12/1/13 1:57 PM

I guess they exist, as this thread began with Sparky saying his debit card number was ripped off.

I think there are ways they can get your pin just like the are ways to get just about everything. I almost never use the debit card for anything but cash at the ATM.

12/1/13 2:11 PM

when I use the card online it goes thru as a credit, and it also does at gas pumps. Because I am not inputting my pin in there. So I think it goes through as a CC.

12/1/13 2:19 PM

I only use my debit card for the ATM, and most often and purposefully ones that inside a bank or some other secure, high traffic area and not 3rd party free standing ones found at bodegas, retail shops, etc. Before I swipe I am conscious to look to see if the machine's swipe area & camera have been tampered with.

12/1/13 3:35 PM

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when I use the card online it goes thru as a credit, and it also does at gas pumps. Because I am not inputting my pin in there. So I think it goes through as a CC.

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12/1/13 3:46 PM

Correct. The vendor has the option of putting thru the debit card transaction as either a CC transaction, or debit transaction. As I understand it, CC requires a signature, debit doesn't. In either case the money is coming out of your account immediately.

I have no clue as to the agreement as to fees between the bank issuing the card and the vendor. I know that my local Sunoco gas station allows a debit transaction with no signature required and charges cash price, while across the street, the Gulf station charges CC price and requires a signature. But then again I think I can use a CC at the pump and not have to sign anything.

12/1/13 4:07 PM

Also some vendors seem to allow no pin or sign transactions below a certain amount. No idea what the threshold is.

12/1/13 4:11 PM

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I know that my local Sunoco gas station allows a debit transaction with no signature required and charges cash price, while across the street, the Gulf station charges CC price and requires a signature. But then again I think I can use a CC at the pump and not have to sign anything.

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12/1/13 4:22 PM

The only time I've used one for other than cash was recently when I put some donations on my CC and was near the limit. I only used it a couple times, but I think a pin was required except at the post office. Anyway, I understand skimmers can be put on the card machines, plus anyone standing behind you could see what you're punching in. As others have said, with a credit card you're out $50 at most, with a debit once the $ is out of the acct, I think you're SOL. I dunno about discounts for debits, I've never seen one.

12/1/13 4:29 PM

Same here, Dan

I had thought debit card ALWAYS requires a pin. But I guess I now know it doesn't, not always, which is the most dangerous new twist.

12/1/13 4:38 PM

Credit card slips - signing vs no signing. Not sure about the $ amount threshold, but merchants make you sign a credit card slip to protect themselves. If there's no signature and the charge is disputed, flagged, etc., the credit card company is more likely to hold the merchant accountable when there's no signature.

I've signed some receipts using George W. Bush, drew a smiley face on it, among other crazy signatures. Others have done such, too. One person had a blog documenting his wacky signatures, step by step accounts, escalating the stakes each time. His last step was trying to purchase a $6,000 big screen tv at an electronics store and signing the receipt as "VOID". Needless to say that did attract the immediate attention of the store manager and the transaction did not go through.

12/1/13 4:41 PM

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Also some vendors seem to allow no pin or sign transactions below a certain amount. No idea what the threshold is

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12/1/13 5:04 PM

Fast food seems to be $20.

12/1/13 5:07 PM

"Fast food seems to be $20."

I wish I could claim I wouldn't know. ;)

At least it is single digits per year...

12/1/13 5:15 PM

I use a debit card frequently as it's easier then writing a check, which my bank - CitiBank, charges for. They don't charge a fee for debit card usage. I prefer the debit card over a credit card for the obvious reasons of not wanting to get in the habit of piling up a credit card with charges - out of sight, etc.... while I am always monitoring my checking account so I know pretty much how much is in my checking and only keep enough to pay bills and day-to-day. The rest goes into the credit union.

My experience with years of using a debit card is that the vast majority of vendors will either automatically put through a transaction as debit, and require a pin code, or will put it through as credit, requiring a signature. Even the gas station requires a pin code to authorize a debit transaction. The biggest pain is restaurants where the signed slip has space to add a tip. CitiBank, for whatever reasons, takes days to clear (I.E., have the correct amount indicated on-line) a restaurant transaction if the amount includes a tip. No clue why, I asked once and it made no sense.

12/1/13 5:25 PM

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for the obvious reasons of not wanting to get in the habit of piling up a credit card with charges - out of sight, etc....

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12/1/13 5:29 PM

We use credit cards nearly exclusively with the sole exception being ATM transactions. I want the ability to contest a fraudulent charge and we NEVER run a balance as we pay it off in full each month.

Our bank (PNC) doesn't charge for checks or debit card transactions if you meet certain a minimum balance or have at least a specified amount deposited electronically every month.

12/1/13 5:54 PM

I can check my credit card balance online anytime I want. And I also pay off in full every month.

12/8/13 2:48 PM

I've had a few CC's compromised over the years, and only Chase tried to fight me, putting me on the phone with a woman in Aisa who challenged my rights, attempting to make me pay. Quoth me, "B*** S***", which reversed their effort.
I also got nicked by the Nashbar scammer some years back, but Nashbar apparently contacted the bank so things went especially smooth with Wells that time.

12/8/13 5:24 PM

In the end, now that the smoke has cleared, we had to contest one $35.00 charge and go through steps to not have the temp credit charged back. So I am going to say the anti fraud mechanism in place borders impressive, maybe...

12/8/13 8:11 PM

I've never had a problem, though I do use it as a credit card at places like the Post Office, which charge fees for debit cards. I really like the fact that I never even have to think about paying a bill, because there isn't one. I do keep one credit card for "emergencies" and I sometimes use it when I travel, but I've had cards cancelled by their banks due to lack of use. It's kind of fun for me to annoy a bank for a change...

The only downside I've found to the debit-card-only approach is that with zero debt, my credit score has dropped about 8 points, though that's hardly an issue when you have no debt and don't use credit.

12/8/13 9:55 PM

I just had a dealing with their customer (dis)service department last week!

American Express seems to go through "cycles" of different level of customer service. And it seems to me we're back to poor customer service side of the cycle AGAIN!

A resturant "fogrot" to return my card so I had to close that one and get a replacement card. It was a long wait to get through to a rep. More over, the replacement card came not by FedEx the next monring as in the past. It came UPS overnight "savor", which means I had to wait at home for the entire day for the delivery!

12/9/13 6:16 AM

They abuse merchants, so many refuse to take their cards. Their support is basically incompetent. About all they're good at is making TV commercials.

12/9/13 7:12 AM

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I really like the fact that I never even have to think about paying a bill, because there isn't one.

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12/9/13 8:31 AM

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I really like the fact that I never even have to think about paying a bill, because there isn't one.

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so many refuse to take their cards. Their support is basically incompetent.

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12/9/13 9:52 AM

Proud member since '83, which truly amuses my son who is still an additional cardholder on my account - he was born in '84 so his card says he was a member before he was born.

I've never had a bad service experience with them. My card has been hacked several times and, each time, AE notified me of unauthorized charges, closed down the compromised card, and got me a new card within a day or two. My card was stolen when I was in Barcelona once and I was able to pick up a new card in two days from the local AE office. I used their concierge service to get tickets to the opera in Milan when I couldn't navigate the Italian website or phone system.

I'm still upset that they haven't instituted a chip and pin system on their cards yet for international use (their system is chip and sign . . . yech).