Again, in the name of security, my life is affected as even my credit card company is forcing me to re-arrange my comfortable little world. It seems almost everywhere on the globe except the good old USA, (where most of this security crap started) credit cards are now being issued with so called 'smart chips'. (I think it's ironical that the country (USA) where security and terrorism are so high in the minds of the populace to the point of being paranoid, they opted out of the smart card in that country)
As far as I'm concerned, there was no real need to press security to this higher level but I'm sure that my reasons for not caring for this expensive and excessive security measure are far different from the powers that be in the USA . I have read that the crooks are already able to duplicate the ultra secure drivers' licenses and passport chips so I don't think they'll have any problem with these chips. Anyway, I don't really have all that much to lose on my Mastercard. If someone steals it I'm libel for only a maximum of $50. And then only if I don't notify them soon enough of a problem.
The irksome part of this new card is that one must memorize yet another PIN number. If that's not enough, you have to type in the PIN number on a little hand held keypad at the merchant's cash register. The first time I had trouble was at the Bulk Barn where I go to get my favorite dried mangoes. I forgot my pin number and had to use a different card to escape. The next time I was more severely inconvenienced was at the fuel pumps in our marina. I had to climb up the seawall, out of my little rubber dinghy, in order to go into the marina office to play with the little key pad. Normally the attendant would just hand me a clipboard for my signature and I could remain in the boat.
.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment