trivially small purchases almost never occur; the merchants insist on that signature. Sometimes they check. In France, more often they don't. What you do have to watch out for, more importantly, is that they are not pulling the dynamic currency conversion scam on you. It is relatively uncommon in France but in this scam the merchant suggests to you they will write up the charge in your currency rather than the local currency as a courtesy to "lock in the rate". What they don't tell you is they are converting at a much higher rate than the official rate and you end up losing 5%. If you card has a foreign transaction fee (ftf) you get nailed for that too. Make sure the signature slip does not have both the local currency and your currency listed. And don't ever believe it when you are told it is the same thing or the amount shown in your currency is just for your convenience. Look up dcc on google to find the manifestations of this scam.

Sarastro

WoinParis - I think that very few people here have any idea what you are talking about; and that is a very good thing.

Nikki

Thanks everyone.

xyz, I have been alert for dcc for several years now, but thanks for your continuing efforts at spreading the word.

Wo, I have been trying to figure out your forbidden phrase but google is not my friend. I suppose I won't take your comment as a challenge but will have to remain in the dark about exactly what people will think I want to put where.

WoinParis

Nikki.
Yes. Just don't say it.
I did the other way round when very young and going to a mcDo and asking for a hamburger and finishing with 'I would really like to have a big cock' instead of a big coke.

Nikki

So which one did you get?

WoinParis

;-)