... wireless pickpocketing era

[Roland Perry]

In article <464224EF.5090203@iosis.co.uk>, Peter Tomlinson 
<pwt@iosis.co.uk> writes
>>> Moreover, I've paid for two meals now with no authorisation on my
>>> credit card: hand it over, they pop it in a machine and hand it
>>> back.
>>
>> I've seen tube and train ticket machines around London that work like 
>>this too.
>
>When I use those machines in London, they need a PIN.

I've bought train tickets in the last few months from a C&P enabled 
"National Rail" machine that didn't ask for a PIN for my no-chip credit 
card. The same is also very common for machines paying for parking at 
airports. Of course, the "marginal cost" of what they are selling me in 
these sorts of transaction is effectively zero, so perhaps they can 
afford to take the risk.

ps My recently renewed Amex Charge Card now has C&P, which is probably a 
good excuse to send it back, as it has lost its essential and useful 
differentiation from most of my other cards.
-- 
Roland Perry