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Driver's License to be the Next Debit Card
prostoalex writes "Your US driver's license has a magnetic stripe with unique ID in it, and your debit card carries a magnetic stripe with account information on it, so why not link the two together and allow people to use their driver's licenses as debit cards? That's precisely what a young company National Payment Card is doing in select locations, according to Business Week: 'Gas-station owners are pleased with the program too. Because NPC processes the payment as an e-check with the Automated Clearing House (ACH), a network most commonly used for direct deposits, participating retailers bypass credit card companies such as Visa and Mastercard.'"
rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID, merchants
cannot make an ID a condition of acceptance. Therefore, merchants cannot
refuse to complete a purchase transaction because a cardholder refuses to
provide ID. Visa believes merchants should not ask for ID as part of their regular
card acceptance procedures. Laws in several states also make it illegal for
merchants to write a cardholder's personal information, such as an address or
phone number, on a sales receipt.
-Pg 29, Rules for Visa Merchants--Card Acceptance and Chargeback Management Guidelines Even if the cardholder refuses to show ID, the card must still be accepted or else the merchant is in violation of their agreement and therefore subject to termination and blacklisting.
The machine asks for some info ahead of time, while it tries to make a network connection and do the validation. This gives you the illusion of speed and interactivity. So after a while, when it finally figures out that it is a dud card, it pops the card back out and forgets whatever you selected.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
Why not put all things in your cell phone? If the cards aren't going to have pictures, and possession is proof of identity, just shove it in the cell phone. The only ones that I can see wanting to not have in the cell phone are ones that prove identity via some other means such as a picture or description. Even then, put it in the cell phone, lock out that part of the cell phone from editing except by the controlling party of that data (yeah, it'll be hacked but it'll be just as secure as photo IDs are, I imagine), tie it to a central DB to register tampering, and stick a private code on there so that someone who steals the cell phone can't just start using your credit card everywhere.
:)
Sound silly? Look at FeLiCa in Japan. There are vaios with felica readers so you can tap your cell phone to your keyboard to pay for internet purchases. FeLiCa on vending machines. Train stations. Convenience Stores.
I'd LOVE this scenario. As it is, being in Japan, I have an ICOCA in my wallet, that I use to get on any train I'm likely to get on in a hundred mile radius, works at many of the train station convenience stores, and I don't have to think about purchasing tickets or anything, and all I have to do is take my wallet out and tap it on the pad. My cell phone has FeLiCa built in, but since it's a rental phone I don't use it. I need only a few items: Cash, for places that don't yet take the various electronic payment methods (credit/debit card included, it's rather rare here).. ICOCA for the train, convenience stores, etc. And the key to the apartment I'm staying at. It's rather nice..
As a proud citizen of Montana, I am pleased to report that our state told the federal government to "shove it". In the words of our governor, "Never, no, hell no".
I'm glad to see at least one other person actually realizes what's going on. The government has nothing to do with this combination license/credit card other than the fact that they provide the piece of plastic it uses. Other than their already existing civilian surveillance methods they will have no knowledge of the purchases you make.
audioLibre - freedom of music
Thanks for pointing this out. I'm so sick of being asked for ID when I use my credit card. BTW, here's a PDF of the merchant rules - page 29 also mentions the "See ID" nonsense.
Remember: if you try to buy something with your Visa, but they won't let you because you won't show your ID, you can file a complaint against the merchant by calling (800) VISA-911. So far I've never had to make the call, just had to threaten it.
Visual IRC: Fast. Powerful. Free.
http://www.mastercard.com/us/wce/PDF/MERC-Entire_M anual.pdf
Check page 71 under Acceptance Procedures for Purchase Transactions where it says
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For unique transactions processed in a face-to-face environment (with the exception of truck stop transactions and card-read transactions where a non-signature CVM is used), request personal identification of the cardholder in the form of an unexpired, official government document. Compare the signature on the personal identification with the signature on the card.
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I didn't read the Visa Rules. I use Mastercard.