How to Use a Debit Card Without a PIN Number Guide - Frugal Living - Lifestyle Blog (2024)

Making trips to banks and ATMs all the time can be expensive and time-consuming. To help customers find convenience in making cash payments, banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions issue debit cards.

Unlike credit cards that are chip-and-signature preferred, debit cards are chip-and-PIN preferred in the US. You will be required to enter your PIN anytime you make a payment using your debit card.

To prevent fraud, bankers and cybersecurity experts maintain that debit card PINs should be changed every three to six months. The best way to use a stolen credit card is to find someone who doesn’t change their PIN. Although it’s a grand security gesture, it creates a loophole for forgetting!

With so many strings of numbers competing for your memory, it’s possible to forget your debit card PIN. Think social security numbers, ZIP codes, addresses, passwords, smartphone patterns, home security system PIN, and much more!

It’s especially expected if you carry debit cards for several banks and change your PIN often. It’s possible to wake up one day and hit your brain memory capacity, and blank out.

What happens when you forget your PIN? You wake up in the morning and can’t figure it out! Can you use a debit card without a PIN?

Short Answer: You can use a debit card without a PIN number! When shopping in-store with a debit card, you can bypass the PIN requirement by choosing to use your debit card as a credit card. Smaller purchases under $25 might also be exempt from requiring a pin. Surprisingly, when shopping online, you won’t need the PIN.

Sadly, you can’t withdraw money from an ATM or get cashback at a store using a credit card without a PIN.

Run Debit as Credit

The first option is to use a debit card with Chip-without-PIN, also known as Chip-and-Signature or swipe-and-sign. To do this, you must run a debit transaction as a credit transaction. That means running your debit card as a credit card!

But how does running debt as credit work?

A card can either be Chip-and-Signature or Chip-and-PIN or both. These are simply card verification modes used to verify that the actual account holder uses the card and not a fraudster.

When a card is Chip-and-signature preferred, it requires a signature for verification instead of a PIN. On the other hand, a Chip-and-PIN card requires a PIN instead of a signature. Unlike most countries in the world, credit cards in the US require a signature, while a debit card requires a PIN.

That means if you run debit as credit, your debit card will switch from Chip-and-PIN to Chip-and-signature and skip the PIN verification requirement. Instead, you will be required to sign a receipt to authorize the transaction, just like in a typical credit card transaction.

Now the big question is: How do you run a debit card as credit? That leads us to the next point below.

How to Run a Debit Card as Credit?

Processing a debit card as a credit card is pretty simple. When you make a purchase with a debit card in a store, you will be prompted by the clerk or the payment terminal to choose to run the card as debit or credit.

If you choose the debit option, you will be required to enter your PIN just like you would when withdrawing cash at an ATM. To complete the transaction, money will be drawn from your bank account right away to pay the merchant.

But in our case, you don’t remember the PIN. So, don’t go this route.

Instead, choose the credit option. The card will skip the PIN verification and switch to signature verification, where you will only need to sign a receipt to complete your purchase. Your transaction will then be run through a credit card network, just like a typical credit transaction.

Money is still drawn from your account to clear the transaction. But unlike the first case where money is withdrawn immediately from your account, it usually takes longer, 1 to 3days, for the transaction to process when the debit card is processed as credit.

That means you get some level of protection against fraudulent charges if you run your debit card as credit and sign your purchase. You can dispute fraudulent purchases with your bank if you notice red flags before the transaction clears.

Running a debit card as credit has some downside to the merchant. The merchant is charged higher fees.

What is the Difference Between a Credit and Debit Transaction?

A debit card is linked to your account and draws money directly from your bank account when you make a payment with it. You are simply using the money in your bank account to complete the purchase, just as you would with cash or check.

With a credit card, you are simply borrowing money to make payments. Your card issuer loans you the money to complete the purchase. You must pay back in full at a later date or risk accumulating high-interest rates on your balance.

Credit transactions have some superior benefits to debit transactions. If you pay your monthly balance in full every month, it helps you build your credit history and boost your credit score. But if you go on a spending spree with your credit card and fail to keep your issuers terms, you risk sinking into debt and hurting your credit score.

