Chip & PIN - same PIN for all your cards?

dirtydog · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:36

I have a number of credit cards, most of which I haven't used for years except to make purchases online. I only use one to make purchases in person (only because I get cashback on it) so that's the only one I know the PIN for.

Since the advent of chip & PIN, obviously I cannot use any of the other cards in shops. If I needed to use one of the other cards for some reason, I would be unable to as I don't know what the PINs are.

Sooooo... my question is, would it be sensible for me to change the PIN on all of my plastic cards to be the same number, so that I don't forget it? Or would that be very stupid? Bear in mind I never carry all the cards around with me, I only take out the one that I intend to use.

dirtydog · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:42

I am certainly minded to do the same, but I would like to know whether I would be protected for fraudulent use if they were stolen, and the card issuer learned that all my cards had the same PIN. I know there are certain obvious things which disqualify you from being covered, such as writing the PIN on the card (duh!) or giving it to someone else.

dirtydog · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:44

BUSH said:
banks probably don't advise it, and personally i wouldn't. But these days the sheer number of passwords and pin numbers you have to remember is getting crazy, so i can understand why people do.

Yep I have a debit card and six credit cards, so remembering different PINs for all those, along with the PIN for security at work and so on is kinda hard :/

dirtydog · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:52

taliesyn said:
There would be no way of one card issuer knowing the PIN for a card issued by another card issuer, so as long as you don't write the pin down, you're OK. PIN numbers are completely confidential.

I have a debit card and three credit cards all by the same bank though for one thing

Also supposing my home was burgled and all my cards stolen, and the thief knew the PIN (eg. from observing me putting it in, in a shop).. if all of my cards were used fraudulently, it would be fairly obvious that my PIN might be the same on all the cards.

dirtydog · 25 Mar 2006 at 10:58

Dolph said:
I have it done that way, in all fairness chip and pin is a lot safer and more secure than the old signature method (which would have been the same on all your cards anyway)

True, but you are definitely covered for fraudulent use if a thief just forged your signature. What the position is with PINs, I am not sure. Worst case scenario is the thief uses each card to steal £1000 from a cash machine, a minute either side of midnight, and the banks tell me I'm not covered as I used the same PIN. Not good.

dirtydog · 25 Mar 2006 at 11:28

Okay I am reassured

I will go ahead and change the PINs to the same number. (I'll have to request new ones through the post first of course)

edit - Capital One's website actually says it is a good idea to use the same PIN as the one for your debit card