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Reading ATM Reader

To avoid misreading the magnetic strip
  (+5, -3)
(+5, -3)
  [vote for,
against]

Quite frequently, debit and credit cards get their magnetic strips amuddled, amuckled or otherwise weakened such that they fail to work properly.

In a store, the cashier is able to type in the number his or herself. Problem averted, good stuff.

An ATM does not allow you to type in your own card number. Fair enough; could allow someone to see it over your shoulder. But, text recognition being what it is today, the ATM machine should be reading the numbers from the front of the card as well as the magnetic strip.

If the strip is only out by a few numbers then it should accept the number on the front for the current transaction and automatically order you a new card. After all, you have entered the PIN number.

vincevincevince, Nov 07 2007

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       I thought those cards were practically indestructible.
Spacecoyote, Nov 07 2007
  

       Bar-coded, mine has it already.
4whom, Nov 07 2007
  

       No Ian, you're thinking of Captain Scarlet.
jtp, Nov 07 2007
  

       So, not specific to one town in Berkshire?
AbsintheWithoutLeave, Nov 07 2007
  

       Fair warning: This essentially allows someone to use your ATM card without having it in hand. I'd rather have a second, redundant mag stripe.
phoenix, Nov 07 2007
  

       //without having it in hand// however they would need to know your PIN number, your card number, and to have a card with almost the same number as yours from which they had corrupted the non-matching numbers.   

       This isn't for point-of-sale; it's for ATMs, and it does require at least a semi-matching response from the magnetic strip, it just uses the embossed number for a bit of error-correction when things are just a bit too amuddled on the strip.
vincevincevince, Nov 07 2007
  
      
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