Debit card details unsafe?

[Matt199]

Hi guys,

 

I just experienced something rather out of the ordinary, at least for me. I'd appreciate comments if I'm paranoid or not because if I'm not, I'd need to block my card.

 

I was purchasing some medication from a well rated pharmacy in Nana earlier today (4.0 on google reviews plenty of comments). When it was time to pay I handed over my debit card. What was unusual was that the staff started typing my debit card details onto some website on the desktop computer. Website did not have a website address and instead some IP number starting 192.... Also, whole interface on the website was in Thai. Only after that action she proceeded to insert my card into one of those payment processing terminals where I had to enter my PIN.

 

Immediately I didn't feel comfortable after purchase and I asked her what was that action for. She only said "It's ok, no problem". I tried to press a little bit what was that action for but to no avail.

 

Have you experienced anything like this before? I can't think of any purpose of doing so. I've never experienced this. Maybe she was checking if the card isn't stolen? Really not sure. I don't know if I should block my card or relax. Only thing I did was to adjust my debit card spending limit.

 

Thank in advance!

 

 

[doctormann]

The 192 ... suggests to me that they were typing your card details into their local network.

Not saying that they should be doing this but the details are probably going on their secure server that has their customer details.

 

[fiddlehead]

Well, first of all, I wouldn't use a debit card when  a credit card will do.  (i only use my debit card to take money out of an ATM)

2nd, yes, it sounds shaky to me that they would copy the card info.  

3rd,  I would put some kind of a notification on that account whenever anything is changed on it. 
 

[FritsSikkink]

Go back and ask why they do that, "ok, no problem" = a problem

[Nero Dog]

Just pay cash! Simple. 

[uncleP]

I never have more than about 5k baht on my bank card. If I need more I transfer it from my main account using the phone app. Arrives instantly. My main account has no card. I also have a Thai credit card which is there for emergencies. If you are not happy  go to your branch and cancel your card and get a new one. It only costs a few baht. You can also pay with your phone in many places.

Edited October 12, 2020 by uncleP

[yankee99]

Lots of stores do it here i believe homepro and hardware house are 2 that i can think of

[Golden Triangle]

Go to your bank and ask for the SMS notification service, everytime money goes in or out of your account you get a message on your phone stating: date, time, amount & new balance. There is a small annual charge for the service but it gives peace of mind ????

Edited October 13, 2020 by Golden Triangle
Spelling

[natway09]

If you possibly can, pay cash. Limit shopping with a debit card.

If you want more protection get a credit card

[Swiss1960]

First, an IP address of 192.nnnn is an internal IP address not connected to the Internet. So you can be pretty sure, the staff was inputting your card number into their sales registry. 

 

Reason: Not all sales systems are connected to the POS systems where your card got swiped later, so they have to manually put in the card details as proof of how you payed. 

 

I do assume that once the payment was processed from the POS (after you entered your PIN), the staff typed something more into their internal system, yes? That would then be the authorization code that they received from your bank. That auth code together with your CC number is their sales proof in case of later disputes or arbitrations with regards to the transaction.

 

Completely normal process, nothing to worry about. But some good advice above, use a Credit Card instead of a Debit Card to keep your account "offline" and active SMS alerts for ALL your cards (CC and DC) and your payment account for any transactions happening on them. 

[chilly07]

My pharmacy Fascino does this every time and I've never had a problem over 7 yrs/-its there own internal system.  I do have an alert set up from my bank which is  always a good check. 

[Max69xl]

On 10/12/2020 at 4:24 PM, fiddlehead said:

Well, first of all, I wouldn't use a debit card when  a credit card will do.  (i only use my debit card to take money out of an ATM)

2nd, yes, it sounds shaky to me that they would copy the card info.  

3rd,  I would put some kind of a notification on that account whenever anything is changed on it. 
 

Do you really think that every farang in Thailand has a credit card? What you should ask is why use a debit card in a pharmacy just to buy some medication? It's like buying a coke and an ice cream at 7/11 using a credit card instead of having some cash. 

[Meat Pie 47]

On 10/12/2020 at 6:45 PM, Nero Dog said:

Just pay cash! Simple. 

Well you might be able to do that in Thailand in Australia they facing out cash

even in supermarkets

[andygrr]

17 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Go to your bank and ask for the SMS notification service, everytime money goes in or out of your account you get a message on your phone stating: date, time, amount & new balance. There is a small annual charge for the service but it gives peace of mind ????

