Ok, that helps explain it Carol. I am a retired financial professional and do have some experience in dealing with US banks at a non-personal level, as well as personal. I do know that the US banking industry is very fractured, since it is state regulated, unlike Canada and most European countries where is is regulated at the national level.

In my experience the US tends to be behind the curve, compared to its European and Canadian counterparts. We have required PINs for years, so that adds an additonal level of security that has only recently become more common in the US. Here in Canada, and in Europe as well, except at small merchants or for very small transactions, cash is rare, almost everything is either debit or CC. And yes, our regulations do provide more indemnification, so that obviously helps. Both CCs and debit cards are virtually the same in terms of protections.

Thanks for alerting me to some of the differences. It now makes more sense. And I only go to an ATM if I need MORE US cash. I never want to go home with US dollars any more than necessary, since I can't use them at home. It makes no sense to have them sitting there doing nothing until my next trip, IMO.