debit cards in jp?

[sunrise 0]

Does anyone know which banks you can get debit cards from? I was wondering about Shinsei. I think you can get them from Citibank, but then I'm assuming I probably have to keep an account with a minimum monthly balance there well (or I'll get charged fees). Trying to keep away from them if possible.

 

Last time I tried to find this out, no-one here seemed to have heard of debit cards...

 

thanks.

[GRPT 0]

I think most standard Japanese bank cash cards that you use at ATMs double as debit cards and you don't need to get a separately issued debit card as such.

 

What you have to keep an eye out for though is the green and white "J-Debit" sticker that retailers and other businesses that have EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) capability display in the shop window or beside the cash register.

 

If using J-Debit, or cash card ATMs for that matter, be vary careful about keeping your personal identification number (PIN) out of view of prying eyes (or discretely placed spy cameras) as the incidence of cash card fraud and PIN theft in Japan is escalating rapidly. Same goes for credit cards with a cash advance facility.

 

I understand your apprehension with Citibank and know a lot of consumers are dissatisfied with their services for whatever reason, but I do know that their cash cards are J-Debit friendly. As are most cash cards for the other banks like Bank of Mitsubishi-Tokyo (now including UFJ). I think Shinsei is also OK in this respect, but I can't ever recall using my Shinsei card for J-Debit (probably because I haven't left enough funds in there to make a a purchase of any substance). Shinsei has a lot of other things going for it regardless, like free withdrawal charges even when using ATMs of other banks and in convenience stores (a 105 or 210 charge may be deducted at the time of the withdrawal, but this is reimbursed around the end of the month, so check your statement just to be sure).

[Yuki's Passion 1]

 Quote:

Originally posted by GRPT:
If using J-Debit, or cash card ATMs for that matter, be vary careful about keeping your personal identification number (PIN) out of view of prying eyes (or discretely placed spy cameras) as the incidence of cash card fraud and PIN theft in Japan is escalating rapidly. Same goes for credit cards with a cash advance facility.

That was on the news last night. Wasnt that shocked that it finally happened but is that referring to banks or Combinis? Or people sitting inside with bags faced at your hands while youre entering in your PIN number? Caught just a 30 second clip at the end of the broadcast about it so dont know what was really being discussed.

[misorano 1]

Sunrise,

I don't think you need a minimum balance or anything, just enough funds to cover the transaction.

[GRPT 0]

That's right misorano. Sorry sunrise for not addressing that part of your question. The concept with debit cards, as opposed to credit cards, is that you can only make a transaction with the debit card provided that your acount has sufficient funds to cover the transaction. Otherwise the person at the cash register will probably give you a strange look as if to say, "not enough money in your account, hey?"

 

The issue with the minimum account balance at Citibank is that they will charge you a monthly account managament fee of Y2,100 (I think) if you don't have at least Y500,000 or foreign currency equivalent, or some similar combination of a certain amount of yen and foreign currency (not sure of the exact amounts - sorry). But I do know that Shinsei has no minimum account balance requirement and they do not charge account management fees either.

 

Yamakashi, last night's news about spy cameras being installed so that they had full view of the PIN touch screen panel prompted me to make that warning note. Apparently the spy cameras were installed in little business card-sized boxes containing bank advertising (for rip-off yet legal loan-shark equivalent consumer loans no doubt) that were attached to the wall above the machine to begin with. Nice going UFJ! The cameras found apparently have a transmission frequency range of around 60m, so the police believe criminal elements were planning to steal the PIN numbers of unsuspecting bank clients and then follow them when they left the bank to steal their wallets/purses containing the lucrative cash cards etc. Sneaky!

 

So yes, my comment was referring to bank ATMs, but ATMs in convenience stores are so openly viewable that I try to avoid them at all costs. You never know what the person who looks to be "tachiyomi" reading a manga really has in mind by standing so close to the machine. I hate the way their ATMs jingle and chime when your money is coming out too. It's like an announcement saying "hey this guy just withdrew a pile of cash - any takers" ...

 

BE VERY VERY CAREFUL

[sunrise 0]

Hey, thanks for the replies. Actually, I should clarify. I wasn't referring to J-debit. I want a debit card in order to set up a paypal account for people to deposit funds to (this will be coming from the US), so it needs to be able to act online like a credit card - with credit card style numbers, if you know what I mean.

 

I'm really not sure if you can get these kinds of debit cards in Japan, but it really has been several years since I last looked.

 

After the pin # warnings here I'll continue to cover my fingers with my other hand when inputting my number whether ATMs or combinis.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

 Quote:

Originally posted by sunrise:
After the pin # warnings here I'll continue to cover my fingers with my other hand when inputting my number whether ATMs or combinis.

I try to do that anyways... You just never know eh?

[gamera 0]

The biggest problem for merchants in Japan is they can not accept debit cards issued abroad at the moment. That's why I have not introduced debit card payment method.

 

I have an infox credit card scanner but sometimes people misput their pin # lol....

Error!

Be careful.

[sunrise 0]

I want a debit card issued in Japan. I could get one from Oz, but I want it in yen, not A$.

 

You would think, that with credit card fraud, etc, debit cards would be more popular. Maybe Japan is still behind the times here.

