Q1. What is a pin?
(MV) PIN-code is a secret number from 4 to 8 digits long. The PIN is generated and
verified by special cryptographic equipment. When generating a PIN, it
is printed in a closed envelope, which is then transferred to the card holder.
The PIN envelope is the only place where the PIN is in its "pure" form. At the moment of
generating a random PIN and printing the PIN-envelope, the
so-called crypto equipment is transferred to the issuer 's database. PIN Verification Value, the verification value of the
PIN code. Using this value, as well as the
PIN block (encrypted PIN value) obtained in the authorization request, the authorization host makes
a request to crypto equipment, which gives an answer about the correctness of entering the PIN.
Thus, the open value of the PIN-code is not stored anywhere and is not transmitted through
any transport lines. Other cryptoshemes are also possible, however, they do not
violate the mentioned safety principles. Unfortunately, most of the
crypto technologies used in working with plastic cards are closed.
Despite this, you can read more about cryptography in a huge
amount of materials posted on the Internet, in particular on the site
www.setco.com .
Q2. What is the difference between Visa and Visa electron?
(AV) Visa electron is a cheap visa substitute. Implies 100% authorization
during the operation. The authorization request must always contain data from
the 1st or 2nd track of the magnetic stripe. Those. authorization is possible only with
a device with a magnetic stripe reader. However,
exceptions are possible. If the issuing bank is at the same time an acquiring bank, then at the
points of sale of this bank Visa electron can work as a "native" visa, since
transactions in this case do not go outside the bank.
Q3. Can I pay online with a Visa electron card?
Very, very rare, but still occurs, although it is not intended for such
calculations.
Q4. What is meant by the term ATM (Automatic tellermachine)?
ATM.
Q5. Is the pin code stored on the magnetic stripe card?
No.
Q6. Do all POS terminals with the Visa logo accept Visa electron?
VISA Electron cards are accepted in absolutely all electronic terminals that
accept VISA cards. Electron cannot be served by handheld
terminals (imprinters) only. And it is absolutely not necessary to have VISA
Electron stickers . VISA is enough. (Sergey Stoyanov)
Q7. What is an embossed card?
The embossed card has a number embossed so that the imprinter can
print it on the slip. An un-embossed card can only be served
via pos-terminal or atm.
Q8. What is authorization?
"Authorization is a permission granted by the issuer to conduct a transaction
using a bank card and giving rise to its obligation to execute the
submitted documents drawn up using a bank card." ©
Regulation N 23-P of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation "On the procedure for issuing bank
cards by credit institutions ..."
Q9. What literature is there on plastic cards?
1. Plastic cards. English-Russian explanatory dictionary of terms of international
banking practice of non-cash payments based on plastic cards. Over
2.000 words. Recon company. e-mail of the editor-in-chief Alexander Ivanovich
Grizov - [email protected] [email protected] .
2. Magazine “Payments. Systems. Cards ". (formerly the Russian market of plastic cards
and traveller's checks.
3. The magazine "World of cards".
4. Headings in the magazines "Banking systems and technologies", "Banking
technologies", "Banks and technologies.
" 5. "Industry of bank plastic cards" Authors: Michael J. Auremma,
Robert S. Koli Publishing House Infra-M Moscow, 1997 Series "Professional
library. Banking."
6. "Plastic cards." 3rd edition. Andreev A. 1999 416 p.
7. "Plastic cards. User's manual." Andreev A. 1998 96 p.
8. "Plastic cards: principles of building payment systems." Vavilov A. 1999.
Q10. What cards can be used to pay via the Internet?
Visa (_not_ electron), Eurocard / Mastercard, American Express, Dinners Club,
Discover. Others are less common. Cirrus / Maestro and Visa electron
almost never meet .
Q11. How can you contact the staff of the World of Cards magazine?
E-mail of the editor-in-chief of the journal Denis Mikhailovich Salnikov -
[email protected] , [email protected] .
Q12. Information about plastic cards on the Internet?
www.emoney.ru - website of the Internet payment system group;
www.paybot.com - site of the Instant! payment system;
www.paycash.ru - Paycash system;
www.bgs.ru - BGS SmartCard Systems AG;
www.countdown.tlt.ru- Countdown discount system;
www.uc.ru - Union Card;
www.visa.com - Visa;
www.mastercard.com - Mastercard;
www.webmoney.ru - Webmoney system.
Q13. What is Smatry?
Smarty is a smart card reader using a 3.5 floppy drive.
See http://www.infosec.ru/
Q14 for details . What is a processing center?
