How long have we had "chip and pin" on our credit/debit card purchases here? A year? Well, I'm sick of it. I would prefer to sign, thank you.
I seem to remember hearing how this method would be much safer than the traditional signature security system. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't, but I'm tired of having to enter my PIN number in stores where people are looking over my shoulder and where Johnny Texaco is taping it on his security system. I don't feel secure, that's for sure.
Before I only had to enter my PIN when I was withdrawing money from a bank ATM. And, I had to sign to use my card in a store. Now I have to expose my PIN in stores where people are crowding around me, where someone is pushing to the counter to pay for their newspaper and/or under the gaze of someone earning the minimum wage.
Do you think any of those store assistants could be bought by a criminal gang who would then make duplicate cards and to go along with the PIN the store clerk's just memorized? Most people take no care at all about protecting their PIN in such situations. I've been able to easily see other shoppers' PINs.
And, on top of it all, I don't think it's faster. People generally sign their names faster than they punch in a 4-6 digit number on a small keypad. I think I'll go back to using cash.
