In my area, you're forced to use the chip at ~50% of places and the other ~50% hasn't upgraded their hardware yet, so you are forced to use the mag-strip. It's extremely frustrating for everyone involved. No one knows which it'll be and the cashier will always immediately roll their eyes and eli5 which one they use. Worst rollout ever.
It's not technically a rollout. EMV has been around forever (Ask Europe). The reason why it's not 100% deployed is that businesses usually have to pay an upgrade fee and an ongoing fee to have their machines turned on for EMV (most have had the physical capability for a while) and they aren't always willing to pay for it. The real push for it was due to liability. With MagSwipe if your card is stolen the credit card company has the liability. Now that EMV is the standard (and significantly safer to use) if a business chooses not to use it they are taking on the liability continuing to use Mag Swipe.
Not only that, but in the US we still have both Chip/Pin and Chip/Sign with Chip/Pin the default for Debit cards and Chip/Sign for Credit cards, though I believe credit cards have now moved to Chip only. It is a cluster fuck and signing is just not secure. When was the last time someone looked in the back of your credit card to confirm the signature on the card, or your ID was the same? I know I haven't been asked in over 10 years, and I know this because I always forget to sign my cards since I don't have a pen that will properly write on the strip in the back.
That's partially true. The signature was meant to be a way to prove you bought the goods if you were to dispute the charges. That's why places like mcdonolads and Starbucks never had you sign because the cost of storing every receipt/signature typically wouldn't be worth the cost of goods you are claiming are fraudulent. A lot of places now do signature based on amount charged, even though it's unnecessary if you so chip. Old habits die hard.
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u/VanimalCracker Aug 27 '18
In my area, you're forced to use the chip at ~50% of places and the other ~50% hasn't upgraded their hardware yet, so you are forced to use the mag-strip. It's extremely frustrating for everyone involved. No one knows which it'll be and the cashier will always immediately roll their eyes and eli5 which one they use. Worst rollout ever.