Processing centers are created by large issuers of plastic cards and their
associations to simplify transactions for settlements with “plastic money”. As a
rule, the potential of the processing center allows - or should allow -
to perform round-the-clock authorization of card payments - both through
phone call, and electronically, through a POS terminal or
card verifier.
Information resources of processing centers, as a rule, connected with each
other by high-speed data exchange channels, allow them to determine the
payment status of customers by the number and other details of their plastic
cards - within the amounts required by retail outlets. This does not mean, of course
, that the bakery-confectionery N ***, which has nothing to do with the
processing center, will be able to obtain information whether the account of the
cardholder N ** has an amount of X rubles - for this, it must conclude with the
bank- a payment system participant or with the processing center itself an agreement
for service and receive personal identification numbers.
Thus, the processing center has the ability to process information
only for certain types of supported cards. The greater the number of
cards supported by the processing center, the greater both its turnover and the
convenience for the customers of the retail outlets it serves.
Q15. Will a card issued by a Russian bank work abroad?
Only those cards that are supported by
international payment systems - Visa, Europay, Mastercard, American
Express will work abroad . You can determine whether you have an international card or not through the
bank that issued it. Here is a list of card types supported by ATM networks and widely
common abroad:
American Express
Cirrus
Diners Club
EuroCard / MasterCard
JCB
Maestro
Visa
Visa electron
Some Russian card systems are supported abroad, for example,
UnionCard - in Cyprus.
When using cards issued by Russian banks abroad, there may be
a significant slowdown in transactions when requesting information about the state of
your account. This should not bother you, even if you have to wait a minute or
more - try again.
Q16. Do I need to declare plastic cards when crossing the border of the Russian Federation?
By itself, a plastic card is not cash and therefore
it is not subject to declaration when crossing the border of the Russian Federation.
If a plastic card is found with you (for example, during a personal
search), customs officers are not entitled to require you to declare the amount or amounts available on
your account or accounts with the bank that issued the card. Thus, the current
limit of $ 500 undeclared amount when crossing the
border does not apply to plastic cards, and you can
spend all your funds abroad at your discretion.
Q17. What are the average rates for receiving cards?
Sberbank RF rates.
Cirrus / Maestro:
Basic services - USD (rubles);
Card service (per year) - 5 USD (90 rubles);
The initial payment is at least 5 USD (at least 90 rubles).
Visa / Mastercard Mass:
Basic services - USD (rubles);
Card maintenance (per year) - first year - 25 USD, for each subsequent 15 USD
(first year 450 rubles for each subsequent 180 rubles);
The initial payment is at least 500 USD (at least 4500 rubles).
Q18. What is a POS terminal?
POS-terminal (Point Of Sale) or trading terminal - a device installed
in the merchant's premises, connected to the bank's system by telephone lines and
designed to authorize, record and send data about each transaction via
electronic communication systems. POS-terminals are designed to process transactions
for financial settlements using plastic cards with a magnetic stripe and
smart cards. POS terminals allow you to automate
card servicing operations and significantly reduce the service time. The data is read from the card, the
cashier enters the payment amount from the keyboard, and the cardholder enters the secret
PIN-code (Personal Identification Number). After that, the terminal performs
authorization, establishing a connection with the payment system database (on-line mode)
or carrying out additional data exchange with the card itself (off-line
authorization).
Q19. When was the first card issued in Russia (USSR)?
The first Soviet issuer of international cards was Vnesheconombank, which issued in
1989 "gold" Eurocard. The first Russian commercial bank to
issue its own VISA card was Credo-Bank (1991). (Financial
newspaper. # 35 1998)
Q20. Which banks in Russia issue American Express cards?
1) Baltic Bank.
2) MDM-Bank.
Q21. When paying for a purchase in a store with a credit card, the seller is left
with a slip with a card number and expiration date, he also has a computer with
Internet access nearby - he types my data into the form and makes his purchase on the
website of the etrade company. How to be?
Payment systems do have a lot of this kind of flaws or
liberties. And your card can really be used, knowing the number, date
expiration date and of course the place where you can use it. Another
question is how much you will really suffer. The thing is that a number of
e-commerce transactions are prohibited by the issuing banks themselves for certain types of cards, such
as Visa Electron or Cirrus / Maestro. BUT! And there are sub-limit
transactions on the Internet (besides, not all sites are concerned with finding out the type of your card and
generally conducting authorization). And as for standard cards like Visa
Classic or Eurocard / Mastercard Mass (not to mention "gold"), they are
used practically without restrictions. Another very important point:
monitoring of transactions on the Internet by the issuer itself and notifying the victims
clients. The best thing that can be advised is to look at the statement yourself at least
once a month, for which you can install such a thing as "Home Bank"
to manage your accounts via the Internet. Many
banks provide such services . For example, Avtobank (t. 723 7666) and GUTA Bank (phone unknown).