Bangkok bank I believe charge me 15bt / month 

[willi2006]

Pay either cash or via mobile banking using QR code or transfer.

[Pib]

Very common for some Thai merchants/stores (big and small) to type in your debit/credit card number before they accomplish the actual transaction by inserting/swiping your card using their Point of Service (POS) machine.  Happens to me a lot since I use my credit cards to pay for almost everything. 

 

An IP address starting with 192 is their local, in-house network...it's an IP address issued out by their in-house router/network.  Just like a person's local home network IP almost always starts with a 192 as almost all routers use that address series..  Not to be confused with the IP issued out by your internet service provider (i.e, AIS, 3BB, True, etc) which is called your public/private IP address which is out there on the wild, wild internet.

[fiddlehead]

On 10/13/2020 at 11:39 PM, Max69xl said:

Do you really think that every farang in Thailand has a credit card? What you should ask is why use a debit card in a pharmacy just to buy some medication? It's like buying a coke and an ice cream at 7/11 using a credit card instead of having some cash. 

Yes, I guess I do assume that all farangs here have credit cards.    

If you don't, I'd get one.   The world is changing to a cashless society. 
I spent some time in Sweden last summer and was shocked to find out that cash is no longer accepted in most places.    this includes coffee shops, bus and train stations, supermarkets etc.   (the only people who accepted cash, from me anyway,  were the reindeer herders up in Lapland)  

Last time I was back in the states, I went bowling with some friends and was surprised to see them using their credit card to buy a coke at the refreshment counter.  The young people get it.       I do believe it's the way of the future.          

 

 

[Pib]

I use my U.S. credit cards here in Thailand whenever and wherever I can...to include small amounts of less than Bt200.  I live in Bangkok so it's pretty easy to use credit/debit cards in "many, many" places even for small amounts.  Payment by card is also usually faster than using cash in many cases...avoids all of that digging thru your billfold for cash....the checkout cashier counting the money a couple times...etc.    My credit cards pay 1.5 to 2 percent cash back so using them actually lowers the cost of the buy....and I always pay the card off in full every month to avoid any interest payments.   Use of my US cards this way also "greatly" reduces the amount of money I need to transfer into Thailand....transferring money costs money.  Yeap, progression to a cashless society is slowly occurring across the world....even in Thailand.

[Leaver]

On 10/12/2020 at 5:45 PM, Nero Dog said:

Just pay cash! Simple. 

I agree.

 

Give your card to an ATM, not a person.  

 

Check out the ATM for a skimmer, and then take out the cash.  

 

It's the human element, especially in these times, that presents the most risk.  

[Swiss1960]

On 10/16/2020 at 9:05 PM, Pib said:

I use my U.S. credit cards here in Thailand whenever and wherever I can...to include small amounts of less than Bt200.  I live in Bangkok so it's pretty easy to use credit/debit cards in "many, many" places even for small amounts.  Payment by card is also usually faster than using cash in many cases...avoids all of that digging thru your billfold for cash....the checkout cashier counting the money a couple times...etc.    My credit cards pay 1.5 to 2 percent cash back so using them actually lowers the cost of the buy....and I always pay the card off in full every month to avoid any interest payments.   Use of my US cards this way also "greatly" reduces the amount of money I need to transfer into Thailand....transferring money costs money.  Yeap, progression to a cashless society is slowly occurring across the world....even in Thailand.

Sounds good... until you take the exchange rate into account...

[Pib]

21 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

Sounds good... until you take the exchange rate into account...

It is good...in fact, it's excellent....as said they are no foreign transaction fee credit cards which means I get the full Visa/Mastercard exchange rate and then I get 1.5 to 2% cash back.

 

Let's do a quick comparison of buying something that costs Bt30K with a no foreign transaction fee credit card versus paying via cash by transferring funds over usingTransferwise.  Using the credit card the USD cost would be $994.37 (even without the 1.5 to 2% cash back) and the Transferwise cost would be $1001.77

 

 

 

Cost using a no foreign transaction fee Mastercard credit card....and below does not even crank in the 1.5 to 2% cash back that effectively lowers the charge amount 

 

 

Cost if transferring the required funds via Transferwise

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Pib