Thailand Live Saturday 12 October 2024

[tartempion]

Early February I discovered fraud with my Mastercard credit card.

I had the card blocked and filled a fraud report, still waiting for the issue.

Bank mailed a new card to my home address outside Thailand and my son had it mailed over here.

One stupid thing is that he lost the letter with the new code, thus a new code is under way.

Credit card has an EMV chip and my son mailed me instructions I first need to activate the card in an ATM.

Some research shows me only Bangkok Bank ATM's are EMV ready although Mastercard ATM locator shows me Kasikorn ATM's around Udon Thani are also EMV ready.

When i buy via internet sometimes? (depends on security software on merchants side?, and I wish it would ALWAYS go this way for security reason - just dreaming) I get redirected to my bank where I need to go through an electronic signature process requiring entering the pin code of my debit or credit card into a special calculator and some other data) . My son claims I can not use the card with the calculator unless the card gets activated first in an ATM.

Can any one confirm this (what's the procedure? withdrawal of some funds?) and confirm this could only be done on ANY Bangkok Bank ATM and Bangkok Bank ATM's only?

Thanks

[Langsuan Man]

Stop dealing through your son. If he "misplaced" something as important as a PIN why would you trust anything that he says

Call your credit card company and ask them. SKYPE is free to US toll free numbers

[tartempion]

Well I first phoned the credit card company, they got me on hold with music for 30 minutes then said I needed to lock the card via a special phone number and fill in a form to notify fraud mentioning the obtained lock number and a new card would be sent to my banks branch office, that's NOT what happened.

Then it took me 30 minutes on the phone to get the card locked, then it took me one hour to fill the claim form, had many required fields I did not have on hand etc etc.

I sent numerous forms to the credit card company (Atos/Worldline), forms because they don't accept/show mail addresses where you can contact human beings and/or reply to mails/answers. All I got from them was bullshit replies to forms.

Dealing with my bank was bad also, they didn't even know if the new card would be waiting at their office of mailed at my local address there (card GOT mailed)

Nor the bank nor Atos would provide me with a list off all February transactions for me to identify more fraudulent transactions: bank cancelled all online viewing of transactions as soon as card got blocked, and I know MORE fraud was made between date of discovery and transactions showing up, because two weeks dowm the line the bank finally mailed the activity. Atos simply said "wait for you paper statement to find out" Yeah, pay first and complain afterwards, if it takes one month before you find out fraud WE don't care.

All the bank said was "You need to activate your card in a Thai ATM"

I doubt the employee there knows Thai ATM's can't read EMV cards.

Thus my son taking care IS better than reading your Langsuan Man crap, appears you know nothing, thus shut up.

I mentioned the lost code letter in case it would be relevant to the problem, but guess it is not.

Edited March 6, 2014 by tartempion

[KittenKong]

All the bank said was "You need to activate your card in a Thai ATM"

I doubt the employee there knows Thai ATM's can't read EMV cards.

In my experience with new cards that need activation in an ATM, you have to use an ATM belonging to the issuing bank. (Presumably because the card communicates with your bank's servers which it could not do in an ATM belonging to another bank, in the same way that you cant get a bank statement out of an ATM that doesnt belong to your bank.)That's certainly what I had to do with a new UK card that I was issued with last year. In fact I just got my brother (who handles my post) to activate the card in the correct ATM machine before posting it to me. Replacement cards (bearing the same number) do not need activation in the same way though banks have sometimes wanted me to call them to get the replacement card turned on.

YMMV

[dotpoom]

I'm not sure if the following is helpful as I'm not the brightest star in the sky when it comes technical matters. I once had a new credit card issued to me in my home country and my friend posted it to me here in Thailand. But she should have made at least one transaction with it at any ATM at home before she posted it to activate it. So here I had my credit card that wasn't activated....but then I had what I consider a "brain wave".

I Goggled Charitable Organisations at home (thinking that they will not let a donation slip by them) and found the one i supported when at home.....so I donated online with my shiny new CC,....no problems and now it was activated. Thus...they were happy to receive the donation and I was happy my card had come to life.

