ORLANDO, Fla. — Americans are generally not used to being behind a technological curve about anything, but AAA Financial Services has begun warning American travelers that this is precisely where they have fallen in regards to their credit and debit cards.
As of now, shoppers in the United Kingdom must have smart cards which have a computer chip and a personal identification number in order for their cards to work in point of sale terminals. Merchants and card issuers in the U.K. have adopted the technology in order to thwart the steadily more sophisticated card frauds.
AAA, which is affiliated with the popular American Automobile Association, said that although American cards with the magnetic stripe technology can be read by the new card readers, the old PINs will not work and thus the card holders will have to validate all transactions with their signatures. Some merchants may have to be urged to take the signatures since that is deemed as less secure than the use of a PIN.
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However, the old magnetic stripe cards and PINs will continue to work in overseas ATMs, leading to the prospect of many more Americans being reduced to carrying significant amounts of cash or travelers checks when traveling to Britain.
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