Enhanced Security for your Debit and Credit Cards

Security State Bank has begun offering debit and Credit cards with chip technology. The embedded computer chip provides more security and wider international acceptance.

A microchip embedded in the card adds a new layer of protection against fraud for purchases made at the point of sale. Information programmed into the chip is personalized for your account and each transaction generates a unique code, adding an extra safeguard against unauthorized use and counterfeiting.

These cards are already in wide use around the world and are now becoming the standard in the U.S.

When will the chip card conversion process happen in the U.S.?

Even though chip cards have started being issued in the U.S. and some merchants have already installed chip-enabled card terminals for payment, the entire conversion process is expected to take a few years to complete.

That’s why chip cards will continue to have a magnetic stripe on the back. That way, if a merchant’s terminal or an ATM is not yet chip-enabled, your transaction can still be processed using the magnetic stripe as it is today.

When will I receive my Security State Bank chip card?

To ensure that all of our cardholders have the additional protections offered by chip cards as soon as possible, we will be replacing all debit and credit cards by third quarter 2016. Once your new card arrives, be sure to activate it for use and then destroy your old card.

There is no need to request your chip card. We will be rolling them out soon and yours will be replaced before your current card expires.

Will my chip card look the same as my current card?

Your chip card will have a chip located on the front of the card and will have a new design. The name on your card and the card number remain the same, however you will see a new expiration date.

Will my PIN change?

For card reissues, your PIN will not change.

How do I use my chip card?

Follow these steps to use your card at a chip-enabled terminal:

1. Insert your card, face up and chip end into the chip-enabled terminal.
2. Leave the card in the terminal during the entire transaction.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen and either sign your name or enter your PIN as needed.
4. Be sure to remove your card and take your receipt when the transaction is complete.

What if a merchant isn’t using a new chip-enabled terminal yet?

You will ‘swipe’ your card to make your purchase, just as you do today. Chip cards will continue to have the magnetic stripe on the back.

What about Online or phone purchases?

Provide your card information as you have done in the past. Chip cards will not change the way payments are made online or by telephone.

What about at an ATM?

The process is essentially the same as at a merchant. Insert your card, leave it in the ATM, and follow the prompts on the screen. Depending on the type of ATM, you might be prompted to re-insert your card. Leave the card in the ATM until the transaction is complete and the card is released, and then remove your card. A PIN is needed for ATM transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are chip cards?

A chip card – also called a smart card or an EMV card – is a debit or credit card that contains a microprocessor that enhances the security of cards during point-of-sale transactions.

These cards, already in use in much of the world, use a security standard originally developed by Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV) as a way to fight card fraud resulting from theft, skimming and counterfeiting. The EMV technology has been adopted by the other major card brands and issuers.

Is a chip card more secure than my current card?

Yes. Chip cards add an additional layer of security to the safeguards that already protect your card. Each time you use your chip card, it generates a code that is unique to that transaction. This makes it harder to counterfeit your card or to use it fraudulently for in-store purchases.

How do I use a chip card?

When used at merchants with chip-enabled card terminals it’s as easy as:

1. Insert the card, face up and chip end first, into the terminal.
2. Leave the card in the terminal during the entire transaction.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen and either sign or enter your PIN as needed.
4. Be sure to remove your card and take your receipt when the transaction is complete.

For merchants without chip-enabled terminals, you will ‘swipe’ your card through the terminal, just as you do today.

How will I know if the merchant terminal accepts chip cards?

During the transition to chip, you can swipe your card as you normally would and follow the prompts. If the terminal is chip-enabled, it will prompt you to insert the card in the card slot on the terminal.

Can I use my chip card anywhere?

Yes. Your chip card can be used virtually anywhere this brand of card is accepted in the U.S. and around the world. If a merchant has a chip-enabled card terminal, you will insert your card during the transaction. In the U.S., you will still be able to ‘swipe’ your card to make your payment if a merchant has a regular terminal. You will need a PIN to be able to make a transaction at an ATM.

When will I get my chip card?

We will be replacing all cards by third quarter 2016. Once your new card arrives in the mail be sure to activate it for use and then destroy your old card.

Can I still use my current card?

You can use your current card until you receive your chip card. At that time, activate your new chip card and start using it. After activating your new card the old card will no longer work, so be sure to destroy it by cutting it up or shredding it.

Do I need to sign the back of the card?

Yes. You still need to sign the back of your card.

Can I use it to make purchases online or by phone?

Yes. You can use your chip card to make these purchases as you do today.

Can I use my card at an ATM?

Yes. For ATM transactions, insert your card into terminal and follow the instructions on the screen. Depending on the type of ATM, you might be prompted to re-insert your card. Leave the card in the ATM until the transaction is complete and the card is released, and then remove your card and any money you might have withdrawn.

What if my debit or credit card is lost or stolen?

It’s important to report a lost or stolen card immediately.

• Call 1.800.554.8969 to report a lost or stolen Debit card.
• Call 1.800.325.3678 to report a lost or stolen Credit card.

Will chip cards prevent data breaches?

While chip cards won’t prevent the types of large-scale data breaches that have hit some merchants, they do make it extremely difficult to produce counterfeit cards from that stolen data.

Contact us for more information

Call us at 800.242.2036 or stop by any of our branches if you have additional questions about chip cards.