Good suggestions to protect your personal identity

[rhody]

Hey guys,
I found an interesting Wiki on Card Security Codes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_Security_Code

Yeah, and after reading it it appears to the the Security Codes can be compromised via Phishing scams. To me, the one time secure number tied to (Citibank, Bank of America, or Discover card's) the expiration date, amount, vendor is the way to go (see post #4) above.

It may be inconvenient, take a bit of time, but I would definitely consider it for making purchases out of the continental US. We visited Jamaica a few years back, bought one expensive item, and were hounded by the locals for months saying they were not paid in full by the credit card company, using the method described above would have laid their claims in the dust.

Rhody...

 

[Monique]

Ahh, you guys were talking about that printed code. Any time you use your credit card in public, people with an ill mind are able to copy that code right? During online transactions I am required to enter a personal pin number and many countries (mainly European?) are now requiring a PIN number to be entered with credit card transactions (a signature won't do).

edit, some more info: apparently the "dumb" credit cards (without chips) should still be accepted:
http://www.elliott.org/blog/two-important-warnings-for-americans-using-their-credit-cards-in-europe"

Capital One representative:

"Ensure your card is processed successfully when traveling abroad
Traveling to Europe soon? Be aware that many countries throughout Europe, including the UK, Ireland, France, and others, have recently introduced a chip and pin payment system that utilizes cards embedded with a chip and protected through the use of a personal identification number. Some merchants in Europe have mistakenly refused to accept Visa cards issued by U.S. financial institutions because the cards do not have an embedded chip that can be read at the point of sale.

The good news is that U.S. cardholders visiting Europe can continue to use their magnetic stripe Visa card in countries with this system. The merchants’ terminals are designed to recognize and prompt appropriately, and you should still be able to sign a transaction receipt."

 

[Kajahtava]

Dijkstra saw it all.