I think in the USA the priority is encouraging convenient shopping over fraud protection. The banks are happy to eat the fraud in exchange for their "cut" of each $6 latte and $4 muffin purchase.
Let them use their cell phones, I say.
All that fraud costs businesses, cc companies and all of us.
Stopping some of it appeals to me.
The chip means nothing in the USA, where retailers are fighting against adopting the chipped card + PIN security model.
I was totally baffled at a walmart the other day. I go to one about once a year and she kept trying to get me to do something weird with my card. She finally took it from me, shoved the chipped end in the machine, and told me to wait. Of course, I pulled it right back out, and she yelled at me. What an ordeal, teaching an old dog new tricks. Might be two years before I go back to wallyworld.
We have both Canada and US cards and accounts so can avoid exchange fees best exchange rate in BC is VCBE (Vancouver Coin and Bullion Exchange). The Canadian Cards have had chips for years and all businesses have machines they take to table you insert your card and key your pin. Works easy and is much more secure. Sometimes the U.S. is behind the times. If you have T-mobile texting is free in BC but phone will cost. data free also dependent on plan.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
Thanks for the ~8 year bump. My REI Visa has been gathering dust in the sock drawer for a while. My absolute fave credit card right now is Bank of America's Travel Rewards Visa. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and if you qualify for Bank of America's Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors tier it transforms this card from a 1.5% travel rewards card into a 2.625% cash back everywhere card. To cash out the travel rewards you do need to transfer them to the Fidelity AMEX but that's also a great no-annual fee card to have that earns 2% everywhere for AMEX purchases.
..... My absolute fave credit card right now is Bank of America's Travel Rewards Visa. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and if you qualify for Bank of America's Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors tier it transforms this card from a 1.5% travel rewards card into a 2.625% cash back everywhere card. .....
Thanks for the ~8 year bump. My REI Visa has been gathering dust in the sock drawer for a while. My absolute fave credit card right now is Bank of America's Travel Rewards Visa. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and if you qualify for Bank of America's Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors tier it transforms this card from a 1.5% travel rewards card into a 2.625% cash back everywhere card. To cash out the travel rewards you do need to transfer them to the Fidelity AMEX but that's also a great no-annual fee card to have that earns 2% everywhere for AMEX purchases.
Thanks for passing that on.
After getting dinged last summer in Canada among other things I think it's time for a change.
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