Chip and PIN cards

[Homer]

Would be interested to hear from a merchant on this one as to their experience over last week if any have been checking!

I'm a merchant. My staff have been pressing ENTER at the PIN prompt and the terminals are still prompting for a signature. We've told them to pretend the software requires a PIN because "it could happen any day" but I believe they will stick with their old habits until the terminals are updated and actually require a PIN. In September.

 

[Jay Cee]

It depends if the issuer has programmed the PIN into the chip. AMEX and Westpac do this, others like ANZ, CBA and HSBC don't.

My replacement CBA issued AMEX arrived 2 days ago. Chip & Pin worked when I paid my account at pharmac_. Worked OK at woollies also, no problems so far. Oh! didn't mention, but AMEX pay/pass/whatever they call it works with the AMEX chip/pin card just received..

cheers

 

[ChrisFlyer]

My replacement CBA issued AMEX arrived 2 days ago. Chip & Pin worked when I paid my account at pharmac_. Worked OK at woollies also, no problems so far. Oh! didn't mention, but AMEX pay/pass/whatever they call it works with the AMEX chip/pin card just received..

cheers

It'll always work when the software accepts it within Australia – the comment you quoted related to use overseas, where many terminals only prompt for a PIN if it's hard-coded, and resort to a signature if it's not.

 

[coles525]

Paid for fuel tonight, using the DJ amax.... chose enter, instead of pin.... Sure enough, I signed.

 

[Flying High]

I managed to use my Plat charge card, but only after having an argument with the guy at the till. I reckon I'm going to have this argument many times until Amex sends me a replacement card with a chip 'n PIN. He was adamant that I had to use a PIN form 1 Aug.

This situation was so predictable, and should have been easily avoided if only Amex had got their act together and sent out replacement cards before 1 Aug. It's not like this has come as a surprise to the industry.

For a company that likes to sell itself as a premium product, Amex is sadly way behind every other financial institution. Rather than send me glossy brochures trying to get me to sign up to silly 'deals', perhaps spend more time getting the basics of service right. My Westpac credit card (that I pay nothing for) was reissued with a chip 'n PIN well over a year ago.

Not good enough Amex.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I managed to use my Plat charge card, but only after having an argument with the guy at the till. I reckon I'm going to have this argument many times until Amex sends me a replacement card with a chip 'n PIN. He was adamant that I had to use a PIN form 1 Aug.

This situation was so predictable, and should have been easily avoided if only Amex had got their act together and sent out replacement cards before 1 Aug. It's not like this has come as a surprise to the industry.

For a company that likes to sell itself as a premium product, Amex is sadly way behind every other financial institution. Rather than send me glossy brochures trying to get me to sign up to silly 'deals', perhaps spend more time getting the basics of service right. My Westpac credit card (that I pay nothing for) was reissued with a chip 'n PIN well over a year ago.

Not good enough Amex.

Have had exactly the same experience with our AMEX that isn't chip enabled. I said to the shop assistant that I'm going to get good at this argument over the next 8 months.

 

[opusman]

Amex Pay-pass (on an ANZ branded card) seems very flaky to me so far. Works ok at Coles & Woolies but at most other merchants the terminals complain about "multiple cards presented". Half the time the chip doesn't work either and you have to swipe and sign!

 

[drron]

I have had no problems with my Amex either with a PIN or pay pass but on Sunday at Woollies I used the pay pass option as usual and the terminal came up with the message-signature required.First time for everything I suppose.

 

[TomVexille]

Amex Pay-pass (on an ANZ branded card) seems very flaky to me so far. Works ok at Coles & Woolies but at most other merchants the terminals complain about "multiple cards presented". Half the time the chip doesn't work either and you have to swipe and sign!

I'm having the same issue.

 

[Alanslegal]

My Amex Edge does not have a chip so according to their website, I continue to use this card as normal with signature until a new chip enabled card is sent out to me by March 2015 :shock:

 

[yohy?!]

My Amex Edge does not have a chip so according to their website, I continue to use this card as normal with signature until a new chip enabled card is sent out to me by March 2015 :shock:

I have the same card - I just called them and got them to replace it and they stated I would get the chip card right away, even with postage to HK as I'm not back in Oz for a few weeks

 

[yohy?!]

