neill

Was recently back in the UK, went to pay for gas (sorry, petrol) with my canadian credit card. They refused my credit card because they were only accepting this "Chip and PIN" business now. Since i can only sign with my non-chip card they threw up a 'decline'...

So much for being able to use your credit card anywhere in the world.

anyone else encounter this problem?

Wondering what they are planning to do with the millions of other people who visit the UK without a Chip-and-PIN card. I guess visitors are restricted to hard cash from this point on...

Biiiiink

I used a Canadian chip-less card several times the other week in the UK, no problems. In fact I reached for that card instead of a UK one as I couldn't remember my pin

Tidge

As I understand it, if the card does not have a chip they have to accept it anyway. They should not have turned you away.

I know one of my credit card companies has not even sent my new chipped card out yet!

Tidge

From the official C&P website...


I am visiting the UK as a tourist or on business and I don't have a chip and PIN card - will I be able to use it in shops?

You don't need to worry. Your cards will still be accepted in UK shops and by other businesses including hotels and restaurants. You will simply be asked to sign, just as before. The changes taking place after 14 February 2006 only apply to chip and PIN cardholders.

Biiiiink

That's what I thought too - isn't it just that if it has chip/PIN and they don't use it, and the transaction turns out to be fraudulent, they (the retailer) aren't covered for the loss? Hence the insistence upon it. But if it's not there, and they take other reasonable steps like checking signatures, there shouldn't be a problem. Sounds like that petrol station's misguided policy rather than that of the issuers. I certainly had no problem shopping for Britain on a Canadian card

neill

Yeah i think that's pretty much it... If i had insisted they call my credit card provider (which i did do afterwards to check..) so that they could get a manual authorisation, then they wouldn't be liable for any fraud. I couldn't be arsed causing a hassle as you know how people are in line at petrol stations
:-)

The funny thing is, my canadian credit card company automatically refunded me $700 last year when my card was cloned and used to make exhorbitant purchases at Petro-canada stations across canada they called me before i even knew it had happened!

Athome

What should happen and what does happen obviously are not always one and the same.

Some clerk in a shop or petrol station who isn't exactly a rocket scientist or career motivated individual, can refuse your card I'm sure, but if you insisted on taking it further your card would be accepted. Time to forget that British trend of meekly walking away and start exercising your rights to be treated as a Customer, not an inconvenience to the clerk's texting time.