Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Citigroup Plans Thumbprint ATMs For India's Poor

Posted by kdawson on 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.'"

2 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. New Indian Crime Wave by SloWave · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I can see the Slashdot postings now about thieves chopping off poor slum dwellers' thumbs in India so they can steal their debit card balances.

  2. YOU FAIL IT? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    this post up. slings aRe limited,