How Safe Is It To Pay With Visa?

[siam2007]

Don't EVER use your credit cards to buy things in Thailand.

I used my card in Siam Paragon, I then traveled overseas. My card was accessed for over US$10,000 before VISA put a stop on the card.

I got all my money back.

If you need to use your card, go to the bank with your passport and get cash.

NEVER give out your 3 digit security number. This is what they write down when you pay by card.

but that 3-digit-number is PRINTED on the back of your card and visible for anyone you hand over your card.

I got some good advice in this forum 2 years ago or so, to actually COVER this number with a small black tape, or overwrite it with some correction-fluid/pen.

after doing that, I never had problems anymore (before that: card-details stolen 3 times within 5 years, one time this even happened at Bumrungrad hospital when I was stuck at the ICU there and had no other chance but to hand over my card to an accountant who came to my room and took the card with him to his office room).

of course u will need to remember that 3-digit-code in case you want to purchase goods or make a flight-/hotel- booking online.

some shops / merchants asked me for my 3-digit-code when i was trying to pay by card, but then I just told them that they have no right to inquire about that number, as it is only needed for such-called "CNP" (card-not-present) - transactions.

I only had ONE case where a shop did not accept my card after I refused to unveil my number, and that was surprisingly at the KINOKUNYIA bookstore at Singapore's NgeAnn-Shopping-center.

I then had a longer discussion with the store-manager on duty, and finally ended up NOT making the purchase and yelling at them (so plenty of other customers on a busy sunday afternoon were able to hear it): "what you do is ILLEGAL and I should call the police" .

In fact, that thing happened just 10 days ago.

I am no banker though, and I am not sure if they actually have any right to ask for the 3-digit-code (after that incident I checked VISA's homepage but didnt find an answer). I offered them to see my passport to prove my identity (and a small foto of myself is printed on the back of the card anyway), but that was not enough for them. the insisted they had to type in the 3-digit-code into their cashier-computer.

[OzBoss]

AVOID IT WHERE POSSIBLE.

[toptuan]

You're far more likely to have issues with your card being skimmed during regular transactions in Asia. (I've had it happen a few times, my card suddenly stops working, I phone up the card company to ask why, and there's been an odd charge in Japan or Australia, at a time when I wasn't there...

Invariably happens while I'm in Thailand. (It's the reason I won't use a credit card in most shops in MBK, for instance).

Good advice.

I used my credit card prolifically in Japan, Philippines and South Korea for 10 years with no problem. Then I moved to Thailand and used it a little bit the first year--but the 3% charges tacked on by the merchants, and the need to make copies of my passport, turned me off.

So, after not using my credit card for 3-4 succeeding years here, last July I made 3 purchases in Bangkok, all at upscale shops in Central World. Within a few weeks I had illegal charges surpassing $4,000 USD, charged in Paris, France, of all places. It took a month and about $250 in misc. expenses (sending police reports, Fed-Ex'ing new credit card, etc.) to get everything set right again. What a major hassle.

No more credit card use in SE Asia for me!

[Chaideefarong]

How safe is it to shop online and pay with a VISA card?

I am not talking about well established sites that have encrypted payment forms, but lets take the little slip you fill out if you want to subscribe to magazines like Time, Economist, etc as an example.

There you have to give all the cards details and what is stopping anybody from intercepting the mail and shop on my card?

Does VISA require a copy of the signed slip before they will release any funds?

Is it required for some transactions that I also give out the 3 digit on the back of the card?

If you shop on-line then get a 'Paypal' account. It's free and easy and secure to set up. Any reputable on-line seller will accept a 'Paypal' payment. 'Paypal' then automatically re-imburse themselves direct from your card of which they have the details. Totally safe, I've been using them for years.

I have a question which deals with the same subject matter but jus a bit off course of this particular concern,and that is, that I have gotten rid of ALL my cerdit cards...and want to travel fro US to BKK then to Samui and then KPG (Koh Phangan)...Can I use "cash only" to pay hotels, airfare (domesticlly within Thailand) and not use any credit cards at all?

Thanks

[Hawaiian]

Just before leaving home I phone in a travel advisory notifiying my cc company of travel dates and country(ies) that I intend to visit. While it does not prevent fraud it certainly limits my exposure. Most cc issuers encourage this practice.

Also, another benefit of using Paypal is their dispute resolution services. Beware that Paypal has a strict 45 day time limit to file

claims for non-delivery and lost items. You must follow their rules or they will honor your claim. There have been many, many

complaints about Paypal's handling of disputes. My advice is, Paypal or no Paypal, only deal with reputable vendors.

[cdnvic]

No maybe not but I do have money and don't need a freekin CC like you.

Who is the moron, someone who cannot afford to pay cash and who kids himself that he does not have or need a CC like you. ??

Get a better job, then you won't need credit (even if you do pay it off before due date) what a loser you are saying it is not a cc.

Spoken like someone who can't get a credit card

[Soutpeel]

and the need to make copies of my passport, turned me off.

What exactly is the deal with this ..??....In the market for a Apple notebook a few weeks ago...in the one of the offical Apple dealers and picked what I wanted and presented a SCB (Thai) credit card !!!, "Sorry sir we need your passport"..Hows about my Thai DL as a method of ID ??...."Sorry sir not good enough"...passport

As, I was getting rather irate at this juncture...Mrs Soutpeel put her hand in her hand bag and produced her SCB credit card and offered it...."Madam..this is ok, dont need any ID".....hold on a moment...Mrs Soutpeels credit card is issued on the back of my SCB credit card...!!!!!...<deleted>.

Told Mrs Soutpeel to put her C/C back in her purse and told the Apple dealer to shove his laptop up his ar*e....their loss and walked out

Compare the above to purchasing via overseas credit card in Singapore...Want to purchase this item, but only have credit card issued in Thailand..any problem ??....No Sir....do you need any ID ??...No Sir....C/C handed over purchase done..everyone happy....

Thailand really needs to start learning about customer service...dont treat every farang who walks into shop as a criminal....

[Hawaiian]

Soutpeel, there are some salespeople here that know how treat customers right. Wife wanted a new Cyber Dictionary. Went to The Mall and chose one that she was shown the day before. The sales girl took my credit card and told me to put away my ID as that wasn't necessary. When we inquired about a VAT refund she accompanied us to the service desk to do the paperwork. She made sure that we were taken care before she returned to her counter. I have always received polite and courteous service at The Mall outlets. Let's hope that this is contagious.

[Hawaiian]

Soutpeel, there are some salespeople here that know how treat customers right. Wife wanted a new Cyber Dictionary. Went to The Mall and chose one that she was shown the day before. The sales girl took my credit card and told me to put away my ID as that wasn't necessary. When we inquired about a VAT refund she accompanied us to the service desk to do the paperwork. She made sure that we were taken care before she returned to her counter. I have always received polite and courteous service at The Mall outlets. Let's hope that this is contagious.