[ale] OT security not at QT gas pump

JD jdp at algoloma.com
Sun Jul 28 13:31:23 EDT 2013


USAA - I had to ask about 5 times before someone knew what I was asking. I also
showed travel in the 12 months to about 10 different countries on 4 continents.

The EMV card did not change any terms of the account agreement; still $zero
annual fee and all the other great/terrible things about USAA credit cards.

It still has a magnetic strip, so easily cloned by fraudsters everywhere and
works in the USA, but I look forward to being able to buy things overseas -
especially the train tickets from Schiphol airport kiosks.  Most tourist places
still work with signatures, but more and more, if you leave that path, purchases
will be denied, which can be embarrassing. Happened to me a few times last fall.


On 07/27/2013 07:01 PM, Andy Borgmann wrote:
> What EMV card do you have? I didn't think there were any here except the chase
> card for British Airways. I debated getting it for travel to Europe but decided
> against it (can't remember why now)
> 
> On Saturday, July 27, 2013, JD wrote:
> 
>     By the end of 2014, in theory, EMV (chip-n-pin) cards
>     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMV will be required across the USA.  That means a
>     PIN will be necessary for all transactions. Where I've seen them used overseas,
>     the transaction machine is brought to you to insert and enter the PIN - your
>     card never leaves your possession.
> 
>     EMV has security and fraud issues too. Nothing is perfect.  The main concern for
>     users is when the PIN is entered, it is assumed that you agreed to the
>     transaction - little hope of claiming fraud. Some contracts include that clause.
>     EMV has been used to shift liability to the consumer in some countries.  I
>     haven't seen this clause added to my EMV card here.
> 
>     On 07/27/2013 05:48 PM, Mike Harrison wrote:
>     > On Sat, 27 Jul 2013, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
>     >> Had to share this with you.  I go to the QT gas pump.  I swipe the debit
>     >> card.  The screen says enter your pin number or press no.  So, just like I
>     >> would if I was a thief, I press no.  The pump asks me to select my fuel
>     grade,
>     >> which I do.  Then I proceed to fill my tank.  Great security.
>     >
>     > On many better systems, you get prompted for a zip code,
>     > as others have said.
>     >
>     > Option B: "credit card" rather than "debit card" mode, means the merchant
>     pays a
>     > higher percentage fee for the less secured mode, both in terms of the card
>     > transaction and your ability to deny the charge (charge back) later. Other
>     logic
>     > at play may be a limit ($50 or $75) on that swipe only transaction, limiting
>     > their exposure. I've had pumps when travelling that limited me to a $50 charge
>     > as a credit card, but no limit in debit mode.
>     > You notice it when towing a trailer.
>     >
>     > What you also may have run into, but probably not notice, is pumps and
>     > associated systems with camera's. When you swipe the card, they snap a shot of
>     > you and your car. The really good ones have camera's mounted at angles
>     that can
>     > snag you/car and license plate and record a still as part of the transaction,
>     > saved for as long as they have hard drive space. You'll notice the ones at big
>     > truck stops with the monitors mounted near the cashiers, but many of them are
>     > not so noticable.
>     >
>     > What really keeps ancient credit card technology secure is that -most- people
>     > are honest, and most dishonest people aren't that bright. What keeps me
>     (and the
>     > world) paranoid is the few times I've bumped into brilliant bad people.
>     They are
>     > out there.
>     >
> 


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