Petty Vents

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I don't know how debit cards work in the US, but don't you have to enter your PIN every time they make a charge? You do in Canada. I would be concerned about how two payments were charged. In Canada it would mean that my card had been swiped, then I entered my PIN and then the whole procedure done again. Or, it would mean that someone had duplicated my card and stolen my PIN. :ohmy:

It was a payment made over the phone, not in person. Their offices don't take payments. You have to call their payment line or send a check, so they had all of my card information. In the US at least, they typically run debit cards in situations like these as a credit card. As long as they have a major credit card logo, it's possible, and very common. I pay bills over the phone and online all the time and I'm never asked for my pin. Just the card number, expiration date, billing zip code, and 3-digit security code on the back of the card. If you've ever paid a bill at a restaurant with your debit card to the server, and they didn't have a portable machine in hand that allowed you to enter your pin, the payment was processed as a credit card. The CC companies typically charge the business a few cents more for each transaction run as credit instead of debit, and it takes an extra day to post to your bank account, but it works pretty much the same, sans pin. That's why you have to sign a slip at a restaurant. You don't have to sign anything if you use your pin and it's run as a debit card.
 
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If the card has a Mastercard, Visa etc brand the merchant does not know it is a debit card and no pin should be needed.
 
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To the best of my knowledge, it cannot be done in Canada.

In some ways, that would be a huge pain in my butt. I buy several things of my regular houshold items online and I would hate not being able to use my debit card to do it. If you shop online in Canada you have to use a credit card then? I guess it wouldn't be that bad, as long as you make sure you transfer the funds from your checking account to the credit card as soon as it posts, but still, it would be a pain.
 
In some ways, that would be a huge pain in my butt. I buy several things of my regular houshold items online and I would hate not being able to use my debit card to do it. If you shop online in Canada you have to use a credit card then? I guess it wouldn't be that bad, as long as you make sure you transfer the funds from your checking account to the credit card as soon as it posts, but still, it would be a pain.

It is a bit of a PITA. But, I feel a lot more comfortable that way. I'm not giving strangers access to my bank account. The CC companies are pretty good about reversing charges that you tell them you didn't make, I hear.
 
When I place an order online for several items from say KMart, the total amount is authorized, but each item gets deducted as it ships, up to the total amount I authorized. No pin is required for these charges to my debit card when made online.
 
I use a credit card specifically for on-line use. It has $300 limit which allows me to purchase most anything I can normally afford, yet if the info falls into the wrong hands, the damage is limited until I can get it straightened out with the credit card company.

I also keep close track of all purchases a couple times a week on all of my accounts.
 
I use a credit card specifically for on-line use. It has $300 limit which allows me to purchase most anything I can normally afford, yet if the info falls into the wrong hands, the damage is limited until I can get it straightened out with the credit card company.

I also keep close track of all purchases a couple times a week on all of my accounts.

Very reasonable way to be careful.
 
My most recently issued bank card has "debit" and "visa" on it. I have no idea how to use the "visa" side of it since I have a separate visa card. I keep meaning to ask my bank about that "feature" but keep forgetting. I buy prepaid visas for Internet transactions or use my paypal account (funds in that are from work I do and have been paid by paypal).
 
My most recently issued bank card has "debit" and "visa" on it. I have no idea how to use the "visa" side of it since I have a separate visa card. I keep meaning to ask my bank about that "feature" but keep forgetting. I buy prepaid visas for Internet transactions or use my paypal account (funds in that are from work I do and have been paid by paypal).

Let us know when you find out. Neither of my recently issued bank cards has Visa on them. Which bank?

I have to laugh at Canadian Tire MC. They have arrangements with some internet sites that you have to give your password to do a transaction with your CT MC. But, they put PayPass on the card without asking. That can be read by some scam artist while it's in your wallet. :ermm:
 
BTW, it is a chip card and I have to enter the PIN whenever I use it. It was rejected several times at stores when I was in the States because the POS reader could not read it. PITA for me.
 