[gamera 0]

Sunrise, have you ever learned enough about paypal?

[misorano 1]

Sunrise:

Almost all the banks in Tokyo will give you a cash card that doubles as a debit card. All you need to do is open an account. I've got several adn I didn't have to apply or anything. You just get the card with the account.

[sunrise 0]

Hi gamera,

I'm not sure I understand your question. Could you please rephrase....

 

Hi Misorano,

Thanks, can you use these debit cards online in lieu of a credit card? That's what I need it for.

[misorano 1]

Sunrise,

No, I don't think you can. The concept is a little different here I think. More like Eft-Pos.

[sunrise 0]

I just called a couple of banks including citibank. As per my last round of calls a few years back, no-one has them. Thanks for trying to help.

[GRPT 0]

Sunrise,

 

Sorry for going so off tangent re: J-Debit.

I understand what you are talking about now - "international debit cards" - using the existing VISA/Mastercard structure etc.

 

I checked out a site in Japanese and it confirmed what you said - despite rapid growth in international debit cards overseas, they have yet to take off in Japan, but are expected to in time.

 

Me thinks maybe the banks have just got into the issuing of credit cards for themselves and want to milk this business for all its worth first.

 

Pretty nice business model generating revenues from milking up to 25% interest on simple credit cards. I find it somewhat concerning when all the banks jump on the bandwagon to try and tie-up with the consumer finance companies, which until they became the darlings of the stock market were largely viewed as unscrupulous loan sharks!

 

Funny how perceptions change ....

[indosnm 0]

I thought the problem with the debit cards is that they were more useless than credit cards as not that many shops allow the use of them.

 

UFJ bankers, remember to get your money out b4 this weekend as its going to be closed from friday night - till monday am...again.

[slow 0]

I'm not familiar with debit cards.

How about Edy? You can transfer money to your Edy card from combinis, banks, mobiles... Edy will be popular in Japan soon.

[GRPT 0]

Edy (electronic "prepaid" money) is becoming more popular in Japan.

 

Although not an "international" debit card, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi launched its multi-function "Super IC Card Tokyo-Mitsubishi VISA" last year. This is the card with the biometric "hand scan" ID verification technology that they have been heavily promoting on TV.

 

The Super IC Card combines the functionality of a standard domestic cash card (meaning it should be J-Debit compatible - I think), a credit card (hence the VISA part), and Edy electronic money.

 

As the card has credit card functionality, I wonder if it is getting closer to the international debit cards that sunrise was referring to. Maybe. Maybe not.

 

Anyway, for more info about the BoTM card, see:

 

http://www.btm.co.jp/english/press/news2004/pdf/news212e.pdf

[GRPT 0]

Follow up concerning recent news of spy cameras being installed at UFJ (and possibly other bank's) ATMs.

 

The police picked up a guy who was acting suspiciously outside a UFJ ATM in Gotanda. The guy said he was doing a job (for a mere 10,000 yen/day) that was offered to him via a bulletin board on the Internet. He was instructed to first pick up a mobile phone, then pick up a hidden locker key, take out the contents of the locker (a bag containing various camera and other equipment), remove a camera from an existing location at an ATM in a convenience store (yep - conbinis also vulnerable), and then install the required equipment at the Gotanda UFJ ATM.

 

All this time, the guy told police he felt he was being followed by a man in a red jacket and wearing dark sunglasses (ooooh... very suspicious).

 

Well, when the police picked up this guy after he had installed the camera, he had camera image receiving equipment on his person. The policeman and the guy then went to the ATM to locate the evidence of the spy camera. Trouble is, during the time the policeman was arresting the first guy, the "other" guy in the jacket with the sunglasses removed the camera when the policeman wasn't looking - this was all recorded on the ATMs security camera. Sneaky!

 

Anyway, further inspection of the other equipment that the first guy still had on him revealed that the installed unit contained TWO cameras - one set up to capture the PIN, and the other to zoom in on the cash (or credit) card as the user entered it into the slot, therefore allowing for the capture of all pertinent details like the cardholder's name, account number, branch number, and expiry date (for credit cards).

 

So rather than getting the PIN and then following a user outside and stealing their wallet/purse, the criminals were a bit more sophisticated and were aiming to get all the necessary card information without any physical contact with a cardholder, which would attract unwanted attention and alert the police faster to the crime.

 

Such information could then be used for Internet shopping and similar cash/credit card fraud, especially if the criminals also found a way to get date-of-birth information, which would enhance access to cash cardholders' Internet banking accounts.

 

Bottom line - cover any PIN keypads with your hand or body when using an ATM, and give the machine a quick look over to make sure there aren't any funny looking objects that could be disguising a spy camera. Mind you, don't act so suspiciously that you end up attracting the wrong kind of attention!

 

Also, check your credit card statements each month to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions.

 

UFJ has yet to disclose the places and times that these cameras were likely to have been operational, which is pissing off customers that may have used the ATMs at those times and want to confirm whether they are likely to be exposed to fraud.

[slow 0]

I'm thinking to change my credit card to "Super IC Card Tokyo-Mitsubishi VISA". But this card doesn't have travel insurance... Probably, I have to get the gold card but I don't want to pay very expensive annual fee.