"You gotta stick it in." Walmart now requiring use of smart chip CC's?

[SunnyD]

TWSS. No, seriously. TWSS! Her exact words were, "You gotta stick it in. Right underneath there." Followed by, "Just leave it in for while." Gotta say for a Walmart cashier she wasn't too bad either.

But anyway. Not sure if it's Walmart or just my particular card enforcing this, but just now at WallyWorld when I tried to swipe my CC as normal it refused to go through when the cashier told me the above apparently having been alerted that it was a smart chip card. I noticed probably two months ago that the store got new readers with smart chip slots, but this is the first time I've used the feature let alone have been forced to use it.

Gotta say it took forever and a day for the damn thing to do its thing. I'm guessing all the non-US folks will probably be posting in this thread something like "Congrats for finally catching up with the rest of the world."

 

[drnickriviera]

Mine switched about 6 months ago. The first time it was super slow, but now it's pretty fast

 

[rsbennett00]

Why are you shopping at walmart? I skip meals rather than contribute to the decline of modern society.

 

[NutBucket]

Cheap motor oil. Still a good reason to Walmart.

 

[Babbles]

That's good to hear. I would think if a retail behemoth like Walmart can get behind dragging American credit cards into the 21st century, then others can get on board with it.

 

[kranky]

So it's no faster than writing a check?

 

[dawheat]

Mine switched about 6 months ago. The first time it was super slow, but now it's pretty fast

Hmm I wonder what's going on the first time - can't be any sort of provisioning on the card - so something on the card issuer end?

 

[esquared]

Why are you shopping at walmart? I skip meals rather than contribute to the decline of modern society.

https://www.hcn.org/issues/276/14785/print_view


This in Canada in 2004:
http://rense.com/general65/union.htm

The closing was ruled illegal too.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/cana...gainst-wal-mart-over-store-closing-1403883945

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/28/b...gally-closed-union-store-court-says.html?_r=0

 

[Red Squirrel]

I don't really remember when was the last time cards did not come with a chip and that buying stuff did not require to insert it. If it fails after like 3 tries then you can use the swipe.

 

[SunnyD]

Hmm I wonder what's going on the first time - can't be any sort of provisioning on the card - so something on the card issuer end?

I would venture that it may be they're caching information so that they don't have to go through this process every time. Which, of course, would invalidate the whole security of the thing in the first place. That's my theory at least.

 

[mmntech]

We've been sticking it in for years up here. It's essentially a two factor identification system. You need both the chip and the pin before the transaction gets processed. Which makes skimming the cards a bit more complicated, since one is useless without the other. The new thing now, however, is to install fake POS machines. However, that requires an insider that can swap them out without other staff noticing.

 

[Imp]

... The last time I was able to just swipe was at least a year ago at a Burger King -- they had the machine to accept the chip, don't know why they still swiped.

Chip is preferred. It never made sense to me that banks would let anyone and everyone just swipe a card. The signature was a joke because rarely did they ever check and compare with the back of my card. I can't believe you can still do it online.

 

[dawheat]

We've been sticking it in for years up here. It's essentially a two factor identification system. You need both the chip and the pin before the transaction gets processed. Which makes skimming the cards a bit more complicated, since one is useless without the other. The new thing now, however, is to install fake POS machines. However, that requires an insider that can swap them out without other staff noticing.

Isn't this what chip cards are intended to protect against? The virtual card number transmitted to the terminal comes with a one-time use cryptogram.

The VPAN can't be used in other channels and without a new valid cryptogram, the VPAN can't be used. Of course if they're fake machines, I suppose they could be reading the magstripe or even the embossed number to use in a non-chip scenario.

 

[QueBert]

... The last time I was able to just swipe was at least a year ago at a Burger King -- they had the machine to accept the chip, don't know why they still swiped.

Chip is preferred. It never made sense to me that banks would let anyone and everyone just swipe a card. The signature was a joke because rarely did they ever check and compare with the back of my card. I can't believe you can still do it online.

And why do you prefer the chip? Where I work we have that stupid machine where if your card is chipped you have to insert it. It's stupidly slow, like to the tune of 5x longer than if the customer had swiped a card. And stores still will verify it's you. So basically it's just a longer process to accomplish the same thing. Also about 90% of the people who have these cards have no idea how to use them and the 1st time they try it takes like an extra 60 seconds to make them understand

"wait, I have to put the card in the bottom? Where at the bottom? How exactly? This isn't working"

I hate fucking chipped cards so much, and I'm confused at what benefits this chip provides, I know a line with 10 people who have these cards will take so fucking long people behind them might start leaving. Where I from swipe to your done is literally 2 seconds, a chipped card is around 15 seconds.

