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Russian Lie Detector ATM

smitty777 writes "Apparently the Russians are starting to add lie detectors to their ATMs in an attempt to prevent identity theft and bad withdraws. 'Consumers with no previous relationship with the bank could talk to the machine to apply for a credit card, with no human intervention required on the bank’s end. The machine scans a passport, records fingerprints and takes a three-dimensional scan for facial recognition. And it uses voice-analysis software to help assess whether the person is truthfully answering questions that include “Are you employed?” and “At this moment, do you have any other outstanding loans?”'"

15 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. I've used the latest Russian ATMs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sberbank has some of the most advanced ATMs in the world now and it's mostly because of the extremely long ques. They're really advanced now, you can pay all sorts of bills from almost any company at them, gas bills, phone, internet, mobile, water, heating, taxes, etc, if for example you have a gas bill it will scan the barcode and then you just insert the money so it's connected to the billing systems of most major utility/service providers.

    The main reason for these new lie detector tests is Russian people predominantly being drunk liars (but not as bad as chechens who will murder you for no reason at all) are more likely to end up dead or to take the money and dissapear off the map and it's hard to track down every worthless moron, especially when doing so may cost more than the loan is worth and it's also very likely that the money is gone and they have no assets to seize.

    1. Re:I've used the latest Russian ATMs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's mostly a cash-based economy. Only larger companies in Moscow/St Petersburg are giving registered work, most people get paid cash in hand.

    2. Re:I've used the latest Russian ATMs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have never in my life paid a bill other than through the web interface of a bank. In fact, I don't even know how you do it otherwise.

      I have asked my bank about what they can do for me if I want to pay things with checks, though (if I can find someone who will accept it). At first they didn't understand me; then they just chuckled and told me that they don't do that stuff anymore.

      I'm born in 1983.

    3. Re:I've used the latest Russian ATMs. by Reservoir+Penguin · · Score: 2

      I'm Russian (not from Moscow/St.Peterburg) and this is bullshit, do not blindly mod it up.

      --
      US-UK-Israel: The real Axis of Evil
  2. Re:Shirley, they can't be serious by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sure they are. It's only corruptible if you flip the right switch underneath it. And it's reliably corrupt when you do.

    And don't call me Shirley!

    (I am nothing like her.)

    --
    Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
  3. Re:vodka by maxwell+demon · · Score: 4, Funny

    But the software told them the salesmen weren't lying!

    --
    The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  4. Unreliable. by headkase · · Score: 5, Informative

    If I was ever in the position where I was required to submit to a polygraph, and I don't mean this situation at a bank machine, I would gladly comply as long as I was able to add a single question as the first one:

    Can this machine tell if I am lying?

    Polygraph machines are not lie detectors. What they are are stress detectors. And if you know that little fact you need not be stressed when you are dealing with one. Here is a summary of a polygraph machine's reliability: here.

    --
    Shh.
  5. Re:vodka by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    No, you have to keep a minimum alcohol level in your system when you're russian and it's dangerous to go bellow a certain level.

  6. Re:vodka by bipbop · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Here's a citation to back up the parent's claim that "voice recognition of lies doesn't work at all". Language Log: Speech-based lie detection in Russia

  7. Re:vodka by Cyberax · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Actually, no. Voice recognition works fairly OK with Russian language.

    For instance, I'm using it on my phone to do voice search. The last search was "The Sword of Damocles" (I wanted to read the legend which gave rise to this expression), it's pronounced "Damoclov mech" in Russian and Google understood it just fine. Try that in English now - it just doesn't work.

    I can also use voice recognition to dictate large texts. Good recognition engine produces near perfect output.

    That's what you get if you use a language with non-crazy spelling. Additionally, grammar cases in Russian seem to work as error correction codes.

    Voice-based lie detection, though, definitely does not work.

  8. Psychopaths rejoice! by blind+biker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Psychopaths have zero fear or stress when they tell a lie. (They are otherwise rather fearless - but I won't go into details now.) These ATM machines are wide open for them to pick them apart.

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
    1. Re:Psychopaths rejoice! by Sinthet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In addition, if you're a criminal that can't keep his cool when talking to an inanimate object in a relatively private area, then you seriously need a new profession.

  9. other way around by StripedCow · · Score: 2

    While those ATMs are getting more and more sophisticated at detecting who WE are, us users are still often in doubt about the "identity" of the MACHINE. "Is it really the bank we are interacting with, or is it a skimming machine (or both)?"

    --
    If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
  10. Re:Pretty safe... by Alex+Belits · · Score: 2

    Application rejected: you are Guy Fawkes.

    --
    Contrary to the popular belief, there indeed is no God.
  11. The real technology behind it by eL-gring0 · · Score: 2

    Maybe it's just an "um" detector.

    ATM: "Do you have liens against your property, unpaid bills or any other credit problems?"
    Dumbass: "Um...uh...err, no?!"
    ATM: "DENIED!"

    I think it'd work at least as well as a polygraph machine.