Have had exactly the same experience with our AMEX that isn't chip enabled. I said to the shop assistant that I'm going to get good at this argument over the next 8 months.

Just call Amex and get a replacement, don't tell them why just say it's damaged - it's classic Amex with policies coming down from high that havent been thought through to reality and the drones in the admin roles not questioning anything...

 

[Hvr]

My Earth Platinum Amex doesn't have a chip but I can use a PIN with no problems. Love it and don't want to ever revert to signature.

 

[TomVexille]

My Earth Platinum Amex doesn't have a chip but I can use a PIN with no problems. Love it and don't want to ever revert to signature.

Same with my NAB issued Amex. Just because a card doesn't have a chip doesn't mean it can't have a PIN.

 

[Buzzard]

Amex Pay-pass (on an ANZ branded card) seems very flaky to me so far. Works ok at Coles & Woolies but at most other merchants the terminals complain about "multiple cards presented". Half the time the chip doesn't work either and you have to swipe and sign!

At my business I have never known an ANZ Amex to work properly. Stick it in first then swipe it.

 

[kew]

To-day I went shopping at Woolworths and used the self service checkouts. When it came time to pay with my sign only Amex card, I went through the process at the terminal until it instructed me to sign. I noticed that covering the signature window was a sign indicating Woolworths would no longer accept signatures after October 18. I requested assistance as the sign was sticky taped down covering the signature window.

When the assistant came over, I advised her of the problem and she pointed at the sign. I said to her that according to the sign, that was not until October 18. She said she was told to place these signs over the signature windows by Management at the store.

It would now seem that October 18 is a "new date" for absolutely no signatures? This seems to be validated by the information below.

(Addendum) I found the following information (published today) here: https://www.australianbankingfinance.com/banking/signatures-sign-out-with-a-ping--not-a-bang

[h=3]POS upgrade[/h]

The project also requires upgrading Australia's 830,000 POS terminals, some of which are in remote locations, making it impossible to upgrade them all simultaneously. Hence there will be a transition period with a scheduled cut-off of 18 October. Westpac expects all its tens of thousands of merchant customers will have upgraded terminals by 1 September.


Two changes are needed. The screen message will change from saying ‘PIN or OK’ to ‘ENTER PIN’ when an Australian-issued chip card is inserted. The current PIN bypass mechanism of pressing the OK button will be disabled.


When a card is inserted into a terminal and a PIN isn’t entered, the screen will refresh to again read ‘ENTER PIN’. The transaction therefore won’t go anywhere without a PIN.


Customers won’t see it but at the end of the transition period the card issuer’s host computer system will be upgraded so that any chip card transaction coming through without a PIN will be declined if it should have been accompanied by a PIN. “That is to mop up some of the terminals that won’t have been upgraded by then,” said Blockley.


The hospitality industry presents some unique challenges but Australia is following Europe's lead in deploying pay-at-table devices. Generally consumers will have two choices when totalling their restaurant bill by VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Diners Club International cards.


They can select a pre-programmed tip of five, 10 or 15 per cent or enter a tip amount of their choice, see the total and enter the PIN to pay that amount.


Signature-preferred cards will be available from at least seven issuers, including the big four banks, for people with a legitimate need for a signature authentication, such as those with a disability or impairment that makes using PINs difficult.

 

[Homer]

Interesting but AMEX has been telling merchants, including us as recently as yesterday, that they won't be phasing out signatures completely until early next year (I believe February was the nominal month).

 

[TomVexille]

Interesting but AMEX has been telling merchants, including us as recently as yesterday, that they won't be phasing out signatures completely until early next year (I believe February was the nominal month).

I believe it. My local servo has introduced new eftpos terminals but they still don't accept my Amex PIN.

 

[KLN]

went to my local Caltex petrol station today, and used Amex, had to put in my PIN and then sign...............still old EFTPOS machine they tell me.

 

[TomVexille]

went to my local Caltex petrol station today, and used Amex, had to put in my PIN and then sign...............still old EFTPOS machine they tell me.

I'm gust going to keep signing at my Caltex until it doesn't let me. They got new EFTPOS terminals but still don't accept the PIN.