Citigroup Plans Thumbprint ATMs For India's Poor

Posted by kdawson on Saturday December 2, 2006 @10:16AM from the beware-of-gummi-bears dept.

Brad Lucier points out a Financial Times report (carried by MSN Money) that Citigroup is rolling out a network of biometric ATMs aimed at illiterate Indian slum dwellers. From the article: "The machines will recognize account holders' thumbprints, eliminating the need for a personal identification number, and will have color-coded screen instructions and voiceovers to help guide them through transactions... Though India's population exceeds 1 billion, Citigroup estimates that there are only about 300 million bank accounts in the country... 'It's not a philanthropic exercise,' [PS Jayakumar, a Citigroup business manager in India] said. 'For it to be sustainable, we should break even and make a little bit of money.'"

3 of 123 comments (clear)

Re:Hm by From+A+Far+Away+Land · 2006-12-02 10:26 · Score: 4, Funny

The illegal thumb trade is about to take off in India, that's for sure.

Meanwhile, illegal thumb drives are still the domain of the Chinese.

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Oh You POS
Leper colonies... by __aaclcg7560 · 2006-12-02 10:30 · Score: 4, Funny

So will this be extended to the poor lepers who need banking services just like anyone else? Or will another big corporation shun this market segment?
Re:this is going to leed to allot of... by MichaelSmith · 2006-12-02 10:30 · Score: 4, Funny

leed to allot

of illiterate Indians?

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