Dublin: An Introduction

MasterCard and Visa Customers: Please Read Carefully

Please note that as and from March 17th 2007 it will no longer be feasible for MasterCard or Visa card holders using their cards in to conclude a face to face contract on a Chip and PIN card with no PIN number.

What is Chip & PIN?
Chip & PIN is a quicker, safer, more protected card payment procedure, which is helping to decrease specific card fraud types.

What is Chip?
A microchip is implanted into the credit or debit card, which contains protected account information. The information it holds makes sure that the card is genuine and makes it complicated for a criminal to duplicate.

What is PIN?
The PIN (Personal Identification Number) is a four-digit code, which is entered at the Point of Sale to prove that the person using the card is the true cardholder. The PIN is used instead of signing a paper receipt.

Will cardholders always have the option to sign instead of keying in a PIN (fallback to signature)?
The full benefits of fraud prevention that Chip & PIN can provide will only come into effect when all Chip and PIN card transactions are verified by PIN and the option for cardholders to sign for Chip & PIN transactions has been removed. PIN Bypass Removal or 'PIN Day' will take place on 17 March 2007.

We strongly recommend that customers who wish to use their Chip and PIN MasterCard or Visa in from March 17th ensure they know their PIN before they wish to make a transaction as it will no longer be possible for us to generate a receipt for customers to sign. Please contact your card provider if you are in any doubt if your card is PIN and Chip or if you need assistance in finding your PIN number. For security please do not disclose your PIN number to anyone. ”