Using your Chip & PIN Card
• What is a Chip & PIN Card and how is it different from a magnetic stripe Card?
A Chip & PIN Card contains a small embedded microchip, which encrypts your Account information, making it much more difficult to duplicate, copy or access without the right PIN (Personal Identification Number). It is simply a more advanced technology than magnetic stripe technology and will make an already safe payment system even more secure.
• How do I use a Chip & PIN Card?
It is simple to get started with your new Card. Present it everywhere American Express Chip & PIN Cards are accepted and follow the steps below:
- Your Chip & PIN Card is inserted into the chip-enabled terminal.
- Enter your four-digit PIN to authorise the transaction. Your PIN replaces your signature.
- Once your transaction is completed successfully, you will receive a confirmation receipt as normal.
When making purchases on the Internet or by mail or phone, you will never be asked for your PIN. Carry out your transaction as before.
Chip & PIN technology provides you with greater security. It uses an embedded microchip to encrypt account information, making it much more difficult for unauthorised users to copy or access data. This helps to minimise fraud from lost, stolen, and counterfeit cards. When you use a Chip & PIN Card, the transaction is authorised only when you enter the correct PIN.
• Where can I use my American Express Chip & PIN Card?
You can use your American Express Chip & PIN Card anywhere in the world where American Express is accepted, including merchants without chip-enabled terminals. Chip & PIN Cards will still have the magnetic stripe on the back. Instead of inserting your Card and entering a PIN, it will simply be swiped and you will sign the receipt as you do now.
• What happens if the merchant doesn’t have a Chip & PIN terminal?
Any merchants that have not upgraded to the new Chip terminals can still accept the Card by swiping the Card and requesting a signature.
• How will I know if a merchant has a chip-enabled terminal?
Some terminals that can accept Chip & PIN Cards may have a sign or logo identifying them as chip-enabled. You can always ask the merchant if they accept American Express Chip & PIN Cards. If the merchant displays the American Express logo, you can always use your Card by either using the Chip & PIN or the traditional magnetic stripe and signature.
• What happens if the merchant refuses to take my Card?
If the merchant displays the American Express logo, you should be able to use your Card without any problems either by using the Chip & PIN or the traditional magnetic stripe and signature. If you do encounter difficulty using your American Express Card, please call or write to us with the full details of the merchant so we can contact them directly.
• Can I use my Chip & PIN Card for online payments?
When making purchases on the Internet or by mail or phone, you will never be asked for your PIN. In these situations, carry out your transaction as before.
• When will/won’t I need to use my PIN?
Use your PIN if the merchant has a chip-enabled terminal and it accepts the American Express Chip & PIN Card. Otherwise, sign the receipt as usual. When making purchases on the Internet, by mail or phone, you will never be asked for your PIN.
Looking after you PIN
• How do I get a PIN for my Chip & PIN Card?
You may be invited to choose a new PIN for yourself, through the website or through an automated telephone system. If your Card qualifies for this, you will receive a letter with instructions before your current Card expires.
Otherwise you will receive a letter with an automatically generated PIN.
• I received my new Chip & PIN Card, but I don’t have a PIN yet. What should I do?
You will receive your PIN a few days after or prior to receipt of the Card. If after a week, you have not received your PIN, please contact Customer Service on the number on the back of your Card. As soon as you receive the Card, you can view your PIN online on
www.americanexpress.nl/pincodeNo. Once you have a PIN for your Chip & PIN Card, it will stay the same even if it gets locked. When your PIN is locked, we will provide you with a new Card.
• What if I forget my PIN?
If you forget your PIN, please do not try to guess it as your PIN will be locked after 3 consecutive incorrect tries. A new Card will then need to be issued. You can always view your PIN online at
www.americanexpress.nl/pincode or call Customer Services on the number on the back of your Card, and they will send a PIN reminder in the post.
When you enter your PIN, cover the keypad with your hand. Do not record it, even in a disguised form. Never share your PIN with anyone else, and remember, American Express, the police and merchants will never ask for your PIN.
