PRACTICALITIES - London 2015 - page 836

If you have problems using your American card in a chip-and-PIN machine, here are
some suggestions: For either a debit card or a credit card, try entering that card's PIN when
prompted. (Note that your credit-card PIN may not be the same as your debit-card PIN;
you'll need to ask your bank for your credit-card PIN.) If your cards still don't work, look
for a machine that takes cash, seek out a clerk who might be able to process the transac-
tion manually, or ask a local if you can pay them cash to run the transaction on their card.
And don't panic. Many travelers who use only magnetic-stripe cards don't run into
problems. Still, it pays to carry plenty of pounds sterling; remember, you can always use
an ATM to withdraw cash with your magnetic-stripe debit card.
If you're still concerned, you can apply for a chip card in the US (though I think it's
overkill). One option is the no-annual-fee GlobeTrek Visa, offered by Andrews Federal
Credit Union in Maryland (open to all US residents; see www.andrewsfcu.org ). In the fu-
ture, chip cards should become standard issue in the US: Visa and MasterCard have asked
US banks and merchants to use chip-based cards by late 2015.
Dynamic Currency Conversion: If merchants offer to convert your purchase price
into dollars (called dynamic currency conversion, or DCC), refuse this “service.” You'll
pay even more in fees for the expensive convenience of seeing your charge in dollars.
“Independent” ATMs (such as Travelex and Moneybox) may try to confuse customers by
presenting DCC in misleading terms. If an ATM offers to “lock in” or “guarantee” your
conversion rate, choose “proceed without conversion.” Other prompts might state, “You
can be charged in dollars: Press YES for dollars, NO for GBP.” Always choose the local
currency in these situations.
DAMAGE CONTROL FOR LOST CARDS
If you lose your credit, debit, or ATM card, you can stop people from using your card
by reporting the loss immediately to the respective global customer-assistance centers.
Call these 24-hour US numbers collect: Visa (tel. [phone]), MasterCard (tel. 636/
722-7111), and American Express (tel. [phone]). In Britain, to make a collect call to
the US, dial 0-800-89-0011. Press zero or stay on the line for an operator. European toll-
free numbers (listed by country) can be found at the websites for Visa and MasterCard.
Diner's Club has offices in Britain (tel. [phone]) and the US (tel. [phone],
call collect).
Providing the following information will allow for a quicker cancellation of your
missing card: full card number, whether you are the primary or secondary cardholder, the
cardholder's name exactly as printed on the card, billing address, home phone number, cir-
cumstances of the loss or theft, and identification verification (your birth date, your moth-
er's maiden name, or your Social Security number—memorize this, don't carry a copy).