This may have been discussed before, but yesterday hit home with me. Old person's rant.
With the change from swipe to insert (chip), about 1/3 of our local busiesses have made the credit card conversion. The more security , the better, or so I thought.
Two days ago, I made a CC purchase with my "insert chip" card. The item I bought didn't work, so I returned it. "I have to put the credit back on your card" from the cashier. So I took out the card, and as I was going to insert it in the scanner, she said,"Oh, that's ok... you can take back your card. The machine brought up your account". And she gave me the "credit receipt." the card never got closer than 2 feet from the scanner.
Hmmm.. how handy, and how easy. Yeah... but what if the guy behind me had a scanner and could pick up my account by just being close to me.
Aha!... So that's why they're selling those "secure" wallets on TV. $19.95 for one and you get the second one free, (just pay postage and handling).
I don't like this. First, I've got enough to keep in my pockets... wallet, glasses, phone, car keys etc. Trouble enough keeping all of these items corralled, but now one more. Plus the open/close nuisance, and then putting it all away, for the next time.
It's already taking longer to go through the checkout lanes, as customers "insert card", "wait", and "remove card" process unfolds. Now, it appears that the scanner can read the card (probably just the magnetic strip) anyway... as, presumably, can the thief, just from being near the scanner.
As I get older, multitasking gets more difficult. One of the great fears is losing my wallet. Multiple credit cards, Social Security Id, Drivers license, Voter ID, Medical Emergency info, Medicare, Medicare D, Medicare Supplement, Auto Ins. card, and pics of the grand kids. The $100 cash is the least of the worries about replacement. Now the lead lined CC holder.
Progress?
So... did you know that the scanner can pick up your account info without either inserting or swiping the card?
With the change from swipe to insert (chip), about 1/3 of our local busiesses have made the credit card conversion. The more security , the better, or so I thought.
Two days ago, I made a CC purchase with my "insert chip" card. The item I bought didn't work, so I returned it. "I have to put the credit back on your card" from the cashier. So I took out the card, and as I was going to insert it in the scanner, she said,"Oh, that's ok... you can take back your card. The machine brought up your account". And she gave me the "credit receipt." the card never got closer than 2 feet from the scanner.
Hmmm.. how handy, and how easy. Yeah... but what if the guy behind me had a scanner and could pick up my account by just being close to me.
Aha!... So that's why they're selling those "secure" wallets on TV. $19.95 for one and you get the second one free, (just pay postage and handling).
I don't like this. First, I've got enough to keep in my pockets... wallet, glasses, phone, car keys etc. Trouble enough keeping all of these items corralled, but now one more. Plus the open/close nuisance, and then putting it all away, for the next time.
It's already taking longer to go through the checkout lanes, as customers "insert card", "wait", and "remove card" process unfolds. Now, it appears that the scanner can read the card (probably just the magnetic strip) anyway... as, presumably, can the thief, just from being near the scanner.
As I get older, multitasking gets more difficult. One of the great fears is losing my wallet. Multiple credit cards, Social Security Id, Drivers license, Voter ID, Medical Emergency info, Medicare, Medicare D, Medicare Supplement, Auto Ins. card, and pics of the grand kids. The $100 cash is the least of the worries about replacement. Now the lead lined CC holder.
Progress?
So... did you know that the scanner can pick up your account info without either inserting or swiping the card?