BTW, it is a chip card and I have to enter the PIN whenever I use it. It was rejected several times at stores when I was in the States because the POS reader could not read it. PITA for me.

Well, if it's a debit card, of course you have to enter your PIN. My RBC debit card has a chip too.
 
I still don't get the visa part of it--my visa pin is not the same one as my bank card...on my "to do" list (ask the bank to explain that to me) next time I go to C'wall.
 
My most recently issued bank card has "debit" and "visa" on it. I have no idea how to use the "visa" side of it since I have a separate visa card. I keep meaning to ask my bank about that "feature" but keep forgetting. I buy prepaid visas for Internet transactions or use my paypal account (funds in that are from work I do and have been paid by paypal).


What you have is a Debit or Check card managed by VISA for your bank. Most stores will take it as a debit card and ask you to enter your PIN. The store can also process it as a credit card and it automatically corrects and switches to a debit on your checking account.

At least that's the way it works around here.
 
that's the way mine works as well. only asked for pin in groceries store,. i keep a different password for them. i buy tons and tons of stuff on line, works as a credit card for that,
 
BTW, it is a chip card and I have to enter the PIN whenever I use it. It was rejected several times at stores when I was in the States because the POS reader could not read it. PITA for me.

That is because US cards do not have a chip in them so the readers here use the magnetic strip alone. Canada and most of Europe have cards with chips but the US has yet to make the switch.
 
I know discussion is still going about my last vent, and I hate to sound like whiner, but this is really not my week. DH took the car in to get a front end alignment and an oil change. Turns out we also need 2 new tires, a new ball joint and control arm. Total is going to cost us almost $600. As a result, we have to cancel our family getaway to the ocean next weekend. I'm so bummed. I've still never seen the Atlantic ocean, and at this rate, I never will, since we'll probably be leaving the East coast next summer. Oh yeah, and we need new rotors soon, too, because with his crazy school schedule, DH didn't have time to replace our brake pads until a month after they started making noise and unfortunately, my big pregnant belly prevented me from doing it. I'm praying he can replace them himself, too.

We are also looking for a second vehicle, since are car is getting up there in mileage (hence all the repairs). We were planning on getting a motorcycle or scooter for the fuel economy, since we each drive 50 miles round trip to work. From the research I've been able to do, it's pretty much impossible for either of us to drive a scooter to work, since it's illegal to drive one over 30mph. Really? Requires same protective gear, and they make scooters that can drive up to highway speeds and this state (I'm guessing it's not alone) decided that it's unsafe to drive them over 30mph. Basically, unless you live in the city or are in the country but only need to cover a distance that you could easily cover on a bicycle or on foot (since anywhere further requires use of a highway, which scooters aren't allowed on), you're out of luck. I knew they weren't allowed on freeways, but really? Then I decided to see what the state requirements are for a motorcycle endorsement in this state. The MVA website couldn't be more confusing, of course. I would prefer that DH took the course before driving a motorcycle, even though it will cost us and extra $200. Well, I looked up courses that are offered. I can only find one that lists the actual class schedule. Everything other listing requires you to fill out the application form, including a fair amount of personal information, like your drivers' license number, before you can even view the class schedule. No, I'm not giving some community college all of my husband's personal information just to see if he can even take the freaking class! He works slightly odd hours, and because of our religious beliefs, we don't believe in working or making others work on Sundays, so I guess we're out of luck. All of this to try to get a vehicle that weighs a fraction of a car, is much more unsafe, and still usually only manages to get 10-20 mpg better than my car. I'm not usually one for conspiracy theories. Frankly, they usually annoy me, but it's hard to ignore how difficult our state and national laws make it to decrease our dependency on petroleum. We're trying to be responsible; we're trying not to fall into the trap of consumer debt, but for heavens' sake!
 
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