The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning yesterday to consumers stating that their newly issued EMV, or chip, credit card is still vulnerable.
The FBI public service announcement stated that consumers and retailers should not become complacent using the new cards, despite the enhanced level of security the chip provides. Specifically, the FBI said the cards still can be subject to counterfeiting and the information on the card can be stolen if the retail point of sale terminal has been hacked, as was the case in the Target breach.
To help make EMV cards more secure the FBI is recommending consumers use the PIN when available, instead of a signature, to approve a purchase. The agency suggested that retailers require each customer to use their PIN and if they refuse to then ask to see a government issued ID to confirm their identity.