Debit card transactions, on the other hand, are not reported to the credit bureaus. It can’t help you build your credit history or improve your FICO score, even if you run a debit card as credit.

How to Check Debit Card Balance Without a PIN?

Checking your debit card balance frequently is vital to noticing any fraudulent activities on your account. After processing your debit card as credit, you may want to know your balance.

How can you check your debit card balance without a PIN? You have several options, including:

• Check your balance online: Online banking is already here! Through your bank’s website, you can check your debit card balance without a PIN at any time. All you need to do is log in using your online credentials to access your account information. You can also pay bills, transfer money, and more.
• Use a Mobile App: Using your bank’s mobile app lets you check your account balance online using your smartphone or tablet. You can even deposit checks via your bank’s mobile app!
• Set up alerts: Login in to check your debit card balance manually after every purchase can be tiring. Setting automatic text or email alerts is the best way to know your account balance anytime something happens to your account. For example, you can sign up to receive alerts anytime there is a sizable withdrawal or when your card is used to buy stuff. It adds an automatic safeguard to your debit card when it comes to detecting fraudulent activities.
• Talk to a teller: A good analog option is to visit your local branch and ask a teller to print off your bank statement. It’s time-consuming, and you may be charged a fee at some banks. You are better off with our self-service banking options above.

How to Get Cashback from Debit Card Without PIN?

Unfortunately, trying to get money off a debit card without a PIN is a different ball game. It’s different from making a purchase! The rule of the game is that you can’t get money from your debit card without the PIN.

When you visit your bank’s ATM, you will be required to enter your PIN for verification. There is no way around it. Banks won’t let you withdraw money from an ATM without a PIN.

What about getting cash back at a store?

Retailers will allow you to process your debit card as a credit card to pay for your purchase, but they won’t let you add some cashback to a transaction without the PIN. They play by the same rules.

How to Use a Debit Card Online Without a PIN?

Another way to use a debit card without a PIN number is to make purchases online or through the bank’s mobile app. Online payment gateways show a general card option instead of a debit or credit card.

To complete the purchase, you will only be required to enter your debit card number, expiration date, and CVV. The CVV is typically a three or four-digit number on the back of the card. American Express is the only card that a four-digit CVV code. The number is found on the front right side of the card.

Such convenience comes at a high risk of fraud. If your card is stolen or a fraudster on the dark web manages to steal your credit card details, they can make purchases with it.

A more secure option will be to consider linking your credit card to an online payment platform like PayPal. Then you can make credit card purchases through your PayPal account.

Alternatively, make purchases via your bank’s mobile app. Once you login in, you can access your account details and make purchases directly from your debit card account without the PIN.

How to Use a Debit Card at a Restaurant?

Using your debit card at a restaurant is similar to using it at a retail store. The point-of-sale machines work pretty much the same. You can choose to swipe-and-pin or swipe-and-sign.

If you choose to swipe-and-pin, your payment will be processed as a debit transaction. The money will be drawn from your account faster to settle the bill, usually by the end of the day. This option is beneficial to the merchant because they pay less in transaction fees when you PIN your purchases. The average restaurant profit margin is about 3-5% but can range from 0-15%; every percentage point helps! Some places only let the restaurant servers accept cash or debit to elevate margins and profitability.

To run your debit card as a credit at the restaurant, simply swipe-and-sign. Just hit the green “Enter” button when prompted to enter a PIN. The machine will default to processing your card as credit. Instead of the PIN, you will be required to sign a receipt to approve the payment.

This option is costly to the merchant because they pay more fees when you sign a debit purchase. But in the event you have forgotten your debit card PIN, you’ll have no other option but to swipe-and-sign.

How to Use a Debit Card at a Gas Pump Without a PIN?

What happens when you want to fuel your car at a gas station and can’t remember your PIN? Can you use your debit card at a gas pump without a PIN? Absolutely! Just insert the card into the card reading machine. You will be prompted to enter your PIN.

To skip the PIN verification, simply hit the “Green” button to have the machine run your debit card as credit. And you are good to go! Sign the receipt to approve the payment.

What Should You Do If You Lose Your Debit Card PIN?

It can be unsettling if you haven’t used your debit card in awhile and realize that you no longer remember its PIN. You can certainly make payments without your PIN using other methods, but you’ll eventually need to reset the number.

