It is very easy for a criminal to clone a credit card and steal money. The main reason why these things still happen today is because of the rudimentary credit card security system. The date on the credit cards is written in “visible text” and the PIN is very short and therefore sensitive to theft.
Obviously the banks, which actually lose a lot of money due to this kind of scams and cloning, try to do their best to introduce and offer customers the most advanced security technologies, like credit card scanners. But probably in the future, we will use other types of credit cards. How could they be? Let’s take a look!
The first idea, and perhaps the most obvious one, is to add some extra security features, such as the double authentication factor, already widely used on the Internet during online shopping. For instance, when you buy something online, in addition to the security code or CVV2, which is on the reverse side of the credit card, the credit card owner should also type a code sent – in general – via SMS directly to his mobile phone. The second authentication factor could even be used for off-line transactions when large sums of money are involved.
Another option are credit cards on demand. In this case, the credit card will not have a fixed magnetic strip, but this will be dynamically generated by an integrated hardware, on demand, and the user will have to enter the password using an integrated keyboard. If the customer misses the password, the magnetic strip will not be generated and therefore the operation will not be performed.
The password should be a great protective measure for your credit card, but it is useless if the person in question does not keep it secret. For this reason, biometric authentication could be a solution to this problem. The only thing you need in order to approve the transaction is placing your finger on the sensor. In simple words, your fingers will be your PIN!
It is unlikely that banks will implement these new security systems soon. The banking sector is rather conservative and they go calmly when it comes to introducing novelties and innovations. But for now, financial and credit institutions can use a credit card scanner in order to avoid frauds. These machines work pretty well and ensure a high level of security.
Panini Spa (Panini.com) is a company that offers this kind of devices. Just contact them to know more about their products. Be safe!