The PIN Try Count refers to the maximum number of failed offline PIN verifications that can be made with the card.
Banks usually keep it as the number of consecutive wrong PIN entries and the maximum number of wrong PIN entries.
Features of the PIN Try Count:
- It shows the maximum number of wrong PIN entries
- It is set when the card is produced and written onto the card
- When the maximum PIN Try Count is reached:
- – the card's PIN is blocked
- – the card is temporarily closed (this may vary from bank to bank).
- In such a case, the transaction is routed online to the issuing bank and declined.
- To unblock a card whose PIN is blocked, you need to call your bank's customer service and have the PIN Try Count reset.
- When the PIN Try Count is reset, make sure the card's status has been opened.
- When the card's PIN is reset in the banking system, the card is reopened for use with a command sent to the card.
- The card receives this command in the first online transaction, and successful transactions can then be made with the card.
What to do when your PIN is blocked?
When the PIN Try Count is exceeded, the cardholder can apply to the bank to reactivate the PIN. Some banks do this through the call center or the mobile app; others generate a new PIN.
From a security point of view, if you cannot remember your PIN, it is better to start the process from scratch than to try guessing it. On chip cards, the offline PIN try counter is kept in the chip, while the online PIN try counter is kept in the bank's system.