Consultation CardConsulting
Q22. Let's say I have lost a copy of a sales receipt, which, of course, contains my
name and card number. Someone picked up this check and made a payment for a service or product
via the Internet (the information on the check is enough for this). Can I appeal
to the bank that issued me the card the amount transferred under this transaction and
demand a refund?
You can dispute the transaction with your bank by writing a statement of disagreement with the
transaction. The money will be contested if the
protest deadlines determined by the payment system have not passed (3-4 months from the date of the
transaction). Your Bank may decide to reimburse you funds even
if all deadlines have passed, etc.
Consultation CardConsulting
Q22. Do I need to block my card if I have lost my PIN?
No. Because it is impossible to use a PIN without using the card itself.
---------------------------------------------
A small addition to the FAQ:
Plastic card.
Card made of PVC plastic of certain dimensions:
- width - 85.595 ± 0.125 mm;
- height - 53.975 ± 0.055 mm;
- thickness - 0.76 ± 0.08 mm (usually bank, discount, insurance cards) ;;
- the radius of the circle in the corners is 3.18 mm.
For the manufacture of transport cards, calendars and business cards, plastic with a thickness of 0.4-0.15 mm can be used.
Magnetic stripe.
Serves to record certain information with the possibility of subsequent reading in special devices (ATM, POS terminal, card readers). In the manufacture of plastic cards, low-coercivity or high-coercivity strips are used. A high-coercive magnetic stripe is more resistant to electromagnetic fields.
Signature strip.
It is intended for the client's signature and serves as an additional means of his identification.
Scratch strip.
It is intended for applying information on a plastic card, which becomes visible after removing the top layer of the strip. Used in prepaid cards: internet cards, calling cards and lottery cards.
Embossing.
Extrusion of symbols on a plastic card using special devices - embossers.
Typing.
Coloring of symbols embossed on the card; is performed, as a rule, during the embossing process.
Personalization of a plastic card.
From the point of view of the manufacturer, it consists in embossing a plastic card and recording certain information on a magnetic stripe (if there is a magnetic stripe).
(MV) PIN-code is a secret number from 4 to 8 digits long. The PIN is generated and
verified by special cryptographic equipment. When generating a PIN, it
is printed in a closed envelope, which is then transferred to the card holder.
The PIN envelope is the only place where the PIN is in its "pure" form. At the moment of
generating a random PIN and printing the PIN-envelope, the
so-called crypto equipment is transferred to the issuer 's database. PIN Verification Value, the verification value of the
PIN code. Using this value, as well as the
PIN block (encrypted PIN value) obtained in the authorization request, the authorization host makes
a request to crypto equipment, which gives an answer about the correctness of entering the PIN.
Thus, the open value of the PIN-code is not stored anywhere and is not transmitted through
any transport lines. Other cryptoshemes are also possible, however, they do not
violate the mentioned safety principles. Unfortunately, most of the
crypto technologies used in working with plastic cards are closed.
Despite this, you can read more about cryptography in a huge
amount of materials posted on the Internet, in particular on the site
www.setco.com .
Q2. What is the difference between Visa and Visa electron?
(AV) Visa electron is a cheap visa substitute. Implies 100% authorization
during the operation. The authorization request must always contain data from
the 1st or 2nd track of the magnetic stripe. Those. authorization is possible only with
a device with a magnetic stripe reader. However,
exceptions are possible. If the issuing bank is at the same time an acquiring bank, then at the
points of sale of this bank Visa electron can work as a "native" visa, since
transactions in this case do not go outside the bank.
Q3. Can I pay online with a Visa electron card?
Very, very rare, but still occurs, although it is not intended for such
calculations.
Q4. What is meant by the term ATM (Automatic tellermachine)?
ATM.
Q5. Is the pin code stored on the magnetic stripe card?
No.
Q6. Do all POS terminals with the Visa logo accept Visa electron?
VISA Electron cards are accepted in absolutely all electronic terminals that
accept VISA cards. Electron cannot be served by handheld
terminals (imprinters) only. And it is absolutely not necessary to have VISA
Electron stickers . VISA is enough. (Sergey Stoyanov)
Q7. What is an embossed card?
The embossed card has a number embossed so that the imprinter can
print it on the slip. An un-embossed card can only be served
via pos-terminal or atm.
Q8. What is authorization?
