chip and pin cards

zed

Registered User
Jul 25, 2005
76
0
London
Hi All

I wanted to know what people are doing about chip and pin cards. At the moment my mother is just about capable of going to the supermarket and paying by using her debit card and signing. But soon shops and banks will be insisting on the use of pin numbers, which my mum really can't manage.

Is anyone else facing this problem?
 

Lynne

Registered User
Jun 3, 2005
3,433
0
Suffolk,England
You probably already know this, but I'll float it out anyway, in case anyone else might find it useful.

Are you aware that you can change the pin number to one of your choice at the cashpoint machine? So (for instance) if your mother's birthday was 11th October, you could choose 1110, or 4th of July would be 0407. If she can still manage to remember her own birthday, this might help for a time. I find with my Mum, it's not remembering the pin she has probs with, it's pushing the right buttons to complete the transaction. She says things like "I'll blow it up". Mind you, she has had a microwave for 8 years, but has only managed to master 2 functions on that.

I seem to remember that banks etc. have contingency plans for people who are disabled in one way or another. Might be worth ringing up & explaining the problem to see if there's an official way round it.

Good luck
 

BeckyJan

Registered User
Nov 28, 2005
18,971
0
Derbyshire
Chip and Pin

With our main bank David has got a 'sign only' card - exactly the same as mine but without a pin number - as far as I am aware that is a permanent arrangement for as long as he wants it. He just cannot remember pin numbers and I have insisted the banks do not want him to carry a note of it with him (that is what he would do if I did not stop it). With credit cards I have just hidden them in a drawr with a note saying we cannot find the pin number (a bit devious but it gets over the problem).

I am certain you will find in the small print that you can get 'sign only'cards for those who have problems with pin numbers.

Sorry to ramble but hope this helps. BeckyJan
 

suem

Registered User
Jul 1, 2005
61
0
Worcestershire
Your bank should be able to give you a signiture only card. The chip will be on there but it will be disabled allowing the person to still sign. The other thing is some retailers may be reluctant to accept them. Hopefully if you explain the sitauation and more people have the signiture cards it won't be a problem. The banks are not allowed to discriminate with the chip cards that people can't manage. We bank with Lloyds TSB and our cards have stayed as signiture cards. You will not however be able to use it to draw cash from a machine.
Hope this helps.
 

bernie

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
52
0
south london
as far as I am aware under discrimination laws financial institutions have to make adjustments to make services available to people with disabilities.

under this alzheimers wold be considered a disabiliy and therefore banks have to try and make services available.

however, I work for a bank and know that they like to sail as close to the wind as possible when it comes to the law, they may wait until somebody makes a legal challenge. additionally, they may put the responsibiliy back onto the retailer by saying that the retailer is responsible for any fraud caused by a signed for transaction and retailers may end up declining transactions.
 
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zed

Registered User
Jul 25, 2005
76
0
London
anyone refused a signature card?

Has anyone asked for a signature card for a person with dementia and been refused?