Chip Enabled Mastercard® EMV Cards

Q: What is an EMV chip card?

The terms EMV and chip are often used interchangeably. EMV is a set of specifications for smart card payments and payment devices which were developed by Europay, Mastercard^® and Visa^®.

A chip card (also known as a smart card) is a standard-size plastic card with a magnetic stripe and a small microprocessor embedded into the card that contains an operating system. 

Q: What are the benefits of my new chip card?

 Once you activate your card, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

• Added security – every time a chip card is used to make a payment, the card’s chip creates a unique transaction code that cannot be used again, making it extremely difficult to copy or counterfeit.
• Accepted internationally – chip technology is already used worldwide. 

 Q: When will I receive my new Mastercard^® EMV card?

TriStar customers will receive their new card in the form of a replacement debit card once your current debit card expires. They are also issued if a replacement card is needed or a new checking account is opened. 

 Q: Can I still pay in store or use an ATM if I don’t have an EMV card?

 Yes. Merchants and ATMs will continue to accept magnetic stripe card payments as usual.

Q: How do I use the chip card? What is the process of “dipping”?

 As merchants upgrade their card terminals, you may be asked to insert your card into the card reader (to activate the chip on your card) and then follow prompts. This insertion (or dip) of the card into the reader is what is referred to as dipping. If a merchant’s card terminal hasn’t been upgraded, you’ll continue to swipe the magnetic stripe through the card reader to make a payment.

Step 1: Insert your card chip first into the chip-enabled terminal.

Step 2:  Leave your card in the terminal and follow the prompts. Wait for the transaction to be processed. Your signature or PIN may be required.

Step 3:  When the transaction is complete the terminal will prompt you to remove your card.