Card security at B&Q

SB118 · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:05

Went to B&Q to pick up a pile of bits to start my central heating system, spent an hour or so going up and down the isles (picked up some board and polystyrene for soundproofing too), then went to the checkouts.

The maid rang everything through the till and asked for the worryingly large amount of dosh for what was quite a small pile of bits. I'm currently using the wifes card as all our money gets paid into her account. Take the card out of my pocket and put it in the chip and pin machine. "Sorry, we don't use chip and pin.", wha? "You'll have to sign", well that's a bit tricky as it's the wifes card (which i'd told her)

oh well thanks, bye. And wandered off back to the carpark leaving a pile of bits for the staff to put back.

Thought chip and pin was supposed to be around to make purchases secure?

Sat in the van in the carpark for 10 minutes (reading the screwfix book), then went back in and picked up the stuff. Took it to a different till, let the lad ring it through, gave him her card, signed an incredibly poor forgery of my wifes signature (which the guy checked, didn't the "Mrs" bit ring any bells? :confused:

) and wandered out of the store with more kit than i'd picked up first time around.

So much for improving card security. I could have been any Tom, Dick or Harry.

fatiain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:07

Oooh, Oooh, fraud, obtaining goods and services by deception.

Cards suck. Pin or sign. Cash 4tw.

SB118 · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:10

fatiain said:
Cash 4tw.

Agreed, but if i get £xxx out of the bank, and only spend £yyy, i end up pending the spare £zz on KFC & redbull

zain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:14

lol if hes a part time and student they really dont care or if you look mean

Besides, men are turning themselves into women these days

pyro · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:16

They should use 2 different pins, one for cash withdrawls and one for shopping, what if some idiot sees some poor girl entering her pin, then mugging her and getting all the cash he can from the atm?

VIRII · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:17

fatiain said:
Oooh, Oooh, fraud, obtaining goods and services by deception.

Cards suck. Pin or sign. Cash 4tw.

I did some vibration testing recently on a chip and pin with thumb scanner built in. It had to recognise a thumbprint and associated pin. Very cool. Not for mere mortals like you though

fatiain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:19

Chip and PIN sucks, it's NOT secure at all. Shoulder surfing anyone?

Banks. Try putting pictures on cards you dolts. Ends 80% of CC fraud.

Or maybe they don't *want* that....

</conspiracy theory>

fatiain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:19

VIRII said:
I did some vibration testing recently on a chip and pin with thumb scanner built in. It had to recognise a thumbprint and associated pin. Very cool. Not for mere mortals like you though

I'd break it with my fat thumbs.

VIRII · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:20

fatiain said:
I'd break it with my fat thumbs.

Hehe you wouldn't, if it comes out of my lab in one piece it is bombproof (kinda literally lol).

Pez · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:20

14th is the roll out day. If a retailer chooses to impose PIN only before then, its their call.

PIN is more secure. As long as you dont let anyone learn your pin (IE dont keep it written anywhere) then you are 100% safe. Its harder to guess a PIN then to forge a siginature, and the PIN stops staff becoming lax on checks.

PIN for the win.

fatiain said:
Chip and PIN sucks, it's NOT secure at all. Shoulder surfing anyone?

Banks. Try putting pictures on cards you dolts. Ends 80% of CC fraud.

Or maybe they don't *want* that....

</conspiracy theory>

Again.. steal card, copy siginature... easy.

Steal card, guess PIN... hard.

robjf · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:22

fatiain said:
Chip and PIN sucks, it's NOT secure at all. Shoulder surfing anyone?

Banks. Try putting pictures on cards you dolts. Ends 80% of CC fraud.

Or maybe they don't *want* that....

</conspiracy theory>

Some of my parents RBS cards have this, wonder why they dont put them on all as it seems a very simple way of ensuring security :/

fatiain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:22

Pezboy said:
14th is the roll out day. If a retailer chooses to impose PIN only before then, its their call.

PIN is more secure. As long as you dont let anyone learn your pin (IE dont keep it written anywhere) then you are 100% safe. Its harder to guess a PIN then to forge a siginature, and the PIN stops staff becoming lax on checks.

PIN for the win.

Again.. steal card, copy siginature... easy.

Steal card, guess PIN... hard.

Steal card after watching someone put a PIN in, easier than forging a signature

VIRII · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:22

Thumbprint, electronically scanned signature that is read electronically and PIN (6 digits) would be better and could be entered whilst they are scanning your purchases so would not take any more time to do.

fatiain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:23

VIRII said:
Hehe you wouldn't, if it comes out of my lab in one piece it is bombproof (kinda literally lol).

Nah, I'd probably eat it tbh.

VIRII · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:23

fatiain said:
Steal card after watching someone put a PIN in, easier than forging a signature

Take person at knifepoint to machine and get them to enter PIN - lazier method.

SB118 · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:23

fatiain said:
Banks. Try putting pictures on cards you dolts.

IIRC one bank actually DID put photos on their cards, no idea if they still do.

edit, i type FAR too slowly

fatiain · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:24

VIRII said:
Take person at knifepoint to machine and get them to enter PIN - lazier method.

Not me, I have a fold-out keyboard in my pocket. Instant death to all would-be muggers.

robjf · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:27

SB118 said:
IIRC one bank actually DID put photos on their cards, no idea if they still do.

edit, i type FAR too slowly

Yes it was the royal bank of scotland, ive only ever noticed them on their cards at work, though i seem to recall putting through a few lloyds tsb cards with pictures on.

VIRII · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:31

fatiain said:
Not me, I have a fold-out keyboard in my pocket. Instant death to all would-be muggers.

Gah most muggers are now armed with wireless mice. You got no chance, those lasers sting.

Beansprout · 9 Feb 2006 at 18:42

I wonder who got all the £££ for the chip and pin machines that _every_ _single_ _shop_ has had to buy