Amex Pin Issues Overseas

[momall]

Hi Folks,
My wife is currently in South Africa and having issues getting transactions accepted when using her Amex. The shops there insist on a PIN which our cards do not have.

I had contacted Amex here and they advised that the merchant should still accept the card with a signature. If necessary the merchant can call amex for authorisation.

Despite her following Amex's recommendation she is still unable to use her cards as the merchants wil only accep Amex with a PIN.

Have any of you had this and have you been able to work around it?

 

[nlagalle]

Hi Folks,
My wife is currently in South Africa and having issues getting transactions accepted when using her Amex. The shops there insist on a PIN which our cards do not have.

I had contacted Amex here and they advised that the merchant should still accept the card with a signature. If necessary the merchant can call amex for authorisation.

Despite her following Amex's recommendation she is still unable to use her cards as the merchants wil only accep Amex with a PIN.

Have any of you had this and have you been able to work around it?

Normal Amex cards do not have a PIN for purchases. (note they can have a pin for withdrawing from a linked savings account). so there is no work around apart from signing the slip, or using a visa card.

 

[Mal]

Normal Amex cards do not have a PIN for purchases. (note they can have a pin for withdrawing from a linked savings account).

You can get a pin from Amex to enable "cash advances" from your Amex card... Some people here have been able to use that as a pin for purchases at times (I believe). Perhaps they'll chime in with more.

For the OP: There's nothing you can really do. If the merchant doesn't want to accept the card, then another method will have to be used to pay. Yes, it's against their merchant agreement, and yes you can complain to Amex - but overall it's a useless endeavour.

 

[ric_melb]

I have a Gold American Express Charge Card. I was issued with a PIN for withdrawing from a linked savings account. I found this PIN also works for credit card purchases in Australia. The main exception is Woolworths, which automatically defaults to requiring a signature. Have only ever used it with a signature overseas, but this was before countries preferred a PIN.
Amex do say you should always be able to sign overseas, but if a merchant insists on a PIN, there is not much you can do it seems.

 

[momall]

Thanks Folks,
Will give Amex a call today and get a PIN setup. Failing that, VISA is the way to go.
Appreciate your feedback!

 

[WA flyer]

I was in South Africa last year for the World Cup.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at using Amex, a waiter in a restaurant used the last 4 digits of the card no. as the pin!
If that doesn't work try the security code.

 

[lovestotravel]

Haven't used my Amex in Europe before.

In places where it is accepted are there issues with not having a PIN again ?

 

[JetLagged]

Haven't used my Amex in Europe before.

In places where it is accepted are there issues with not having a PIN again ?

I've used my Qantas Amex card in the UK, France and the US - mostly without any problems whatsoerver: apart from one very silly person in Walsingham (UK) who didn't think that a ca4rd without a chip was a valid card.

 

[momall]

I was in South Africa last year for the World Cup.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at using Amex, a waiter in a restaurant used the last 4 digits of the card no. as the pin!
If that doesn't work try the security code.

Can confirm that using the security cide (4 digits above the card number) works perfectly!

Thanks!

 

[WA flyer]

Can confirm that using the security code (4 digits above the card number) works perfectly!

Thanks!

Great, I knew it was one or the other

 

[ma1trix]

AMEX really do need to get a move on and upgrade their cards with chips. I have no end of problems trying to use my card in Malaysia now. No chip no sale!

 

[Mal]

I have no end of problems trying to use my card in Malaysia now. No chip no sale!

Yep, and UK can be the same at times too. Asia really is credit card fraud worried (and rightly so) - and Amex are just pathetic to not respond.

I wonder how much credit card fraud currently costs Amex per year in Australia... Surely it must be now starting to reach a level where the cost of implementation is similar to the cost of fraud. The only advantage Amex have in Australia is that most cards aren't available for cash advances from ATMs, so the chance of being skimmed (and criminals getting instant cash) are reduced.

 

[KLN]

we had american friends trying to buy JR tickets at Tokyo station, and the ticket office wouldn't accept with just sign. would only Amex with a pin only. they had to go to a 7/11 and get out as much cash as they could to pay for the tickets.
after that i had a pin put on. so i can use sign or pin now. for me it depends on how big their pin pad is, and whether i can see the numbers without my reading glasses on. hehehe.
personally i prefer to sign, as there is more fraud these days with the skimmers on eftpos machines. i even refuse to use offsite ATMs anymore (unless desperate). i always go inside the branch and get out enough cash for a couple of weeks.

 

[prozac]

I was in the Netherlands in April and could not get my Amex accepted anywhere. Mrs prozac in Spain and morocco in September had same problem.

 

[NM]

I was in the Netherlands in April and could not get my Amex accepted anywhere. Mrs prozac in Spain and morocco in September had same problem.

Was this a general issue with not accepting Amex at all, or just not accepting signature authorisations and needing to use a PIN?

 

[prozac]

Was this a general issue with not accepting Amex at all, or just not accepting signature authorisations and needing to use a PIN?

In Netherlands it just doesn't seem to be accepted. In Spain i think mrs prozac said a card needed a chip to be accepted over the counter.

 

[mick]

Can confirm that using the security cide (4 digits above the card number) works perfectly!

Um, am I missing something here? Are you saying that anyone with my Amex (for instance) can present my card to make a purchase, key in the 4-digit security code (that's clearly printed on the card) as the PIN and a signature would not be required to finalise the sale???

 

[Sharp75]

Edit: I've just tried the security code as PIN at Coles and it got declined.

 

[mick]

Edit: I've just tried the security code as PIN at Coles and it got declined.

Well, that makes me feel a little better, thanks...

 

[KLN]

Mick, did you have an already existing PIN on that card or was it SIG only.
just wondering if you only had SIG, then maybe the security code works.
hhhmmm.
where's our friend who's mate lurks from AMEX?