If you ever lose your debit card PIN, here’s what you can do:

1. Try to View Your PIN Number Securely Online

If you have your bank’s app installed on your smartphone, you still might have a chance to view your PIN securely online.

The process varies from bank to bank, but you can try looking for an option that says “view your PIN” under account services or debit card services.

This process only works if you’re the primary account holder. If you’re just an added beneficiary, ask the primary account holder to retrieve the PIN for you.

2. Request A PIN Reminder

A lot of banks offer to mail a PIN reminder to the address listed on your account. You’ll need to place a request through their app or website; make sure that you remember your debit card number.

You can call up the customer service department and ask for a reminder. You may be required to visit a branch in-person with the required bank documents and ID for verification.

3. Reset PIN

Sometimes the only option you have is to reset your PIN number. You can try any of the methods listed below to get a new PIN for your debit card.

To reset your PIN at an ATM:

Resetting your debit card PIN at an ATM generally requires you to enter the original PIN first. If you don’t remember that, here’s what to do:

• Insert your card and click on the “Forgot PIN” option
• Enter your bank account number on the next page
• A temporary PIN will be sent to your registered mobile number
• Use that PIN to log in and change your debit card PIN for good

The process and options on the screen might slightly differ from bank to bank, but this is usually the process.

An ATM isn’t the only place where you will need your debit card PIN. Here’s how you can reset your pin through net banking:

• Login into your bank’s website
• Under the cards section, select the debit card that you want a new PIN for
• Request an instant PIN generation
• Enter your card details
• Enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile number
• Enter your new PIN, confirm and proceed

You can use the same process to reset your PIN through your bank’s mobile app as well.

Reset PIN At Bank Branch:

If none of the above options work for you, call your bank’s customer care service number or visit a local branch. Fill out the form to request a new PIN.

The bank will then send you a link to reset your PIN or a temporary PIN to your registered contact details.

Can I Use a Debit Card as a Credit Card with Insufficient Funds?

Will a debit card be declined for insufficient funds? Absolutely yes! Unless you have overdraft protection from your bank or an overdraft line of credit.

Anytime you make payment from your debit account, also known as a checking account, you should have enough money in it to cover the transaction. It is regardless of whether you make an electronic transfer, use a debit card, or write a check to cash.

When you run your debit card as credit, money will still be drawn from your bank account to cover the payment. It is just a debit transaction being run through a credit card processing network. The only advantage you get for running a debit transaction via a credit card processing network is the ability to skip the PIN requirement.

All other debit transaction rules apply. So if you try to use a debit card as a credit card with insufficient funds, your bank can reject the payment. The transaction will bounce, just like a check.

There are consequences to this. Fees can quickly pile up. Your bank will punish you for overdrawing your account with fees between $27 and $35 per transaction! In case the merchant is also charged by the bank, they will most likely pass the charges to you. In 2020, the average overdraft fee was about $33.50, up from $21.50 two decades ago.

Overdrawing your account also comes with some level of reputation damage. Your name may end up in the database of customers with a history of bouncing checks if you overdraw your account too often.

Is there a way around it? Yes!

To avoid the dire consequences of bounced transactions, consider obtaining overdraft protection. In this case, your bank will pay for the purchase as if you had enough money. Each time the bank covers your shortfall, they’ll charge you an overdraft fee and potentially interest on the amount “borrowed” in the meantime.

Alternatively, consider obtaining an overdraft line of credit, which is less expensive than having to pay hefty, per-transaction overdraft fees. It’s a pre-approved loan attached to your checking account. An overdraft line of credit can prevent things like missed payments, bounced checks, and your debit card declined.

Can I Use Someone Else’s Debit Card With Their Permission?

You are allowed to use someone else’s debit card with their permission. Permission means the owners give you their PIN. Most of the time, these will be your close relatives or very close friends. As long as you have their permission, you can withdraw money from an ATM, go shopping, and get some cash back at a store with their card.

But, unfortunately, you can also use someone else’s debit card without their permission. In this case, you probably won’t know the PIN, and you won’t be able to withdraw any money or get cash back at a store. But, someone can go rogue and still go on a shopping spree without the PIN.