PS. As every year passes they get happier and happier, I get a yearly reminder for a donation and am glad to oblige.

[HUAHIN62]

This can differ between banks but I my case the card could only be activated at an ATM of that bank.

A little of the topic, but similar, remember if you have a K-bank debit card you must change the pin code at a K-bank ATM before you will be able to use it outside of Thailand.

[phuketrichard]

i just had 2 new cards sent to my us address ( 1 visa, 1 master) then sent to me airmail unactivated, once they arrived i went online an activated the visa ( B of A) in less than 10 min, for my citbank Master, ( same number for over 10 years)

had to use a toll free number, couple of questions and done!!!

[nithisa78]

Stop dealing through your son. If he "misplaced" something as important as a PIN why would you trust anything that he says

Call your credit card company and ask them. SKYPE is free to US toll free numbers

you may also call toll free, 001-999-11111 When the operator answers, just tell her toll free and give her the number. Even doesn't cost mobile minutes. This is to USA. You may have to also dial the toll free number and just repeat it if operator answers. At times it just connects.

Edited March 7, 2014 by nithisa78

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

All of my U.S. credit cards, including those with EMV, suggest activation by calling the bank's activation telephone number from the phone number that is registered with them as my home phone (which actually can be any number I register with them).

But, I see that ATOS Worldline isnt a U.S. company, but rather a Belgium based one that operates principally in Europe, so presumably they have their own methods.

AFAIK, Bangkok Bank ATMs are the only ones in Thailand at present compatible with chipped cards, though a lot of chipped cards have fallback technology that also allows them to work in traditional magnetic strip reading machines.

In the past, when I've had cards (non chipped) that could also be activated by use in an ATM, it didn't matter what ATM was used and it didn't need to be an ATM beloning to the bank company that issued the card.

If your credit card provider makes it virtually impossible to contact them for customer service, I guess that says a lot about the wisdom using that company for your credit card needs.

[trihent]

I've been using Visa & Mastercards here in Thailand for over 10 yrs including the new chipped ones, all re-mailed from the states. Thai banks cannot be used to activate most cards, simple reason that doing so "flags" the bank that it is not the country of issue. The only way is to comunicate with the bank and remind them that your out of country (banking computers don't always see this). All Visa (Mastercard I'm not so sure about) are required to have both teller query and administration rights and access to online account transaction, which apparently you have. Call your branch's local telephone # identify yourself and ask that they activate your card. Then tell them where you are and that you didn't receive the pin # with the re-mailing and ask them to reset it, give them the pin # you want. Easy done costs a bit for the call but its easy works every time. Calling during business hours never more than a min. or 2 wait and your talking to a branch that in theory knows you. This branch designation is never placed on credit or debt cards so it can't be used by the crooks.

[Suradit69]

Well I first phoned the credit card company, they got me on hold with music for 30 minutes

Maybe you need to consider another credit card company. Whenever I call Citibank I'm talking to a real live person in seconds. Can also get answers to some things using the secure messaging for my account online with them.

Stop dealing through your son. If he "misplaced" something as important as a PIN why would you trust anything that he says

Call your credit card company and ask them. SKYPE is free to US toll free numbers

When I've received replacement credit cards from the US sent on by a friend, I called the number shown on the card for international calls using AT&T collect in order to activate the cards. Have used my mobile phone or a landline phone. No charge to me and the cards were activated immediately after my call.

Since AT&T wants a person to answer the phone and agree to the collect call and because Citibank answers the phone with a recorded message saying they accept collect calls, I always choose the AT&T "operator assisted" call option and tell him/her to stay on the line until we hear the recorded message.

Never a problem. Never a charge to me for the phone call and at least one of the replacement cards I got had something new embedded in it ... presumably the chip that the O/P is talking about. Never have used a credit card at a Thai ATM. Occasionally at a hotel or major retailer like Central or Zen. No issues.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Suradit69