Anonymous wrote:Do you need a Pin to use a chip card in europe? I hear conflicting reports.

We have pin card and traveled in Europe this summer. Most places used it as a swipe card and we did not have a pin code which would have likely allowed us to use the card as a pin card. So far no problems but I was concerned during one dinner that we didn't have enough currency to pay if the pin card didn't work. It can be an issue also if there is a language barrier.

On a related note, we let Cap One know we were heading overseas and all was well. Until a recurring, regular payment hit back in the US at the same time as we were overseas. Then it was flagged for fraud until we could straighten it out. The best laid plans...

Do you need a Pin to use a chip card in europe? I hear conflicting reports.

If you use the app you can put a travel alert on the card. I've done that with capital one,Amex, and REI MasterCard. Amex is great because they already know you're traveling based o your transactions leading up to it (but maybe that's because I have the delta card and use it to book flights,)

Send them an email.

Not all European locations will take a US pin card. For whatever reasons they do chip and pin and we do chip and sign. So you might have the pin but the store/restaraunt etc will have to run it as if its a swipe card. If this is the case it could appear to be fraud. I still try to get thru to a customer service rep or online to put a notice on our travels. ALL you travels - so if you are landing briefly in another city before your final destination make sure to include that as well. It can be much harder to solve these problems overseas and if they stop your card and your hotel/rental card are tied to it it gets even crazier to fix.

I always call to let them know.

Once my mom was traveling and her card was declined overseas. It was a pita to get fixed.

Anonymous wrote:I have a Capitol One Venture card and and I was able to put a travel note on my account last month before traveling to Australia. I had no problems using it.

Forgot to add- I put the note on my account through their website.

I have a Capitol One Venture card and and I was able to put a travel note on my account last month before traveling to Australia. I had no problems using it.

If you use online banking, you most probably can Send them a message with your travel plans for the specific card (s) you'll be using. Otherwise, give them a call. I only had issues when I changed countries often (e.g. With connection stops).

I called too. Sounds like you will be fjne

That's kinda the point of the chip.

I think it's because the chip transaction lets them know that your actual physical card is being used - not a counterfeit card.

For some reason, they just know. I don't know how.

I just called capital one, my credit card, to tell them I will be traveling in Europe and therefore not to think there is fraud on my card and cancel it (this has happened before to me). The automatic recording from capital one said that I no longer need to tell them I am traveling abroad because of chip technology and there was no option to speak to a representative. Will the chip technology somehow interpret that the card's user is me, and not due to fraud?