"Authorization is a permission granted by the issuer to conduct a transaction
using a bank card and giving rise to its obligation to execute the
submitted documents drawn up using a bank card." ©
Regulation N 23-P of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation "On the procedure for issuing bank
cards by credit institutions ..."
Q9. What literature is there on plastic cards?
1. Plastic cards. English-Russian explanatory dictionary of terms of international
banking practice of non-cash payments based on plastic cards. Over
2.000 words. Recon company. e-mail of the editor-in-chief Alexander Ivanovich
Grizov - [email protected] [email protected] .
2. Magazine “Payments. Systems. Cards ". (formerly the Russian market of plastic cards
and traveller's checks.
3. The magazine "World of cards".
4. Headings in the magazines "Banking systems and technologies", "Banking
technologies", "Banks and technologies.
" 5. "Industry of bank plastic cards" Authors: Michael J. Auremma,
Robert S. Koli Publishing House Infra-M Moscow, 1997 Series "Professional
library. Banking."
6. "Plastic cards." 3rd edition. Andreev A. 1999 416 p.
7. "Plastic cards. User's manual." Andreev A. 1998 96 p.
8. "Plastic cards: principles of building payment systems." Vavilov A. 1999.
Q10. What cards can be used to pay via the Internet?
Visa (_not_ electron), Eurocard / Mastercard, American Express, Dinners Club,
Discover. Others are less common. Cirrus / Maestro and Visa electron
almost never meet .
Q11. How can you contact the staff of the World of Cards magazine?
E-mail of the editor-in-chief of the journal Denis Mikhailovich Salnikov -
[email protected] , [email protected] .
Q12. Information about plastic cards on the Internet?
www.emoney.ru - website of the Internet payment system group;
www.paybot.com - site of the Instant! payment system;
www.paycash.ru - Paycash system;
www.bgs.ru - BGS SmartCard Systems AG;
www.countdown.tlt.ru- Countdown discount system;
www.uc.ru - Union Card;
www.visa.com - Visa;
www.mastercard.com - Mastercard;
www.webmoney.ru - Webmoney system.
Q13. What is Smatry?
Smarty is a smart card reader using a 3.5 floppy drive.
See http://www.infosec.ru/
Q14 for details . What is a processing center?
Processing centers are created by large issuers of plastic cards and their
associations to simplify transactions for settlements with “plastic money”. As a
rule, the potential of the processing center allows - or should allow -
to perform round-the-clock authorization of card payments - both through
phone call, and electronically, through a POS terminal or
card verifier.
Information resources of processing centers, as a rule, connected with each
other by high-speed data exchange channels, allow them to determine the
payment status of customers by the number and other details of their plastic
cards - within the amounts required by retail outlets. This does not mean, of course
, that the bakery-confectionery N ***, which has nothing to do with the
processing center, will be able to obtain information whether the account of the
cardholder N ** has an amount of X rubles - for this, it must conclude with the
bank- a payment system participant or with the processing center itself an agreement
for service and receive personal identification numbers.
Thus, the processing center has the ability to process information
only for certain types of supported cards. The greater the number of
cards supported by the processing center, the greater both its turnover and the
convenience for the customers of the retail outlets it serves.
Q15. Will a card issued by a Russian bank work abroad?
Only those cards that are supported by
international payment systems - Visa, Europay, Mastercard, American
Express will work abroad . You can determine whether you have an international card or not through the
bank that issued it. Here is a list of card types supported by ATM networks and widely
common abroad:
American Express
Cirrus
Diners Club
EuroCard / MasterCard
JCB
Maestro
Visa
Visa electron
Some Russian card systems are supported abroad, for example,
UnionCard - in Cyprus.
When using cards issued by Russian banks abroad, there may be
a significant slowdown in transactions when requesting information about the state of
your account. This should not bother you, even if you have to wait a minute or
more - try again.
Q16. Do I need to declare plastic cards when crossing the border of the Russian Federation?
By itself, a plastic card is not cash and therefore
it is not subject to declaration when crossing the border of the Russian Federation.
If a plastic card is found with you (for example, during a personal
search), customs officers are not entitled to require you to declare the amount or amounts available on
your account or accounts with the bank that issued the card. Thus, the current
limit of $ 500 undeclared amount when crossing the
border does not apply to plastic cards, and you can
spend all your funds abroad at your discretion.
Q17. What are the average rates for receiving cards?
Sberbank RF rates.
Cirrus / Maestro:
Basic services - USD (rubles);
Card service (per year) - 5 USD (90 rubles);
The initial payment is at least 5 USD (at least 90 rubles).
