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In Canada, we have a good compromise. Up to $100 (depending on your bank) you can simply use RFID "touch" payments. Fraud is much higher but it increases credit

In Canada, we have a good compromise. Up to $100 (depending on your bank) you can simply use RFID "touch" payments. Fraud is much higher but it increases credit card usage so credit card companies promote it heavily (after all, the possible fraud will be for very small amounts). For larger purchases, a PIN is required. I think it's a good system. When I travel to the US I'm always surprised by how backwards the approach to credit cards is: - Waiter grabs my card and walks away with it. (In Canada they'd bring you the machine to your table.) - In the unlikely scenario that they actually place the card in the chip reader, as opposed to just swiping it, they usually come back to me with a puzzled face. Last time I had the following interaction, "Sir, your card is giving us an error". "What's the error?". "It wants a code". "OK, I'll come and enter it". Then waiter proceeds to ask me for id, inspecting my card, checking the signature on the back carefully, etc. Basically, he thought I was up to no good because my card has a PIN. :)

wvenable 10y ago
> Fraud is much higher Is it? From what I understand they basically use their fraud-detection algorithms to determine whether the transaction should go through. That's why, every so often, the tap will fail and you have to do chip & pin. I once had a chip&pin transaction refuse to go through because I was out of town and used a gas station brand that I almost never use. I called the CC company and they said pretty much that was reason. They monitor all transactions for behaviors out of the norm.
seanp2k2 10y ago
I really enjoyed all the wireless handheld CC terminals in Canada where the transaction felt like I was doing the work, and at my own pace. Much nicer than restaurants here as you describe.
nickonline 10y ago
Credit card fraud is the highest in the US compared to any country in the world. Probably because it is so easy to swipe someone's wallet and then go on a spending spree without having to know a second detail.

wvenable 10y ago

> Fraud is much higher Is it? From what I understand they basically use their fraud-detection algorithms to determine whether the transaction should go through. That's why, every so often, the tap will fail and you have to do chip & pin. I once had a chip&pin transaction refuse to go through because I was out of town and used a gas station brand that I almost never use. I called the CC company and they said pretty much that was reason. They monitor all transactions for behaviors out of the norm.

seanp2k2 10y ago

I really enjoyed all the wireless handheld CC terminals in Canada where the transaction felt like I was doing the work, and at my own pace. Much nicer than restaurants here as you describe.

nickonline 10y ago

Credit card fraud is the highest in the US compared to any country in the world. Probably because it is so easy to swipe someone's wallet and then go on a spending spree without having to know a second detail.