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Beware: Barclay Card Rewards Advert Promotes PIN Insecurity

With so many credit/debit card cloning scams and the consequent multi- million (multi-billion?) pound losses it might be expected that banks such as Barclays would be promoting security with card transactions especially with regards to the use of 'chip and pin.'

However the latest advert for Barclay Card's 'Rewards' programme - which is airing regularly on British t.v. - depicts just the opposite. Indeed it is an excellant example of how to NOT carry out a 'chip and pin' transaction.

The advert shows a somewhat narcisic and effeminate guy - for some reason carrying a piece rolled up carpet - shopping and paying for goods and services by 'chip and pin.' However whilst the chip might be secure, he openly flouts his PIN to all and everyone including shop assistants and waiters and anyone standing in his near vicinity. The smirk on his face at every successful transaction - as he punches in his PIN accompanied by annoying musical 'plinks and plonks' - in full view of anyone watching - is indicitative of his total ignorance of card cloning and fraud.

This irritating advert demonstrates the very worst of Barclay's attitude towards security both of customers credit/debit card accounts and the losses it sustains due to card cloning and fraud.

Apparently musical 'plinks and plonks' of customers punching in their PINs to earn some ephemerous 'rewards' for using their cards is more important than demonstrating the necessity of keeping one's PIN secret, i.e. NOT allowing others to see the PIN punched in. The mind boggles at Barclays utter stupidity in using this advert for their services.

Reply to
CJB
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Its also insecure in that if you listen carefully you can work out the pin from the plinks and plonks. It 2598 btw ;-)

Reply to
Paul

Psssstt... it's not real

Reply to
Mentalguy2k8

I want to know where that waterchute is...

Reply to
Paul

I lost all faith after the "Red Bull Gives You Wings" campaign. I drank 12 cans of the stuff.... was awake all night but didn't sprout so much as a feather. And I never got a reply from the Advertising Standards people :)

Reply to
Mentalguy2k8

Yes, and those slimming chocolates that gave every one AIDS..

Reply to
Paul

Strange, didn't give me AIDS

John

Reply to
John Nice

Did you lose weight?

Reply to
Paul

You may not have sprouted a feather, but did you find panty-liners in your underwear?

Reply to
The Todal

No, never ate them.

Reply to
John Nice

haha no, but the next day I heard "Mull of Kintyre" on the radio

Reply to
Mentalguy2k8

That's terrible! - Almost as bad as stealing someone elses copyright material without so much as an acknowledgement:

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Reply to
Michaelangelo

In message , Mentalguy2k8 writes

I seem to remember a black, myopic Halifax personette riding on the back of flying swan. He needed someone to take him aside and say: 'Now listen, old chap. Folks of your ilk are supposed eat them not fly on them. That's what Ryan Air is for.

Reply to
james

I couldn't put it better than Michael Winner. Calm down dear, it's only a commercial. However, one real life situation does come to mind. On holiday abroad somewhere, I forget where, the little safe in the hotel wardrobe made a different musical tone for each key on the keypad.

I was paranoid enough to suppose there might be a chamber-maid or other hotel employee with "perfect pitch" listening at the door.

Reply to
Graham.

They can open them anyway, they've all got a built-in override (mastercode or key) so that the staff can open them if the idiot guest forgets his chosen number and doesn't fancy going home without his passport, money and camera....

I remember a holiday on a Greek Island where I put all my stuff in the room safe, it was only 2 days from the end of the holiday that I discovered the safe wasn't bolted to anything... I could have picked it up and taken it sightseeing with me!

Reply to
Mentalguy2k8

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