Tip to protect your credit/debit cards

Rob_B_8

Just thought you might like to know of a little trick I use if the unthinkable ever happened & i got my wallet/cards stolen.

Write a random 4 digit number on the back of your card in the format 1-2-3-4 (include the '-' s) with a marker or put it on a little sticker or similar.

If your card ever gets stolen & someone looks at it they might fancy their luck with your 'pin' in a cash machine, 3 attempts and it gets swallowed meaning its safe!

Tada!

the_blue_angel

excellent idea gold star to you

wacko911

Or you could just write 'PIN:XXXX' incase they really are a bit slow.

iwanttosave_2

spam reported

The_Boss

No offence, but thats a bit of a pointless idea. They can still use the card online or at a place where transactions can be signed for. And even if they did use an ATM to try and withdraw money by guessing a pin number (with no prompting), then the chances of success with the 3 attempts is ridiculously low.

I'd also assume that if you lost a card, you would cancel it asap.

kingkano

then the chances of success with the 3 attempts is ridiculously high.

huh?? the chances of success using a dud pin you write on it is ridiculously high?? I think even with 2000 attempts, using a dud pin as the basis, they have no chance of success....

The point was they will try 3 times, using the dud pin, get it wrong 3 times and your card will be swallowed thereby releiving them of it....

seems good idea to me

Anwen_2

Also they would be unlikely to try the same four numbers three times, they'd probably go 'oh, that's not working, ha, that was a slightly rubbish trick, i'll have the card back and use it for other things'

The_Boss

Anwen wrote:

Also they would be unlikely to try the same four numbers three times, they'd probably go 'oh, that's not working, ha, that was a slightly rubbish trick, i'll have the card back and use it for other things'

Such as an internet spree. No doubt the OP would also write the name of a fake internet site on the back of the card to trick the thief into trying it on that!

I cant believe people are thanking for this. Cancelling your card asap would be a better idea, but I'm not expecting people to thank me for that. Writing a fake pin on the back of a credit card would not deter a thief from trying to use it in a store where you can sign (there are still some) or online. Cancelling would stop this. Now thank me.

moneyfool

If you scrub out your signature strip with an indelible (black) marker, then no one could sign for anything.Only the PIN could be used, assuming that makes the card safer to use (in the shops) would it raise any eyebrows at the checkouts do you think ?

Rob_B_8

If you don't agree....DON'T DO IT & DON'T REPLY!!!..

Right, now thats out of my system...i'm sorry if you would realise your cards have been stolen instantly (in which case why don't you collar the thief?) but i'm sure 99.9% of people wouldn't.

The point is to do this in case you don't realise & someone does try it, whats the harm? Where did i post to not cancel your cards & use this as the alternative?
Yes some people will try to sign for stuff (much harder now due to chip & pin) some people will by stuff off the net (like they could even if you didn't do this!)

The whole point in writing 1-2-3-4 is some thiefs may realise you've mixed your pin number up (hence the '-'s) & try their luck.

Theboss - your pointless & quite rude posts have been reported & i suggest in future you keep your nose out. No-one is suggesting you don't cancel your cards...its common sense!! This give you that little bit more of a chance to not get stung by fraud & is worth the seconds it would take, I do it, my family do it & my some of my friends also do it & even if it only ever works once in the entire country then its worth the post.

Rob

gotroot

i agree, it's worth a shot. and we can go ahead and cancel when we realize that the card is stolen.