I had a weird event today. I had my debit card out and was getting ready to use it when the cashier said my pin number out loud. I was taken aback for a second, only to realize that she was telling me what I owed. The amount was my pin number.
Has that ever happened to you before?
What do I win?
Nope, never happened to me: it’s a one out of a thousand shot, and that’s only if all your purchases are between $10.00 and $99.99 inclusive.
You win NOT getting a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
You’ve now have used all the luck left in your life.
I will never have a debit card. An age ago a guy I knew
in our Firehouse got one when they just became available.
It took him years to get out of the debt he slipped into.
Cash or credit card only for me. The law limits your
credit card liability to $50.00. The debit cards have
no such protection other than the goodwill of the card
issuer and good luck on that.
@ John
Great reminder to people. I used to have to use my debit card at Costco before they accepted Visa and I hated to use it. It’s handy for traveling when you don’t want to carry big amounts of cash. I dislike traveler’s checks. Cumbersome to use.
I got take out at a Chinese restaurant. As I signed the credit card receipt I noticed that the bill was 11.11. When I mentioned it the clerk pointed at my watch face. It was eleven minutes after one. 111. Freaked me out a little.
I’ve used a debit card since I cut up my last credit card in early 2000s. If I don’t have the money saved up, I don’t buy it.
Hey BFH –
Did you immediately play that number in the lottery?
I wish it would happen to me. My pin is 00000. Oh, wait…. 🙂
DavidW – Bernie’s got yer free shit waiting for you!
Groggy from driving many hours, stopped to refuel and the pump rejected my card. Wrong PIN. Several more tries with a human cashier, still wrong PIN. After paying cash and a few hours on the road, it finally occured to me that I’d been using the tail number of a jet that I’d worked on years ago.
I would never have a debit card. Like John said, credit cards have limited liability. With debit cards, you can get your whole account cleaned out. I only use credit cards (love that cash back!) or 20 dollar bills that I have stamped on the back with “DONALD TRUMP LIVES HERE” and an arrow pointing to the White House.
😉
If you had paid with twenties how much change would you have received?
About 25 years ago, my pockets and billfold empty, I drew $60 from my ATM. I went somewhere and spent about $25. Then went to a second place, wasn’t really thinking about it but shopped, went up to the counter – and the total was the exact amount remaining from my previous purchase, exactly $60.00 for the two receipts combined!
Not sure why I wasn’t thinking credit card, I must have had one but I was still in cash mode at the time.
I think they reformed bank laws at the federal level for debit cards a decade or two ago, so you can’t get overdrawn and pay all the fees associated with that. But I never use debit card so I don’t know for certain.
huron, that was FUNNY! Took me almost two seconds to get what you did, then Bwwwaaaahahahahahahahaha
LCD, I had someone get my card number twice (several years ago) but the bank called me both times and never let the charge go through. I never lost a cent.
You got me Claudia ha! I have had my bank info stolen from a card scanner on a gas pump in southern Ontario major headache. Redo mortgage all accounts R.C.M.P involved.
Not wishing to toss cold water on this thread, I’ve got to warn that using a Debit Card is very risky. Once the money is withdrawn by a hacker, it’s hell to get it back.
At least with a Credit Card, they’re responsible for any fraud when you notify them.
Just sayin’.
I had a small account cleaned out with a Debit Card hack.
I pulled my truck into the driveway once and the odometer stopped at 80085.
Only had my debit card hacked one time, for about $300, and the Credit Union was right on it, and covered the loss.
Vietvet and Sylvia, ditto. I won’t use a debit card.
my CU has told me multiple times that my acct is safe if hacked.
The robocalls with phone numbers that are very similar to numbers that I regularly call. Annoying and creepy.
I would have been oblivious if the cashier had said my PIN in monetary terms, because I think of numbers like PIN, ZIP and phone in a series: 1530 is not “fifteen thirty” to me, it is “one five three zero”.
Use a CU rather than a bank.
I have a small checking account I keep for use with Paypal and that has a debit card. Never much money in that account just my mad money.
Forgot to say that never happened to me, however, the gas pump once stopped on $17.76.
No
So, what WAS it, Fur?! 😉
Going to echo Sylvia and janitor. I know people like Dave Ramsey say to use a debit card for everything but the risk isn’t worth the benefit.
Disputing a credit card claim is easier than having your literal bank account funds drained from your account. My credit cards have always been great about disputed charges and issuing new cards and numbers at the first sign of trouble.
I use a debit card at my specific bank’s ATM. Other than, it stays holstered. Too many times have I used a card at some restaurant or gas station that got compromised. Not taking a chance.
Use a credit card that gives you points. Pay it off every month. Get a gift card redeeming those points at Christmas and that’s my gift to myself.
None of my purchase amounts have been a PIN number. That’s really unusual, but with numbers, it’s not a coincidence, just bound to happen.
BTW, Credit unions are the best. A great CU watches your accounts like a hawk. That’s fine with me given the hacking threat.