Never tell anyone your Pin number Most people will have to use chip and Pin where the retailer has the technology after February 14. But there are a number of exceptions who will be able to continue to sign even after this date. These are: * Cardholders with any cards which have not yet been upgraded to chip and Pin. * Cardholders with cards from countries that have yet to upgrade. * Disabled cardholders who have a chip and signature card. Neither will all transactions require a Pin. You will still be able to pay by cheque and use your card for verification without needing to provide your Pin. And you won't need your Pin for mail order, telephone or internet purchases. If a website or salesperson asks for your Pin, don't disclose it. And never send card details or Pins in response to emails that appear to come from your bank, building society or card issuer. These organisations will never email you asking for personal details. These messages will have come from fraudsters engaging in what is known in the trade as `phishing.' If you do think someone has found out what your card number is, contact your bank immediately to have a new Pin issued or change it at a cash machine. ********* Pick a number you won't forget If you find it difficult to remember a Pin, one solution is to change the number to one that means something to you, such as an anniversary. Don't, however, use your birth date, numbers such as 1234 or famous dates like 1066 or 1815. You can change the Pin on a card as many times as you want, provided you know the original number. If you enter the wrong Pin three times in a row, the retailer's terminal will lock your number. This will happen even if you make the mistake in three separate shops. You can unlock your Pin at an ATM, but you need to know what it is. If you have forgotten the number, contact your bank, which will send it to you by post, usually within three working days. Or have a look at your cardholder's website. Egg, for instance, allows cardholders to check their Pin online, after going through certain security checks. ********* Beat the deadline With only two weeks to go until the chip and Pin deadline, cardholders not yet using their four-digit number should: * Contact their card company if they don't know their Pin. * Change their Pin at a cash machine to a more memorable number if they have trouble remembering it. * Contact their card company if they have locked their card because they have entered their Pin wrongly three times in a row. * Contact their card company if they can't use a Pin because of a disability and would like a chip and signature card. ********* Cardholders who can still sign Cardholders may be allowed to continue signing for purchases after February 14, provided they have a valid reason. Exemptions will include people who are visually impaired, otherwise disabled, or have a mental illness. But it is not limited to these groups. Sandra Quinn, from the Association of Payment Clearing Services, advises those who believe they have a genuine reason for not being able to use a chip and Pin card to contact their bank. They can issue chip and signature cards at their discretion. Even after Valentine's Day, there will still be a small number of signature-based cards. Paul Smith, from the British Retail Consortium, says: "We want to strongly dispel the myth that old-style cards should not be accepted after February 14. Although we believe there have been some isolated incidents where a small number of customers have been turned away because they have old-style cards, this should not have happened. Both in the run-up, and even after February 14, cards that have yet to be upgraded, cards from overseas and chip and signature cards for disabled cardholders should always be accepted." | 
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