ID Card On Its Way

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Speaking of credit card fraud protection... my local gas station has recently started a policy where after swiping your card at the pump, you have to enter your billing zip code before it will authorize. Anyone else seen this in your area?

We use Chip & Pin in the UK now. The card is inserted into the reader and the customer enters their 4 digit pin in order to authorise the transaction. It helps to prevent stolen cards being used, and from dishonest shop/ restaurant staff cloning cards - as the card should never be out of the customer's sight. It isn't foolproof of course, but it's better than it was.

For internet transactions (certainly in the shop I work in) the terminal allows the card number to be entered manually, but the house number, postcode digits and security number (last 3 numbers on the signature strip) need to be entered. This protects the store from fraudulant card use, but still leaves the customer open to theft by employees.

Originally Posted by Elspode

Could you *please* explain to me what a quid is? And a bob?

Pounds: Quid, Nicker (tends only to be used for higher amounts, no-one would say, "That cost me four nicker")

Fives and tens are fivers and tenners, but a twenty is just a twenty.

A pony is 25, a ton is 100, a monkey is 500 and a grand is 1000 - I don't know if you use those in the States.

You won't hear bob for money these days, it's a pre-decimal term. It was the name for a shilling (20 shillings in a pound in old money). Therefore a ten bob note is not the same as a ten pound note.

Coppers are the brown coins - 1 and 2 pence. The silver coins - 5, 20 and 50 pence - are often reffered to as shrapnel.