# Debit cards-only use at the bank? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887 "2019-07-30T17:40:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/41 "2019-07-31T13:39:10Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > I usually pay cash for all transactions. What bothers me is now there are places that will not accept cash. Oooooh, they are so cutting edge and cool. I try to avoid those places because obviously they hate the working poor like me. You have amazing psychic powers, since you’re able to divine the reason they don’t accept cash. Despite my lack of comparable power, and your certainty, I’ll offer an alternative explanation: Conducting a cash business incurs costs and risks. Costs? Someone has to spend billable time counting that money, recording the amounts, hauling it to the bank, ensuring the cash drawers have an adequate assortment of small bills throughout the day. Risks? Transaction errors can happen any time cash is counted. Employees can steal cash any time it’s handled. Having cash on hand makes your business a tempting target for strong-arm robbery. Those costs and risks go away with card-based transactions. Yep, there’s a cost associated with each card transaction, but in return the business owner eliminates all the costs and risks associated with cash. Not only that, but the transaction records can be generated automatically, simplifying accounting. It’s certainly a problem for the working-poor when businesses stop accepting cash. But it seems clear to me that this is nothing more than a case of the business owner doing what business owners do - that is, minimizing operating costs and risks. Asserting that their motive is hate of the working poor strikes me as a persecutory delusion. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/42 "2019-07-31T15:22:27Z")
> [@yendis](#): > > For American debit cards yes. For the rest of the planet debit cards are chip and pin / contactless and very much 21st century. Debit cards are chip and pin in the U.S., also. Mine has a chip. If I try to slide it, the reader tells me to insert the card into the chip scanner. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/43 "2019-07-31T15:29:08Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Debit cards are chip and pin in the U.S., also. Only if you run it through the ATM network, for which some banks charge a transaction fee. If you run it through the credit card network, it’s either chip-and-signature or chip-and-nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/44 "2019-07-31T15:39:38Z")
> [@yendis](#): > > For American debit cards yes. For the rest of the planet debit cards are chip and pin / contactless and very much 21st century. > > I haven’t had an issue with any of my cards debit or credit since they went to chip and pin plus all the other security measures banks have added such as end-to-end encryption and automated fraud tracking and prevention etc. Your information isn’t current. My DC is chip and pin, and it’s American. I still avoid using it and almost exclusively use a CC. I rarely use cash, though I do carry some as an emergency backup — the old saying, “Cash is king.” ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/45 "2019-07-31T15:41:29Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Never understood the allure of debit cards. Don’t believe I’ve ever had/used one. But a lot of folk obviously differ. Never carried a credit card balance either. So what, do you write checks? They’re worse than debit cards from a security standpoint. What if you’re on a trip? Do you just carry hundreds or thousands in cash in case you need it? That seems terribly insecure to me, as well. I knew a guy who refused to use debit cards because he was afraid of hackers. So he brought something like three grand on vacation and lost it. Luckily he found it again, but it illustrated to me the folly of carrying large amounts of cash. Not only can a nefarious party make off with your entire bankroll, but you’re also vulnerable to losing it all by yourself. I’m not sure what the secure payment options are besides credit cards. And cash and checks seem far worse than debit cards from a security standpoint, to me. > [@yendis](#): > > For American debit cards yes. For the rest of the planet debit cards are chip and pin / contactless and very much 21st century. Most American cards are chip and pin now too. But Amazon doesn’t have a chip reader, so they still process debit cards the old fashioned way. Not sure how that’s different elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/46 "2019-07-31T16:02:41Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > So what, do you write checks? They’re worse than debit cards from a security standpoint. What if you’re on a trip? > > Do you just carry hundreds or thousands in cash in case you need it? That seems terribly insecure to me, as well. I knew a guy who refused to use debit cards because he was afraid of hackers. So he brought something like three grand on vacation and lost it. Luckily he found it again, but it illustrated to me the folly of carrying large amounts of cash. Not only can a nefarious party make off with your entire bankroll, but you’re also vulnerable to losing it all by yourself. > > I’m not sure what the secure payment options are besides credit cards. And cash and checks seem far worse than debit cards from a security standpoint, to me. I think you misread **Dinsdale**. He said he doesn’t carry a credit card BALANCE. He carries a credit card - and pays it off every month. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/47 "2019-07-31T16:06:15Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I think you misread **Dinsdale**. He said he doesn’t carry a credit card BALANCE. He carries a credit card - and pays it off every month. You’re right, my mistake. So, are we all agreed that credit cards are the most secure? Is there no real option for transactional security without paying fees and interest for the privilege? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/48 "2019-07-31T16:32:34Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > It’s certainly a problem for the working-poor when businesses stop accepting cash. But it seems clear to me that this is nothing more than a case of the business owner doing what business owners do - that is, minimizing operating costs and risks. Asserting that their motive is hate of the working poor strikes me as a persecutory delusion. They don’t hate the working poor, but greedy moves like these kick the working poor in the ass AGAIN. It takes entry level jobs away, and makes it difficult for someone with poor credit, such as someone who has weathered a bankruptcy or layoff to purchase goods and services. