Credit Tips: Is it Safer to Carry an ATM Card or a Debit Card?

Posted On: October 1, 2005

Author: Butch
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 1:51 pm
Post subject: Is it Safer to Carry an ATM Card or a Debit Card?

Is it safer to carry an ATM card rather than a debit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo?

I figure that a thief can’t use the ATM card without a PIN, but he can drain my checking account if a Visa/Mastercard check card is stolen. I would get my checking account funds back, but only after a lot of investigation and hassle.

Is this correct?

Author: Sweetened
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 3:28 pm
Post subject: Is it Safer to Carry an ATM Card or a Debit Card?

It depends.

Do you have any credit cards at all? Or do you use your debit like a credit card online,at the mall etc?

If the answer is no to the 1st question and yes to the 2nd,then I’d keep the debit.

But if all you do is use it like an ATM card, I’d chuck the debit.

Author: Cathy
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2003 12:12 am
Post subject: Is it Safer to Carry an ATM Card or a Debit Card?

As someone who works with both type of cards at my job I think I can add this. A consumer should pick the card type that best fits their needs. However, Visa and Mastercard’s 0 % liability policy does extend to their debit cards too (though some banks may not make it that clear). In addition, with a standard atm card if the card does not swipe for any reason (ie a bad strip on the card or our stalite connection to the PIN networks going down), I am unable to process it. However, with the Visa and Mastercard ones, I am allowed to process them without swiping via imprint and/or keying in the #’s (though I am supposed to get an imprint as well). The PIN payment networks do not allow this option, but Visa and Mastercard do.