Debit vs. credit cards.......if you use debit, you might want to read this!

lunasmom

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Well I want to know though...she talks about Debit cards...Check cards really feel and look the same, but have the VISA or MAsTERCARD logo on them.

I always thought that was the difference between the two. Debit cards: you are not protected against fraudulent charges...with check cards you are - providing they are processed as a credit transaction.

Was I lied to again???
 

twstychik

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I worry about things like that alot.. espically since most plaes now don't require a signature for purchases under a certain ammount ($50 in some cases). I NEVER sign the back of my cards.. instead I write See ID but it's only checked about a third of the time and that's only when I use a "real person" to cash out. The thought of ever losing my purse/wallet is something that seriousely terrefies me for so many reasons!
 

yosemite

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Unless someone knows your PIN number, a debit card is pretty much useless to them as far as I know whereas a credit card anyone can use.
 

katachtig

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Debit/Check cards are subject to what the bank will cover. You need to check your individual bank. Many are using the same sort of assurance. Credit cards are covered by federal law.
 

gailuvscats

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yOUR DEBIT CARD WITH THE VISA LOGO USED FOR CREDIT, is the same as using it for debit. It comes directly out of your account, no bills are sent to you only your statement. It stands to reason if someone steals it and makes a bunch of charges, it is coming right out of your checking account. The bank is not going to forgive those charges, how do they know it was REALLY STOLEN?. They are not going to replace the cash.
I never use my debit card for online purchases, I have a credit card for that. I do use it for grocery shopping and just about everything else. I would die if someone stole it, they could wipe me out.
 

crazyforinfo

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

Well I want to know though...she talks about Debit cards...Check cards really feel and look the same, but have the VISA or MAsTERCARD logo on them.

I always thought that was the difference between the two. Debit cards: you are not protected against fraudulent charges...with check cards you are - providing they are processed as a credit transaction.

Was I lied to again???
Check Cards are the same as debit. The Visa/Mastercard logo allows you to use the card are more places.
It is very difficult to get your money back from the bank. It is much easier from a cc company. Ask your bank about "Reg E" there are time limitations on reporting abuse or fradualant use of your card.
 

crazyforinfo

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

Unless someone knows your PIN number, a debit card is pretty much useless to them as far as I know whereas a credit card anyone can use.
Thieves have ways of using your debit card without the pin. I can use my debit over the net without my pin.
 

lunasmom

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Originally Posted by twstychik

I worry about things like that alot.. espically since most plaes now don't require a signature for purchases under a certain ammount ($50 in some cases). I NEVER sign the back of my cards.. instead I write See ID but it's only checked about a third of the time and that's only when I use a "real person" to cash out. The thought of ever losing my purse/wallet is something that seriousely terrefies me for so many reasons!
Technically the cashier is suppose to refuse your card if you don't properly sign the back of it. The card isn't valid without a proper signature on it.

However, when the first line of defense against credit card theft spending is someone who is being paid $5.15 an hour, well they aren't going to take their job seriously.

Half the time around here, they don't even look at the back of the card.
 

lunasmom

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Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

Thieves have ways of using your debit card without the pin. I can use my debit over the net without my pin.
Right...some chains are getting better where their cashing software will recognize that its a debit card, but there still is that "Cancel" button that allows it to run as credit.

Heck - I had students that told me they use to serve at a local restaurant (never told me where though
) that some of the staff use to make etches of the credit card numbers and exp. date.

Do you know what happens to your credit card when the server picks it up???
 

twstychik

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

Technically the cashier is suppose to refuse your card if you don't properly sign the back of it. The card isn't valid without a proper signature on it.

However, when the first line of defense against credit card theft spending is someone who is being paid $5.15 an hour, well they aren't going to take their job seriously.

Half the time around here, they don't even look at the back of the card.
Interesting! No one has EVER said anything about it and Matt does the same thing. I figured that way they'd have to check my ID like they should anyway to verify my signature on the reciept matches the signature on my card/ID.
 

crazyforinfo

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I was only refused once for not signing my card. Hell when I was in retail that is what we would tell our customers to do.

I hate using my CC at resturants when I can't see where they went. I always check my cards online daily. I love Discover cause if something is shipped to any location but my house they hold the item until they can verfiy the order with me.
 

hilda>^..^<

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I've never, ever had a problem with my debit card and I've been using it for years. I'm very careful about where I carry it and making sure that I have it with me before leaving any establishment...even if I have to check several times over. This because the hubby has been known to leave his things at different places....license, keys, shoes(ok, shoes, just at home), wallet,credit cards (one time, he was in Cali and stopped at an airport store to buy me a gift before flying back home. Well when he got here, he realized he'd left his credit card on the store counter!!! OMGoodness! They were good enough to mail it back to him right away!) If I ever did any of those things...I wouldn't be here typing this out.



Hilda >^..^<
 

lunasmom

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I did like it when some credit card company would include your picture on the CC. At the time I thought that was pretty cool...but now as I'm learning more about theft, etc, I realise that its just as bad as signatures.

Really the people behind the cash register should be requesting for ID on top of the signed card. Then you have 3 proofs of signature, plus a photo ID. The states have been improving the IDs to prevent fake ones...well they made them harder to reproduce.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by crazyforinfo

I love Discover cause if something is shipped to any location but my house they hold the item until they can verfiy the order with me.
they're also good about tracking stuff - i hadn't used mine in a while, & a couple of weeks ago i used it for several things in one day. they called to make sure it was me that was using it!
 

arlyn

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I have great fraud protection on my debit card through my credit union.
Anything that looks outside the norm for my personal spending habits and they call me.
 

pinkdaisy226

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I'm with Wells Fargo and I think twice I've disputed charges in my bank account, processed by my debit card. Each time they refunded my money while they investigated, and then I'd eventually get a letter saying that everything was taken care of.

So then I guess it depends on the bank but the one I'm with definitely offers protection.
 

icklemiss21

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Some stores around here do ask for ID with a credit card over a certain amoutn (but not a debit as you have to use your PIN)

I have never had a problem with either. My credit card # was once used and my CC company seen immediately that I had been spending in the UK and the red flagged transaction was in the US and called me at home and cell to see if I was away. They reversed the transaction immediately.
 

squirtle

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If you know the way your card works, the decision between using a debit card and a credit card is a personal preference... I don't like this article because the writer uses open words such as "often, many, usually, etc"
I have two types of cards... A visa check card and a seperate visa that is tied to an actual line of credit, but that I also have the ability to use as a debit card.
I have dealt with fraudulant charges twice on my check card. I was able to dispute the charges the moment I found out about them.. actually, the first time the bank notified me before the money was even missing from my account, and the transactions were reversed at that moment.
 
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