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/49 "2019-07-31T17:27:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The only card I have is my debit card and I use it everywhere. Cash is only used for coffee, bus fares and laundry. Do you have a secondary account at a different bank that could see you through your needs if the debit card account was frozen for 7 days? 14 days? Could it pay your biggest expenses if that debit card account was frozen at the worst possible time for you? Is it a checking account that has the instruments (checks, debit card, direct charge to the account) you need to make the payments? Having it in a savings account isn’t as useful as a checking account. You have to assume that your debit card account will be completely unavailable for some time so transferring from a savings account to your frozen debit card account won’t help. Not directing these questions specifically at you **Annie** , just wondering if people have plans in place for a possible event that would be painful if a backup wasn’t in place. Or am I just too mistrusting of banks? I’ve never even had a problem, but I don’t expect my bank to be overly helpful if I did. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/50 "2019-07-31T17:35:44Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Never understood the allure of debit cards. _You don’t understand_ the appeal? They make buying stuff easy. Some folks don’t want to pay for everything with credit cards or to carry cash/checks. Are they scared of having their money stolen? Apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/51 "2019-07-31T18:52:46Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Most American cards are chip and pin now too. No, most American cards are Chip & Sig, not Chip & PIN, which would require a PIN be entered for _every_ txn. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/52 "2019-07-31T19:17:28Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > No, most American cards are Chip & Sig, not Chip & PIN, which would require a PIN be entered for _every_ txn. Mine’s chip and PIN. I’ve never been asked for a signature to use a debit card. Even when I used the magnetic strip, I always had to input my PIN. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/53 "2019-07-31T19:31:16Z")
I don’t know about debit cards (don’t have one), but some stores require a signature (even with a chipped card) only if the CC purchase is over a certain amount, say $50. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/54 "2019-07-31T19:38:12Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > I don’t have a debit card, but if I did, I’d get one linked to a separate account (checking or savings) from my main one and make sure there’s no overdraft protection which allows automatic transfer of funds. If I was planning a large purchase, I’d do an online transfer, which is instantaneous for the amount I needed. I use a debit card and this is more or less what I do. It works pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/55 "2019-07-31T19:41:31Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > You can always get a pre-paid or secured credit card with a bad credit history. It will likely have a low credit limit and substantial fees. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/56 "2019-07-31T21:01:32Z")
Yes, but if you pay it off at the end of the month, or at least make substantially more than minimum payments, it is a way to rebuild your credit so you can get a much better credit card in a year or two. I’m not saying it’s the best solution to the problem, but I’ve known a couple people who did just that. It probably helped that they went bankrupt due to things like medical bills or a house fire rather than inability to budget. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/57 "2019-08-01T03:44:49Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > If your credit history is so crummy you can’t get a credit card, then debit cards let you get on with your life. That’s pretty much the only reason I can see to ever use a debit card for anything other than pulling cash out of my bank account. Everyone knows that you can’t get credit cards if you get on the 3 credit bureau’s shitlists, but there is also ChexSystems which can mean that you can’t get a checking account. Often people are in trouble with both, but if they want to fix that problem there are secured bank accounts. > [@Spiderman](#): > > No, most American cards are Chip & Sig, not Chip & PIN, which would require a PIN be entered for _every_ txn. Almost all American **debit** cards are chip and pin. Credit cards are mostly chip and signature. > [@lingyi](#): > > I don’t know about debit cards (don’t have one), but some stores require a signature (even with a chipped card) only if the CC purchase is over a certain amount, say $50. This is store policy, there is no rule. They decide that the risk of eating the costs of a small loss is less than the slowdown and/or customer annoyance of signing every time. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/58 "2019-08-01T03:53:55Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > It will likely have a low credit limit and substantial fees. Here are some CreditKarma recommended secured cards with low or no annual fees. As you establish a history of on-time payments, you can increase your credit line (with the appropriate deposit): [https://www.creditkarma.com/creditcards/explore/i/secured-credit-cards?adcopy=306329675230&adgroup=Rebuilding\_Credit&adcampaign=Credit\_Cards\_-_Secured_-\_Broad](https://www.creditkarma.com/creditcards/explore/i/secured-credit-cards?adcopy=306329675230&adgroup=Rebuilding_Credit&adcampaign=Credit_Cards_-_Secured_-_Broad) ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/59 "2019-08-01T13:13:40Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Here are some CreditKarma recommended secured cards with low or no annual fees. As you establish a history of on-time payments, you can increase your credit line (with the appropriate deposit): [https://www.creditkarma.com/creditcards/explore/i/secured-credit-cards?adcopy=306329675230&adgroup=Rebuilding\_Credit&adcampaign=Credit\_Cards\_-_Secured_-\_Broad](https://www.creditkarma.com/creditcards/explore/i/secured-credit-cards?adcopy=306329675230&adgroup=Rebuilding_Credit&adcampaign=Credit_Cards_-_Secured_-_Broad) Good to know, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887/60 "2019-08-01T13:42:01Z")
My card has lockit. Controlled by my Regions App. I keep online purchases locked. If a virus gives away my cc information online purchases are the easiest fraud. Anyone with a computer can charge stuff. _ **Quote** _ LockIt allows these cardholders to decide how, when and where to use their Regions cards by selecting among four different controls to block certain types of card transactions: In-Store Purchases: When this control is locked, the card can’t be used to buy things in stores. Online Purchases: When this control is locked, the card can’t be used to make purchases online or over the phone. ATM Transactions: When this control is locked, the card can’t be used for cash withdrawals, transfers to deposit accounts or credit card cash advances at ATMs. All Transactions: When this control is locked, the transactions described above are blocked, as well . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debit-cards-only-use-at-the-bank/837887.md?page=4)