Your Mastercard has an embedded microchip for a more secure transaction. Simply insert your card at checkout, when possible. If a chip-friendly reader is not available, you can swipe your card as you always have.
Q: What are chip cards?
A: The chip contains your card number, name, and other account information. There is no other personal information stored on the chip. Due to security in the chip, every transaction you make is unique, which makes it extremely difficult for the card to be copied or counterfeited. Your chip card will also have the usual magnetic stripe on the back so that you can continue using your card while merchants are transitioning to new chip card terminals.
Q: What are the benefits of chip technology?
A: The embedded microchip provides dynamic transaction security features and other capabilities not possible with traditional magnetic stripe cards. A chip card is extremely difficult to counterfeit.
Q: Why is my card being upgraded to a chip card?
A: Chip technology is already used in other countries and now coming to the U.S. Your new chip card provides an extra level of security and is easier to use at international locations.
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Q: How is this card different from a magnetic stripe card?
A: A chip card looks just like a traditional card with an embedded chip in addition to the standard magnetic stripe on the back of the card. Rather than swiping your card, you will insert your chip card into the card terminal to complete the transaction. Once inserted, do not remove the card until the transaction is complete. |
Q: How does chip technology work?
A: Every transaction with a chip card has unique data in it. Chip transactions are dynamic, not static like magnetic stripe cards. That is why if someone were able to intercept one of your chip transactions they would not be able to use that information again. This stops fraudsters from being able to create counterfeit chip cards.
Q: Are chip cards new?
A: Although chip cards are relatively new in the U.S., they have been used elsewhere for many years. In some countries, particularly in Europe, merchants may be more familiar with accepting chip cards.
Q: Where can I use my chip card?
A: Use your chip card at the exact same merchants you do now—by inserting the card into card terminals that are chip-enabled or swiping your card at merchant locations that have not yet switched to chip-enabled card terminals. You can also continue to use your card as you did before for online payments, telephone payments, and at ATMs.