PIN's and credit cards.

[Bettina Jodda (Twister)]

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Hi from Germany

Am  Saturday 16 November 2002 03:22 sed Brian Morrison folgendes:
> This is the model used in continental Europe, or at least in France,
> Belgium etc. You get a little keypad into which the card is inserted so
> that the card's chip contacts the internal circuitry. Around the keypad
> is a screen that is supposed to prevent anyone seeing your finger
> movements.

The numbers here use to have 4 or five digits.
So they are simple to remember.

> This seems more of a risk to me as well, once someone knows your PIN
> they can use the card with much less risk of detection, it is usually
> more obvious if a signature is forged than if a 4 digit number is
> entered.

We have those toll-free lines over here.
So once your card is stolen, you ring them up and tell them what has happened 
and then your card is "blocked"

But the problem is:
for example your card is stolen together with your whole bag.
When you enter the police station finally, about 30 minutes have gone.
So during this period someone could use your card.

And - if so, the bank usually thinks that you have had a small piece of paper 
with the PIN inside the purse or so.
So they will not pay your money back.
(this has happened to my Mom once.
Due to the fact that within 30 minutes the thief could steal a lot of money 
with the card (on cash-machines), they supposed that my Mom had the number 
written down (which was not the case but she could not prove this---how could 
you?) so the money was not given back to her...:-(

Anyway:
over here you usually have to type in your PIN (which is a bit silly in a 
shopping center or so when a lot of people look over your shoulder).
Hardly any shop accepts only a credit card and the signature - the PIN is 
necessary.

Twister

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