To add to this, I gave my card in one of those black books and paid as normal. We don’t go out to eat much, or use this card much. But a couple days later someone had that credit card number and was making purchases. Of course it COULD have been some other usage weeks earlier, but the timing makes it suspicious. I believe there was either a skimmer placed on the restaurant’s machine, or someone in the back was just stealing credit card info.
It’s now much preferred by me if they either let me go pay at the front, or bring one of those scanners to the table like in Europe.
I’ve always found this very weird in the US. In Europe they come to the table, we tap the scanner and if it’s over a certain threshold, you need to enter your PIN. Most larger transactions require your PIN these days.
If I’m forced to swip, I have card with a low limit I keep just for these places with phone alerts for any transaction. Starting do that after being hit with this while travelling, annoying as hell even though it only cost me my time.
To add to this, I gave my card in one of those black books and paid as normal. We don’t go out to eat much, or use this card much. But a couple days later someone had that credit card number and was making purchases. Of course it COULD have been some other usage weeks earlier, but the timing makes it suspicious. I believe there was either a skimmer placed on the restaurant’s machine, or someone in the back was just stealing credit card info.
It’s now much preferred by me if they either let me go pay at the front, or bring one of those scanners to the table like in Europe.
I’ve always found this very weird in the US. In Europe they come to the table, we tap the scanner and if it’s over a certain threshold, you need to enter your PIN. Most larger transactions require your PIN these days.
This why most everything is tap to pay now.
If I’m forced to swip, I have card with a low limit I keep just for these places with phone alerts for any transaction. Starting do that after being hit with this while travelling, annoying as hell even though it only cost me my time.
I’ve always paid with card and it’s never been an issue. Black book and all.
I’m not saying it’s impossible, just really bad luck