Will mechants accept the magnetic stripe without a PIN number?
In major metropolitan areas, you should encounter no trouble with acceptance of your MasterCard. However, once you are out of major tourist centres, some merchants are unfamiliar with the rules regarding acceptance of international magnetic stripe cards and you may encounter some resistance to your magnetic stripe credit card. Part of the confusion is due to implementation of new rules regarding responsibility for fraudulent transactions: In the United Kingdom, any merchant that has a chip and PIN device installed will be protected from fraudulent transactions, regardless of card technology – provided they follow appropriate acceptance procedures. Some merchants (or their staff) incorrectly believe they will bear responsibility for any fraud if they accept a magnetic stripe card. This is not the case.
Related Questions
- Can I still accept a magnetic stripe card after the market migrates to Chip? / What if I do not migrate to Chip & PIN?
- If Chip and PIN cards are more secure, does that mean my existing magnetic stripe RBC Visa card is not secure?
- Does the introduction of chip VISA Debit cards mean that the magnetic stripe is not secure?
