Visa debit card use in USA

wolfman210

Warning. If you try to use a visa debit card to obtain petrol or booze from a shop they will not accept your visa debit card with a chip and pin. It will work in an ordinary shop or food outlet. or where you sign after giving them the card. On petrol pumps are notices about fraud stating if after putting your card and pin number in a message appears which states go to cashier inside station. Once inside they tell you that the card is showing up as a credit card not a debit card. Don't get stuck in the middle of nowhere without petrol. cash is the answer.:mad:

wolfman210

PS the card will work in cash machines. unfortunately they will charge you 2to 3 dollars a transaction.

Gromitt

Isn't a credit card an easier answer? Never got stuck with taking 2 CCs to the USA. Didn't use C+P though, always swiped and signed.

Debit cards are too expensive for international travel IMO.

guesswho2000

Gromitt wrote: »

Isn't a credit card an easier answer? Never got stuck with taking 2 CCs to the USA. Didn't use C+P though, always swiped and signed.

Debit cards are too expensive for international travel IMO.

I agree, especially with USA. Couldn't use a debit card even to get cash out, had to use a credit card for everything.

reclusive46

I know what your describing, when asked for a pin at the petrol pumps its actually asking for the zip code. With a Visa or an Amex this is easy to solve. Just use any of the numbers in your post code and finish it with 0s until it reaches 5 digits.

For example.

If your post is NR12 7BT

You would put as your zip code at the petrol pump as: 12700

I've done this many times with Visa/ Visa debit cards and Amex cards. This only sometimes works with MasterCards.

When it comes to shops do the following:

American Debit cards have a swipe and pin system. Most should ask you if you want to pay by credit or debit. Always say credit even if it is a debit card (Don't worry it will be processed normally but ask you to sign). Some shops and automated machines detect its a debit card and force you into the pin panel. If this happens, press cancel and it will give you the option to select credit. (Walmart does this with debit cards).