Incorrect PIN Attempts Timeout?

[DAnDan]

Yesterday in Tesco I tried to pay using my standard debit card, the machine said my pin was wrong, so I tried again, 100% correct, yet it still came back as incorrect. I am 100% certain the PIN is correct, as it's the same one I've used for the 3 years I've had the card, and I had used it the previous night.

So my question is, assuming there was some fail in the machine or something, and nothing malicious, how long (if they do) do the attempts take to reset. If I were to try the card again now, would I have 3 attempts again, or still just the 1. I don't really want to risk it if for some reason the PIN has been changed and it's still locked on 2 attempts.

On a side note, I've checked the balance in the account online, and nothing has changed, so nobody has access to the account.

 

[Rroff]

I wouldn't count out malicious - some of the tampered with machines wouldn't actually let you login. I'd cancel the card and get a new one personally just to be sure.

 

[DAnDan]

The machine that refused the PIN was the one at the till itself though, and my friend's card worked perfectly straight after me, so I was assuming it to be legit.

 

[Nexus]

It's 3 attempts, and it doesn't reset as far as I'm aware.

For example, I've got a card I hardly ever use, got the PIN wrong a couple of times, then it warned me I had one more chance, so decided to use another card.

At least 6 months later, I knew I had the right PIN, so used it when out shopping and when in the Chip & Pin machine it came up with the same warning that I had one more try.

If you get it wrong again, you will need the bank to reset it.

 

[DAnDan]

Cheers Nexus, I'll give the bank a ring later this week then and see what the deal is.

 

[Werewolf]

The cards normally AFAIK lock after 3 incorrect PIN's at the tills, however with many (most/all?) if you take the card to your banks own cash point it should have an option to unlock the PIN (I think the cash point PIN is on a separate counter to the transaction PIN as they use slightly different functions of the chip).

I know that I can reset my Debit card at my Bank's cashpoint, and the same with my Credit cards (issued by the same group).

 

[shifty_uk]

I didn't realise till card readers could lock cards after 3 attempts, I thought it was ATM only?

 

[tntcoder]

The cards normally AFAIK lock after 3 incorrect PIN's at the tills, however with many (most/all?) if you take the card to your banks own cash point it should have an option to unlock the PIN (I think the cash point PIN is on a separate counter to the transaction PIN as they use slightly different functions of the chip).

I know that I can reset my Debit card at my Bank's cashpoint, and the same with my Credit cards (issued by the same group).

Yer that's correct. There is a flag inside the smart card that bank ATMs can reset. It's that simple, flag gets switched on after 3 failed attempts, and resetting that flag enables it again.

 

[Ivan Drago]

Yesterday in Tesco I tried to pay using my standard debit card

After having drunk 2 bacardi breezers before the England match? You mixed your pin up with another number. Has it come back to you now?

 

[MiNxYyY]

Yep most banks own atm inside will let you reset your pin in a matter of seconds

 

[DAnDan]

Cheers guys, useful information.

I'll check the card later in the week (got exams till Wednesday), if the PIN works, I'll chalk it it up to Tesco's machine playing stupid, if not, I'll take a stroll into town and head to the bank.