What can you get in Romford for £937 at 16:40 on a friday?

[timwilky]

If the identity card bill with all the biometrics requirement ever is unfortunate enough to hit the statute book. I hope that the banks will then somehow link it into their systems.

just think you carry one card. insert it into the machine. It offers you your list of accounts. you select one and pay.

Somehow I doubt it would ever happen. So why do the banks not use their own biometric instead. Oh of course cost/reliability/ susceptibility to fraud. The very things that the goverment say won't be a problem.

Dud. I was once robbed of a substancial ammount of cash. It is a sickening stomach churning experience. Fortunately I was able to get my hands on the culprit and most of the money was refunded. Alas no compensation for the bruised hand I experienced in persuading him to return my goods. His father made good the outstanding ammount. I hope that you are able to get your hands on the scumbag.

[mattSV]

El Saxo wrote:-

A couple of the banks used to offer switch / credit cards with your passport photo printed on the back, can't see why this wasn't introduced as standard.

Two reasons:-

1) Cost

2) Numpties in shops don't even look at the signatures on the cards so they won't take any notice of the photos either

Originally Posted by timwilky

If the identity card bill with all the biometrics requirement ever is unfortunate enough to hit the statute book. I hope that the banks will then somehow link it into their systems.

Unfortunately, biometrics are not the holy grail of security people believe them to be (I'd cite this as a reason they shouldn't become statuatory, like ID cards, they confer a false sense of security, lessening the amount of evidence needed for convictions etc, when in reality, they're no better than what they replace).

Pretty much anything on the human body, other than DNA changes throughout your life and can be damaged in an accident. Fingerprint scanners are allegedly very easy to trick.

Originally Posted by mattSV

2) Numpties in shops don't even look at the signatures on the cards so they won't take any notice of the photos either

Good point. I've handed over a new & unsigned switch card (having forgot to sign the back when it arrived in the post) to pay for stuff before now and they haven't batted an eyelid.

Also for biometric to work it'd have to be introduced worldwide by firms such as Visa. Which then brings up other issues as to where the biometric data will be stored.

Bloomberg have introduced biometric logons to their system and the data is stored in the US. Which is fine here but I'm currently working at a German Bank and it's against German employment laws to have that data sored outside the EU.

Sorry really boring I know

It's happening more often in Gyms - especially in Romford.

What happens this:

Thief takes key to locker.
Gets a copy made.
Returns original key.
Waits until some poor sod uses the locker.
Uses copied key to empty the lot.

This is rife in places like Fitness First that have the key system. The only sure way to lock your stuff up is to use a padlock. But I suppose then they'll be taking bolt croppers into the gym.....

Sorry to hear such bad news.

Originally Posted by El Saxo

Good point. I've handed over a new & unsigned switch card (having forgot to sign the back when it arrived in the post) to pay for stuff before now and they haven't batted an eyelid.

for the past 2 years my debit card hasnt had a signitare on it.
its got one on there now though.

Originally Posted by mattSV

2) Numpties in shops don't even look at the signatures on the cards so they won't take any notice of the photos either

Now that winds me up BIG TIME. I have been in some shops, garages where they swipe the card and hand it back before I have even signed anything.

I complain every time but they still go ahead and do it again next time I go in.

Originally Posted by Mervin

It's happening more often in Gyms - especially in Romford.

What happens this:

Thief takes key to locker.
Gets a copy made.
Returns original key.
Waits until some poor sod uses the locker.
Uses copied key to empty the lot.

This is rife in places like Fitness First that have the key system. The only sure way to lock your stuff up is to use a padlock. But I suppose then they'll be taking bolt croppers into the gym.....

Sorry to hear such bad news.

oh it was even better then that, it was Esporta, locker 90, you cant miss it if you're in there, its the one with the number plate ripped off and the lock rotated 90 degrees in the hole. And this was done in plain sight of a FULL changing room of "men" on friday afternoon (when I went back down after the workout, there were about 20 people with line of sight to the locker). And as the gym is member access by swipe card only...

Well suffice to say, someone contacted me this morning from Romford police and an incident number will be in the post shortly, and the contents insurance people were informed this morning so a claim form is in the post.

We'll just see how long it takes till I'm cloned and start receiving credit card bills

Originally Posted by El Saxo

The sooner all places go Chip & PIN the better!

I'm absolutely convince that 'Chip & PIN' will just lead to an increase in street muggings. Criminals will just watch people key their PINs in at a checkouts (because most people are really careless when doing this) before stealing the cards.