Using Fairfx currency card in the USA

derynane

Just returned from three weeks in the USA.
My Fairfx currency card was accepted everywhere using 'swipe and sign' but not on garage forecourts using 'swipe and PIN' even though the card is PIN enabled. There I was forced to take my card inside the garage to be swiped and leave it there whilst I filled my tank, then return inside for a re-swipe and pay using credit not debit. Some garages were a little wary about doing this. Not a good scenario when there can be 145 miles to the next petrol station in the desert!!
On a number of occasions garages performed an 'Auth' transaction on the first swipe sometimes blocking as much as $75.00 against the card which was not released for days even though I only purchased $30.00 of petrol.Also, petrol is considerably more expensive if you use a credit rather than a debit transaction.
Probably better to use cash for petrol.
Just so as you are all aware of this.

M_Thomson

derynane wrote: »

Just returned from three weeks in the USA.
My Fairfx currency card was accepted everywhere using 'swipe and sign' but not on garage forecourts using 'swipe and PIN' even though the card is PIN enabled. There I was forced to take my card inside the garage to be swiped and leave it there whilst I filled my tank, then return inside for a re-swipe and pay using credit not debit. Some garages were a little wary about doing this. Not a good scenario when there can be 145 miles to the next petrol station in the desert!!
On a number of occasions garages performed an 'Auth' transaction on the first swipe sometimes blocking as much as $75.00 against the card which was not released for days even though I only purchased $30.00 of petrol.Also, petrol is considerably more expensive if you use a credit rather than a debit transaction.
Probably better to use cash for petrol.
Just so as you are all aware of this.

The swipe and Pin in the USA uses the magnetic stripe and not the chip like it does here, so your UK card will not be set up to use like that. Chip and Pin is making its way to the USA within the next 5 years. Also, the machines that ask whether you use Credit or Debit always pick credit for overseas cards even if they are debit cards. The Debit function only works for USA issued debit cards as they can either be signed for or use a pin.

TeaForOne

My experience of buying petrol in the USA is it's easiest to tell the cashier you want (say) $30 worth of "gas". They then set the pump to deliver $30 then stop.

I've done this in Florida many times with no problem and everyone else seems to do it too. Granted I use a credit card (low transaction fees as recommended on MSE ), and maybe it varies from state to state (although I've definitely done this in California and Nevada too).

Snowedunder

Having lived in Florida but occasionally using my UK debit and credit cards I can confirm that unless your 'home address' for any cards is in USA then you will not be able to buy 'gas' automatically. As said you will need to go inside the store to have your card pre-authorised. Beware of asking for too high a purchase though as if you cannot use the amount of fuel pre-authorised it can take days for the unused balance amount to be re-credited to your card.

I also had a Virgin US payg mobile which has to be loaded every 30 days but again, this cannot be done with a UK based card whether debit or credit.

On a different not with regard to using FX card this was, as said accepted everywhere that accepts Mastercard, there are a few stores that actually do not accept Mastercard (Dollar Store for one) so just be aware before shopping or have another card!