Visa / Mastercard Mass:
Basic services - USD (rubles);
Card maintenance (per year) - first year - 25 USD, for each subsequent 15 USD
(first year 450 rubles for each subsequent 180 rubles);
The initial payment is at least 500 USD (at least 4500 rubles).
Q18. What is a POS terminal?
POS-terminal (Point Of Sale) or trading terminal - a device installed
in the merchant's premises, connected to the bank's system by telephone lines and
designed to authorize, record and send data about each transaction via
electronic communication systems. POS-terminals are designed to process transactions
for financial settlements using plastic cards with a magnetic stripe and
smart cards. POS terminals allow you to automate
card servicing operations and significantly reduce the service time. The data is read from the card, the
cashier enters the payment amount from the keyboard, and the cardholder enters the secret
PIN-code (Personal Identification Number). After that, the terminal performs
authorization, establishing a connection with the payment system database (on-line mode)
or carrying out additional data exchange with the card itself (off-line
authorization).
Q19. When was the first card issued in Russia (USSR)?
The first Soviet issuer of international cards was Vnesheconombank, which issued in
1989 "gold" Eurocard. The first Russian commercial bank to
issue its own VISA card was Credo-Bank (1991). (Financial
newspaper. # 35 1998)
Q20. Which banks in Russia issue American Express cards?
1) Baltic Bank.
2) MDM-Bank.
Q21. When paying for a purchase in a store with a credit card, the seller is left
with a slip with a card number and expiration date, he also has a computer with
Internet access nearby - he types my data into the form and makes his purchase on the
website of the etrade company. How to be?
Payment systems do have a lot of this kind of flaws or
liberties. And your card can really be used, knowing the number, date
expiration date and of course the place where you can use it. Another
question is how much you will really suffer. The thing is that a number of
e-commerce transactions are prohibited by the issuing banks themselves for certain types of cards, such
as Visa Electron or Cirrus / Maestro. BUT! And there are sub-limit
transactions on the Internet (besides, not all sites are concerned with finding out the type of your card and
generally conducting authorization). And as for standard cards like Visa
Classic or Eurocard / Mastercard Mass (not to mention "gold"), they are
used practically without restrictions. Another very important point:
monitoring of transactions on the Internet by the issuer itself and notifying the victims
clients. The best thing that can be advised is to look at the statement yourself at least
once a month, for which you can install such a thing as "Home Bank"
to manage your accounts via the Internet. Many
banks provide such services . For example, Avtobank (t. 723 7666) and GUTA Bank (phone unknown).
Consultation CardConsulting
Q22. Let's say I have lost a copy of a sales receipt, which, of course, contains my
name and card number. Someone picked up this check and made a payment for a service or product
via the Internet (the information on the check is enough for this). Can I appeal
to the bank that issued me the card the amount transferred under this transaction and
demand a refund?
You can dispute the transaction with your bank by writing a statement of disagreement with the
transaction. The money will be contested if the
protest deadlines determined by the payment system have not passed (3-4 months from the date of the
transaction). Your Bank may decide to reimburse you funds even
if all deadlines have passed, etc.
Consultation CardConsulting
Q22. Do I need to block my card if I have lost my PIN?
No. Because it is impossible to use a PIN without using the card itself.
---------------------------------------------
A small addition to the FAQ:
Plastic card.
Card made of PVC plastic of certain dimensions:
- width - 85.595 ± 0.125 mm;
- height - 53.975 ± 0.055 mm;
- thickness - 0.76 ± 0.08 mm (usually bank, discount, insurance cards) ;;
- the radius of the circle in the corners is 3.18 mm.
For the manufacture of transport cards, calendars and business cards, plastic with a thickness of 0.4-0.15 mm can be used.
Magnetic stripe.
Serves to record certain information with the possibility of subsequent reading in special devices (ATM, POS terminal, card readers). In the manufacture of plastic cards, low-coercivity or high-coercivity strips are used. A high-coercive magnetic stripe is more resistant to electromagnetic fields.
Signature strip.
It is intended for the client's signature and serves as an additional means of his identification.
Scratch strip.
It is intended for applying information on a plastic card, which becomes visible after removing the top layer of the strip. Used in prepaid cards: internet cards, calling cards and lottery cards.
Embossing.
Extrusion of symbols on a plastic card using special devices - embossers.
Typing.
Coloring of symbols embossed on the card; is performed, as a rule, during the embossing process.
Personalization of a plastic card.
From the point of view of the manufacturer, it consists in embossing a plastic card and recording certain information on a magnetic stripe (if there is a magnetic stripe).
