EMV Chip Cards are Here: Now What?

The new EMV chip debit and credit cards are here. That being said, how should you change how you used your new EMV chip for transactions? The security value of these new cards is only realized when the EMV card is being used by an EMV card reader by the merchant accepting the card for payment. Much of the counterfeit card fraud that has taken place over the past few years occurred because of a card swipe where the data was stolen at some point by hackers. Cards that are swiped for the authorization do NOT transmit that card information in the most secure environment. There are many merchants and retailers out there right now who have the EMV chip reader at their point-of-sale terminals but do not use them because they don’t have the technology implemented yet. So what does that mean? They ask you to swipe your EMV chip card for your transaction. This is defeating the purpose of the technology and expense of issuing EMV chip debit and credit cards. Merchants who utilize the EMV chip reader at the point-of-sale are doing their best to protect your personal card information. As consumers and holders of these EMV chip cards, it is in our best interest to transact business with those merchants and retailers who have functioning EMV chip card readers.

True, the liability does shift from the issuer (credit union in this case) to the merchant/retailer when the EMV chip reader technology is not being utilized. Does that really mean much to you though when your money has been taken out of your account from a counterfeit card transaction from a location five states away? It is an incredible inconvenience to have your card information hacked and money stolen. Initially, your money is gone and you don’t have a working debit or credit card anymore.

Consumers need to put pressure on the merchants and retailers to implement the EMV card readers at their point-of-sale terminals. Does the authorization process take slightly longer than a swiped card transaction? Yes, but that time is secure time and would greatly reduce the threat of your money being stolen at some point in the future. Ask the store manager why they aren’t doing all they can do to keep your card information as safe as possible. If you have two retailers and one has an operational EMV card reader and the other doesn’t, you would be wise to choose the first one.

So far in 2016, North Alabama Educators Credit Union members have seen just over $80,000 in fraudulent transactions due to counterfeited debit cards on data that was stolen from the merchant card swipe process. Let’s get away from the card swipe process at retailers and reduce card fraud for everyone!