QUOTE(aurora97 @ Nov 8 2025, 03:35 PM)
I think going to a foreign country, the chances of your credit card being compromised is inevitable.
I was in Thailand Chiang Mai (Maya Square, along Huay Kaew road) on company trip and having drinks in a pub. They didn't use the usual "terminal" that we usually see in malls or restaurants. It look like a magnetic strip scanner, because half my card look like it was inserted into the machine. I didn't feel quite comfortable but went along anyway.
After I came back from Thailand, a few months later, there was a PayPal transaction for a few cents made (i think i posted in this UOB cc thread as well). The PME card I only used once in Thailand, I don't normally use for online purchase but I only make auto debit transaction to financial institutions or reputable providers in Malaysia. Also, I had the PME card for 2 years with no issues.
Nowadays, I ring fence my cards, some cards dont see the light of day like Zenith (I just keep in a drawer; I used specifically only 1 -2 transaction with a very specific payor). The PME card is used like everyday transactions (local / foreign). The World for shopping. Auto debits is with another card.
PME by far has the highest risk of unauthorised transaction, but at least is things go south, it doesn't bother my auto debits. My World card was replace not due to unauthorised transaction but the CVc number somehow rubbed off and dissapeared.

Your card has 4 functions for transaction authorization:
Mag stripe (card swipe over the magnetic stripe)
EMV (insert to the bottom of terminal)
NFC
16 Numbers with CVC
Mag stripe has the lowest security rating but FI still using it for backward compatibility reason, when you perform transaction oversea, try to use contactless as much as possible.
I only use my googlepay in Taipei, their MRT card and cash. for the course of 3 years i have yet to see any fraudulent transaction originated from Taiwan.
I have different CC with different banks in SG,
All of the more or less same in terms of security function, So far HSBC can temporarily disable card functions until you manually enable it
Citibank can only disable oversea transaction. Amex disable temporary for 1 week.
Most of them can be done over the app.
Big FI are slow to react, most likely they favor stability, eg they don't anyhow add security functions to the card and app, UNLESS, pressured by government lol
Anyway, until now the Big FI security feature still lacking, if you ever used Wise or Revolut, you'll know what I'm talking about, they have most fine grained card security that Big FI are lacking.
This post has been edited by 1024kbps: Nov 9 2025, 01:38 PM