You probably have a wallet full of credit cards with chips at this point. Banks have been rolling them out like crazy and they're supposed to be safer — as long as you use them the right way, that is. That's why the fact that some retailers — including Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Chick-fil-A, and Panera Bread — don't have chip card readers up and running at all of their locations is a big concern.
You see, if you swipe a chip card instead of inserting it into slot, the merchant is responsible for covering any fraudulent charges — not the bank. And some retailers aren't in a financial position to cover major security breaches, like that corner store you picked up a gallon of milk from in a pinch. That means you get stuck covering the snafu, according to Adam Levin, founder of Identity Theft 911 and author of Swiped.
However, retailers claim the readers must be certified by credit card companies to make sure they work before using. Some have even been waiting up to six months to get certified, even though the new system was supposed to be fully implemented by October 2015. Either way, if you approach a check-out without a chip insert, just pay with cash instead. Or if you do swipe, make sure you monitor your account closely to watch for fraudulent charges.
[via ABC7NY]
