Chip and PIN

Chip and PIN is the next generation of payment card technology. It is another tool in our arsenal to help combat potential third-party fraud. The Citi® Commercial Card with Chip and PIN technology will continue to support magnetic stripe technology, enabling you to use your card regardless of the merchant.

Important first steps:

  1. Activate your new card, select a PIN, and sign the back of it immediately upon receiving it.
    Upon activation, you will be prompted to select your custom, 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). Please follow the instructions on the activation sticker on the card.
  2. If your new card is replacing an old card, destroy your old card by cutting it in half.
  3. Retailers who have not upgraded to the Chip and PIN technology will continue to request your signature to identify you as the cardholder after each transaction. Therefore, it is important that you sign the back of your card as soon as you receive it.
  4. You should never disclose your PIN to anyone, verbally or in writing. Purchases made over the phone and on the internet do not require a PIN.

Q&A

When transacting at a merchant that has a Chip-activated terminal, you will be asked to enter your custom, 4-digit PIN. Even if cash access is not permitted on your card, you will still be required to select and use a PIN to make purchases. Retailers who have not upgraded to Chip and PIN technology will continue to request your signature to identify you as the cardholder.

For more information on using your new Chip and PIN card, watch our short instructional video.

While there is no way to visibly differentiate between terminals that support PIN validation and terminals that don’t support PIN validation, terminals have an array of different settings that will cause your experience to vary from terminal to terminal; a typical experience would be as follows:

  • Your first transaction at a terminal supporting PIN validation:
    1. Insert the Chip-end of your card into the terminal with the Chip facing up (leave the card in the terminal until you are prompted to remove it).
    2. Follow the prompts to approve the amount.
    3. Follow the prompts to sign (for the first transaction at a terminal supporting PIN validation, you will be prompted to sign. For subsequent transactions, you will be prompted to enter your PIN) for the transaction while the terminal syncs the PIN to the Chip embedded within your card.
    4. Remove your card from the terminal when prompted.
  • Subsequent transactions at terminals supporting PIN validation:
    1. Insert the Chip-end of your card into the terminal with the Chip facing up (leave the card in the terminal until you are prompted to remove it).
    2. Follow the prompts to approve the amount.
    3. Follow the prompts to enter your PIN (the PIN was synced to the Chip during your first Chip transaction).
    4. Remove your card when prompted.
  • Transactions at Chip-activated terminals which do not support PIN validation:
    1. Insert the Chip-end of your card into the terminal with the Chip facing up (leave the card in the terminal until you are prompted to remove it).
    2. Follow the prompts to approve the amount.
    3. Follow the prompts to sign for the transaction.
    4. Remove your card from the terminal when prompted.

If you swipe your card at a retailer who is utilizing a Chip-activated terminal, a message will be displayed instructing you to insert your card into the terminal. Insert your card, Chip-end first, follow the prompts on the terminal, and do not remove your card until the transaction is complete.

If you received a new card, you’ll need to select a custom PIN by following the prompts on the tollfree number or website, located on the activation sticker. You can choose to set the same old PIN on your new Chip and PIN card, if you prefer.

You will need to provide your 16-digit account number, the card’s expiration date, 3-digit security code located on the front/back of your card, and method of verification instructed by your employer (e.g., last 4 digits of your Social Security Number, Employee ID, or other personal reference numbers instructed by your employer)

No, the PIN selected does not expire; however, every time you receive a new card, a new PIN will have to be selected when you activate the card.

You can select a new PIN by calling the toll-free or collect phone number listed on the back of your card.

Please be aware that during your next transaction at a Chip-activated terminal, you may be required to enter your PIN more than once. This should only occur during the first transaction at a Chip-activated terminal after you have changed your PIN. If you are confident you are using the correct PIN, try again. If you’re not sure, call the number on the back of your card and follow the voice prompts to reset your PIN.

For more Q&A please visit: www.citi.com/chipandpin.