Bank of Washington Chip Card FAQs

A chip card - also called a smart card or an EMV™ card - is still a regular debit card, but now it is embedded with a small electronic chip.
Each time you use your chip card at a chip reader, it generates a code that is unique to that transaction. This makes it harder to counterfeit your card or to use it fraudulently for in-store purchases.

Is a chip card more secure than my current card?

Yes. Chip cards add an additional layer of security to the safeguards that already protect your card. Each time you use your chip card, it generates a code that is unique to that transaction. This makes it harder to counterfeit your card or to use it fraudulently for in-store purchases.

How do I use a chip card at the store?

Bank of Washington debit card in point of sale machine

Insert your card, face up and chip end first into the terminal.
Leave the card in the terminal during the entire transaction
Follow the instructions on the screen. Be sure to remove your card and take your receipt when the transaction is complete.

If the machine you are using your card at is not ready to accept chip cards, that is okay. Your new card will work at that machine too, just swipe it like you used to swipe your old card. There is a magnetic stripe on your new card as well.

How do I use a chip card at the ATM?

Bank of Washington debit card in ATM slot

Insert and remove your card at the ATM. If the ATM is chip-enabled, you will be asked to re-insert your card.
Re-insert your card, face up and chip end first into the terminal.
Leave the card in the terminal during the entire transaction.
Follow the instructions on the screen. Be sure to remove your card and take your cash when the transaction is complete.

Can I use my chip card anywhere?

Yes. Your chip card can be used virtually anywhere MasterCard® is accepted in the U.S. and around the world. If a merchant has a chip-enabled card terminal, you will insert your card during the transaction. In the U.S., you will still be able to 'swipe' your card to make your payment if a merchant has a regular terminal. You will need a PIN to be able to make a transaction at an ATM.

When will I get my chip card?

We are issuing chip cards in order of expiration month and we anticipate complete issuance by fall 2017. For example, if your card expires in March 2019, you will receive your chip card this coming March 2017. Once you receive your new chip card, be sure to destroy your old card by cutting it up or shredding it. If you would like a new chip card sooner than your expiration month, please visit one of our branch locations and we can provide you with one that same day.

If I don't have a chip card yet, can I still use my current card?

Yes. You can use your current card until you get your chip card. At that time, activate your new chip card and start using it. Be sure to destroy your old card by cutting it up or shredding it.

Do I need to sign the back of the card?

Yes. You still need to sign the back of your card.

Can I use it to make purchases online or by phone?

Yes. You can use your chip card to make these purchases as you do today.

What if my card is lost or stolen?

It's important to report a lost or stolen card immediately. Please visit this page for details: Lost Card or Mobile.

Will chip cards prevent data breaches?

While chip cards won't prevent the types of large-scale data breaches that have hit some merchants, they do make it extremely difficult to produce counterfeit cards from that stolen data.

Does a chip card contain more information about me that could be stolen?

No, a chip card does not contain any information about you that isn’t in your magnetic stripe cards – just your name, account number, and expiration date.

Can someone steal the information in my chip card remotely using radio waves or a “contactless reader?”

No, your chip card must be inserted into a point-of-sale terminal or ATM in order to read the chip.

When will the change happen for everyone in the U.S.?

Even though chip cards are being issued in the U.S. and some merchants have already installed chip-enabled card terminals for payment, the entire conversion process is expected to still take a few years to complete.