 

[Jimzz]

And why do you prefer the chip? Where I work we have that stupid machine where if your card is chipped you have to insert it. It's stupidly slow, like to the tune of 5x longer than if the customer had swiped a card. And stores still will verify it's you. So basically it's just a longer process to accomplish the same thing. Also about 90% of the people who have these cards have no idea how to use them and the 1st time they try it takes like an extra 60 seconds to make them understand

"wait, I have to put the card in the bottom? Where at the bottom? How exactly? This isn't working"

I hate fucking chipped cards so much, and I'm confused at what benefits this chip provides, I know a line with 10 people who have these cards will take so fucking long people behind them might start leaving. Where I from swipe to your done is literally 2 seconds, a chipped card is around 15 seconds.

That's been my experience as well.

Is it slow like that in Canada as well?

 

[QueBert]

That's been my experience as well.

Is it slow like that in Canada as well?

Our chipped card reader is Ethernet and no lie is slower then our non chipped reader that's on dial up. The chipped one with regular cards is lightning fast. And the chipped one is the latest model BofA offers. Other processing companies might have faster units, but the one I've used I don't care how secure if it, it's pathetically slow and tedious to show people how to use it.

 

[brianmanahan]

Why are you shopping at walmart? I skip meals rather than contribute to the decline of modern society.

wow, you saint you

 

[KeithTalent]

Congrats on joining the first world

KT

 

[Imp]

And why do you prefer the chip? Where I work we have that stupid machine where if your card is chipped you have to insert it. It's stupidly slow, like to the tune of 5x longer than if the customer had swiped a card. And stores still will verify it's you. So basically it's just a longer process to accomplish the same thing. Also about 90% of the people who have these cards have no idea how to use them and the 1st time they try it takes like an extra 60 seconds to make them understand

Unless the machine is slow, I'm in and out in 10 seconds. I've never noticed the chip tripping people up when I'm out shopping -- I'm usually zoned out until it's my turn. It's been standard here for years, so maybe people are used to it by now.

If you want to talk about tripping up, let's talk self-checkout, now that just blows peoples' minds. The thing's been around for years at certain stores.

Old system: swipe, walk away. You lose a swipe card, it's open season. Best case scenario: you lose a chip card, they'll have to get lucky, shop online and figure out your billing address, find a gas station, or some other place that takes swipe cards. Obviously, you can find a way to get around it, but at least it's something. Bad thing, I heard, is that if your card does get stolen along with your pin, it's a lot harder to have the charge forgiven.

Edit: Extra note about slow machines, yes, one machine at my work cafeteria is like that. Total POS. The other one is like 95% of the ones I usually use: near instant between when I enter my code and it tells me to remove the card.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Come to think of it, what is the point of the chip or the signature anyway, you can buy something online with just the written information on the card. (ex: if someone steals your card or even sees an image of both sides). My guess is that it's just a false sense of security. Also if it fails too many times, or you forget your pin, they can key it in manually. I've had that happen. So if you steal a card you can just act like you forgot your pin and they'll key it in and it wont be a problem.

The stupidest invention is the RFID chip though. Someone can just swipe by you with a RFID reader and grab all your info. Or at very least, make a RFID chip and make purchases that way.

 

[Kaido]

Why are you shopping at walmart? I skip meals rather than contribute to the decline of modern society.

In all seriousness, not having to go to Walmart makes the $99 annual Amazon fee worth it. At least in my area, and among other things, the checkout process is insane & usually takes longer than shopping does :thumbsdown:

 

[BUTCH1]

Cheap motor oil. Still a good reason to Walmart.

Yup, I did a change with oil I bought at Advance then I happened to be at Wally a few days later so I went to the automotive section for an air freshener, I was shocked to see the the oil I had just bought at Advance was $1.65/quart cheaper at wally. I'm not one to fuss over small amounts but 5X1.65 means I paid $8.25 more than I had to, I but my oil at Wally now and save even more by using "Supertech" store brand, 1 qt full synthetic 4 quarts semi/dino blend..

 

[QueBert]

Yup, I did a change with oil I bought at Advance then I happened to be at Wally a few days later so I went to the automotive section for an air freshener, I was shocked to see the the oil I had just bought at Advance was $1.65/quart cheaper at wally. I'm not one to fuss over small amounts but 5X1.65 means I paid $8.25 more than I had to, I but my oil at Wally now and save even more by using "Supertech" store brand, 1 qt full synthetic 4 quarts semi/dino blend..

That's pretty much everything there, I buy Supreme Protein bars for $1.98, there're $3.25+ everywhere else. I eat about one a day, that's close to $475 a year I save just on protein bars.

 

[SunnyD]

Congrats on joining the first world

KT

Cool! Does that mean I can officially post in the First World Problems thread now?

 

[n7]

Wait, there are people using cards without tap/pay pass?