Introduction
You've just landed in a new country, jet-lagged but excited.
You grab a coffee at the airport, swipe your card, and... declined. Or worse – you get home weeks later to find charges you never made at places you never visited. Travel should be about adventure and new experiences, not card fraud headaches.
The truth is, when you're abroad, your card becomes a bigger target. Outdated magnetic strip technology makes it easier for scammers to clone your card or skim your details at dodgy ATMs and payment terminals.
That's why QIB has beefed up security for international card use – prioritising chip-based transactions that are much harder to duplicate. It means safer travels and one less thing to stress about while you're exploring the world.
Card usage while travelling abroad
With immediate effect, a new level of security has been introduced to protect customers’ Credit and Debit Cards from fraudulent transactions while travelling abroad.
All QIB cards carry both a magnetic strip on the reverse side and an electronic microchip embedded in their surface.
Both contain information specific to the customer and their account; however, due to the features of the microchip and the way it functions, chip cards are currently the most secure solution to prevent card duplication or data skimming.
In line with new regulations and as part of QIB’s commitment to enhancing the security of electronic payment cards, all magnetic strip transactions will now be blocked outside Qatar on both Debit and Credit Cards with immediate effect.
Only chip-based transactions will be allowed, unless customers specifically request activation of the magnetic strip while travelling abroad.
How to activate the use of the magnetic strip on your cards
Should you wish to activate the use of the magnetic strip outside Qatar, you need to:
- Call 4444 8444.
- Specify all the countries you intend to travel to and plan to use your QIB cards.
- Inform the call agent of your travel dates, including both departure from and return to Qatar.
- Specify whether you want to activate the magnetic strip for point-of-sale transactions, ATM usage, or both.
Once all details have been provided, magnetic strip transactions will be activated only for the duration of your travel. The cards will be automatically blocked again once the specified travel period expires.
Why are we doing this?
These measures are in place to reduce fraud risk and improve card security during transactions.
The strip on the back of a credit or debit card is made up of tiny magnetic particles, similar to a small piece of cassette tape attached to the back of the card.
A customer’s information is written on the strip by magnetising these particles. This data can be read by an ATM or at a merchant’s point-of-sale (POS) terminal.
A chip-based card has a built-in microchip that performs the same transactions as a magnetic strip, but in a much more secure way.
Chip card technology offers increased security because it reduces the risk of card skimming. Chip card transactions are authenticated using a personal identification number (PIN) instead of a signature, which adds an additional level of security and speeds up transaction time at merchant terminals. In addition, the chip card must remain inserted in the POS terminal until the transaction is completed.
The Chip & PIN method, where the POS terminal reads card information from the chip and requests the PIN to authorise the transaction, will continue to be active inside and outside Qatar in countries where this feature is supported.
The magnetic strip method – where the POS terminal reads card information from the magnetic strip without requiring a PIN – will be blocked outside Qatar and will only be activated for a specified period upon customer request.
For further information, customers may contact 4444 8444.
Conclusion
Your cards are now set up to block those old magnetic strip transactions when you're travelling outside Qatar. It's a smart default that keeps scammers at bay. But life happens – maybe you're in a remote spot where chip readers aren't common yet.
You can temporarily activate magnetic strip use through the QIB app when you actually need it, then turn it back off when you're done.
It's security that adapts to your travel plans, not the other way around. So, pack your bags, book that flight, and leave the card fraud worries behind. QIB's got the security side covered so you can focus on what really matters – enjoying your trip.
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