• What should I do if my PIN is locked?
Your PIN will be locked after 3 consecutive incorrect tries. If that happens, please contact Customer Services on the number on the back of your Card to request a new Card.
• What should I do if I think someone else knows my PIN?
If you think your PIN has been compromised, please contact Customer Services on 020-504 8700 immediately.
• Can I use the same PIN for all my American Express Chip & PIN Cards?
We recommend that you do use different PINs for your Cards to reduce the risk of their misuse.
• Do I need a separate PIN for each of my Additional Cards?
For security reasons, we highly recommend that you choose different PINs for all of your Chip & PIN Cards, but the choice is yours.
• Can I change my PIN?
No. Once you have been assigned a PIN, even if you receive a new Card, your PIN will stay the same.
• How do I use my PIN to withdraw money?
If you are already enrolled in Express Cash* (= Cash withdrawals), you can also use your PIN to withdraw cash. If you’re not enrolled to withdraw cash on your Card, please first enroll in Express Cash by calling Customer Services on the number on your Card.
• If I already have a PIN to withdraw cash, will I need another PIN?
When your current magnetic stripe Card is due to expire, we will send you a new Chip & PIN Card. At that time, you will be able to choose a new PIN for both cash withdrawals and purchases. You can choose a number that is easy to remember.
• I already have a PIN for Cash withdrawals, but I have forgotten the PIN. What should I do?
You can always view your PIN online at
www.americanexpress.nl/pincode or call Customer Services on the number on the back of your Card, and they will send a PIN reminder in the post.
If you forget your PIN, please do not try to guess it as your PIN will be locked after 3 consecutive incorrect tries. A new Card will then need to be issued.
If you chose a PIN online or through the automated telephone system, you won’t be sent an automatic confirmation of your PIN. You can view your PIN online at
www.americanexpress.nl/pincode or call Customer Services on the number on the back of your Card, and they will send a PIN reminder in the post.
American Express and Chip & PIN
Corporate Specific Information
• Which Corporate Cards will migrate to Chip & PIN?
All Corporate Card products will migrate to Chip & PIN;
- The American Express Corporate Card
- The KLM American Express Corporate Card;
- The American Express Corporate Gold Card,
- The American Express Corporate Meeting Card
- The American Express Corporate Purchasing Card.
Outside Europe Chip & PIN has already been implemented in a few countries in Asia including Malaysia. Canada is also introducing Chip & PIN Cards. In many countries outside Europe, for example the United States, Cards with only a magnetic stripe remain standard. When travelling abroad, you can sign for purchases, just as you have always done.
• Can I use my Chip & PIN Card all over the world?
Yes, if the merchant displays the American Express logo, you can always use your Card by either using the Chip & PIN or the traditional magnetic stripe and signature. In most of the countries outside Europe you will continue to sign for purchases, as payments through magnetic stripe and signature remain standard.
• When will American Express Chip & PIN Cards be introduced in the other European countries?
Netherlands is the first European American Express market after the UK to introduce Chip & PIN Cards. Italy will also start implementing Chip & PIN Corporate Cards in 2009. Other European countries will follow in 2010.
All countries in Europe that will implement Chip & Cards :
European Union euro markets
- Austria
- Belgium
- Cyprus
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- The Netherlands
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Spain
European Union non-euro markets
- Bulgaria
- Czech Rep.
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Poland
- Romania
- Sweden
- UK
European Economic Area market
- Iceland
- Norway
- Lichtenstein
Other
This will depend on the expiry date of the Corporate Card. As soon as a Corporate Card expires it will be replaced by a Chip & PIN Card. It is possible that some employees will still have a Card with magnetic stripe, while other Cardmembers will have recieved a Chip & PIN Card. This is not a problem, as both Corporate Cards can be used at merchants who accept American Express Cards.
• How is the Company informed on introduction of Chip & PIN Cards?
The contact person of the Corporate Card Account will receive an e-mail communication in which we explain the process of introduction of Chip & PIN Cards. Program administrators can also contact their Account Manager for specific questions.