It is criminal, however, to use someone else’s debit card to make unauthorized transactions. If you get caught, you will be charged in a court of law. It is called PINless debit card fraud, which we will talk about later in this article.

How to Transfer Money from Credit Card to Debit Card?

There are several ways to transfer money from a credit card to a debit card. The method you use depends on whether your bank or credit union allows you to make a direct-to-bank transfer; fees will also be a factor.

Here are some ways to transfer money from your credit card to a debit card:

• Net banking: Log into your credit card’s online banking account. Then select the transfer option and the amount you want to transfer.
• Call the bank: Call your bank or credit union to request a direct to-bank transfer.
• e-Wallets: If your credit card account is linked to an e-wallet, you can make an indirect transfer from your credit card to your debit card account. First, load the money into your e-wallet. Then transfer it to your bank account. Paytm is a good example of these.

What if your bank or credit union doesn’t allow you to transfer money from your credit card to your bank account?

Use these accepted hacks to navigate the restrictions:

• Check to self: Write a check to yourself by including the name of the payee as “Self,” then deposit the check at your bank. The money will be transferred from your credit card to your debit card account. Check collection and deposit charges will apply.
• ATM Cash Advance: Use your credit card to withdraw money from an ATM and then deposit it to your debit card account. Cash advance fees apply and are generally high.

How to Protect Yourself from PINless Debit Card Fraud?

The convenience of using your debit card without a PIN is threatened with PINless debit card fraud. No PIN debit card fraud can occur if your card gets stolen or if someone copies your credit card details.

Although a thief can’t withdraw cash or get cashback at a store without the PIN, they can still go on a shopping spree with it. It is dangerous because they can rack up charges on your card by making unauthorized purchases online and in-store.

Remember that a debit card is directly linked to your checking account and draws money from your bank to pay for the purchase. That means your account can get milked dry within no time. PINless debit card fraud can, therefore, be dangerous.

How can you detect and prevent fraud? Here are five ways to protect yourself from no pin debit card fraud:

• Track your balance daily: Sign up for online banking or get your bank’s mobile app. You can then check your balance any time and see all the recent transactions. It makes it easier to detect any fraudulent activities on your account. Call your bank right away if you notice any red flags.
• Set message and email alerts: Sign up for banking alerts so that your bank can send you an email or text notification anytime a purchase or withdrawal hits a specific limit in your account.
• Link your card to a payment platform: Instead of giving your credit card details to every merchant online, link your card to a payment platform like PayPal; it adds an extra layer of security. The only thing the merchant will see is your PayPal email.
• Use a credit card instead: Credit cards do not draw money directly from your bank account. A benefit of credit card issuers is that they offer better protection against fraud. You can initiate a chargeback for any fraudulent transactions before you pay off the monthly loan. The issuer will act quickly to settle the dispute because they want you to pay their due money.
• Have separate accounts: You are out of money within no time if your checking count is compromised. To avoid this, have a separate account with most of your money. Transfer money into your debit card account just before you need it. If someone steals your card for fraudulent spending, you will still have some cash to meet your financial obligations as your bank or credit union pursues the matter.
• Steer clear of scam websites: Avoid phishing websites run by con artists that resemble your bank’s official sites. They aim to steal your debit card data and try to access your account to steal your money. Visit your financial websites direct by typing in the web address and not through an email or text sent to you.
• Avoid financial transactions on public networks: When doing online or mobile banking, make sure you are using a secured network. Avoid transacting on unsecured networks such as public Wi-Fi. I’d suggest using a VPN to hide your financial information and location. A VPN creates anonymity, just like when watching Netflix in another country.

How to Use a Debit Card Without a PIN Summary

If you forgot your debit card pin, don’t panic. You can still use a debit card without a pin number. By processing your debit as credit, you can run your transaction through a credit card network and swipe-and-sign, just like in a regular credit transaction. You can also shop online or via your mobile app, in which case you won’t require the PIN.

Such convenience doesn’t come for free. You are at the risk of being hit with PINless debit card fraud.

You need to be extra careful when using your debit card as a credit card. To prevent, keep track of your account balance daily. Also, sign up for automatic alerts from your bank so that you can be notified of any fraudulent activities promptly.