<prompt> Human: Not sure if this is the correct subreddit to ask this question. In my country The Netherlands using a credit card is VERY uncommon, even extraordinary. We use our debit cardsaccount to pay for everything, online and offline. Online payment is done via your own bank and money is withdrawn in real-time. Your bank account can serve as a temporary loan, allowing you to go into the red for an x amount.Why is there such a distinction? Why do Americans pay via the credit card, as opposed to using a debit card? Assistant: What Im wondering is why these perks arent provided for debit accounts?I can understand the included safety against fraudulent use, but isnt it alot easier to get defrauded when your card doesnt use a pin number? In case your card gets stolen etc. Not trying to back anyone in a corner, but coming from a non-credit culture it all seems very illogical to me. I know in case my card gets stolen its useless to the other person, unless they somehow figure out my pincode which they wont... unless they guess correctly. It wouldnt be able for use online either, as my bank account requires a code which is either picked out of 500 random codes you receive beforehand, or send to your phone via sms. Theyd have to know my bank login codes obviously  <response>: At least in the US, every debit card Ive ever had can be run as credit. You just push the credit button instead of Debit when using it. Completely bypasses and security afforded by a pin number. 