From the Canadian perspective, people can have credit cards (16 digit chip
& PIN for Visa/Mastercard, others only 16 digits) and/or bank/interact debit cards (also 16 digit chip&PIN). The former are able to be used online; debit cards are for in-person transactions with very, very few exceptions.
Visa and Mastercard offer prepaid debit cards; however, their purchase fee is typically 10% of the value of the card (a $500 card costs $50) and the currency exchange rates and service charges associated with using a different currency is usually double or triple what banks or Paypal charge. The *real* cost of Wikimania registration using one of those debit cards would be approximately 40% higher than the face value of what Wikimania was actually charging.
Unless I miss my guess, scholarships are being paid to people via Paypal. I think that really points to the necessity of accepting at least Paypal as an acceptable alternative payment.
Risker
On 4 June 2014 14:03, Richard Symonds richard.symonds@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Roan,
I don't mean to sound daft, but Chip & PIN cards are (at least here) MasterCard/Visa cards with 16-digit numbers. The two are the same?
The reason people are cautious about giving out bank details is because of things like this: http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/permalink/clarksons_account_gets_h... ...
Richard Symonds Wikimedia UK 0207 065 0992
Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
*Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
On 4 June 2014 18:58, Roan Kattouw roan.kattouw@gmail.com wrote:
On Jun 4, 2014 10:37 AM, "Michael Snow" wikipedia@frontier.com wrote:
On 6/4/2014 10:14 AM, Joseph Fox wrote:
Pretty sure the difference is that in the US, “debit cards” as we
Brits know them are rare.
Not at all, debit cards are a routine feature for checking accounts in
the US. But yes, if your debit card has a logo for one of the big payment processors, then most merchants displaying that logo should be able to accept it, even if their transactions use a credit function rather than the debit function.
The problem is that in many continental European countries, MasterCard/Visa cards with 16-digit numbers etc are things that most people don't have. Payments are made using chip&PIN cards or bank transfer.
I've always been baffled by how hesitant UK-based individuals and companies are to give me their bank account information (so I can send them money), citing security concerns.
Roan
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