Why my debit cards are treated as credit cards in several Latin American countries?
I have several Visa and Mastercard debit cards, each associated with a current account of a British bank. Even though my cards are debit cards, in several countries I have checked they are treated as credit cards. The countries I have checked this so far are Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Why is this the case?
Edit: Many POS in these countries accepted only debit cards, which meant that they didn't accept my cards, because of the above. Even in the occasion that they did accept credit cards, the employee had to explicitly enter that my card was credit, if they were entering debit then the POS was giving a 'wrong menu' error. So I am wondering why that is the case.
Best Answer
As I understand it.
Credit cards globally are dominated by a handful of networks, mostly Visa and Mastercard (and to a lesser extent AMEX and Diners). Debit card networks on the other hand tend to be more localised to a specific country or a handful of closely linked countries. Some parts of Europe including the UK seem to be a bit unusual in that the Debit cards are actually primerally operated by the credit card networks.
To give their cards broader reach debit card issuers often work with with credit card networks allowing their cards to be treated as a credit card. Similarly in places where the credit cards and Debit cards are run by the same network the networks usually allow their debit cards to be treated as credit cards abroad.
So when you take your UK debit card abroad the terminals have no clue about the UK debit card system, their "debit card" options will be for whatever debit card system they use locally, but they can process the card as a credit card.
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Does my debit card work internationally?
Yes, your debit card and credit card are accepted internationally! If your ATM card is linked to a checking account, it can also be used at ATMs internationally.Can you use debit and credit cards in other countries?
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted worldwide. If an establishment takes credit cards, it's a good bet that your Visa or Mastercard will work. American Express and Discover have an international presence, too, but they are accepted by fewer merchants.Can I use my debit card in South America?
Credit cards, debit cards and travel cards are widely accepted in South America. You'll have no problem using your Visa or Mastercard at any business that can accept credit cards, however, American Express is typically only accepted at high-end businesses.Why does my debit card have Visa on it?
The Visa logo at the bottom of an Arsenal debit card means that retailers that accept Visa also accept your card. When you make a transaction on your debit card and run it as credit, it processes through the Visa network. The same goes for cards that have MasterCard\xae, American Express\xae and Discover\xae logos.Is It Safe To Travel Abroad With Only A Debit Card?
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