Blogcritics Comments on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
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• Comment by John Bambenek on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  Thanks, Aaman
• Comment by Aaman on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  what is i-Button tech? Good post, John
• Comment by Tony Ciardi on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  We have developed a secure two-factor authentication system i-STOP (i-Secure Transfer of Online Payments). The system utilised i-Button technology and a USB device (i-STOP Reader) that provides encrypted link to the financial institution. The reader plugs into any PC and then the customer need only carry i-button key as depicted on our web site at www.i-stop.com.au Additionally the reader can be incorporated into ATM's and all EFTPOS outlets. I would be happy to provide any further info about the system to any of your readers if they need. It's now up to the financial industry to take the next step. So far only a few have bothered contacting me to find out how it works and cost??? Tony
• Comment by John Bambenek on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  Well it would be nice if they were opt-in instead of opt-out, that's for sure. And it would be nice in general if contract law didn't tilt the scales so much against the consumer. I see some of this being undone in court with consumer activism, but it's still pretty crappy.
• Comment by Nancy on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  Thanks to Bush & the cowardly lickspittle congress - BOTH parties - who screwed everyone out of their rights to class action suits in almost all circumstances. But actually they DON'T notify anyone. Several of these companies collect or buy information without the subject's knowledge or consent from other companies. I know for a fact I do not give any damned marketer my info, and go out of my way to tell those with whom I have done business that they do NOT have permission to share, lease, lend, sell, rent or otherwise give it out - and find myself on the receiving end of every piece of stinking marketing going. Unfortunately, there is seldom any way to 'trace' the source of where they got the info from, altho once or twice I have been able to do so, but proving it in court would be another matter. But again, these panhandling assholes did NOT get it from me, in any way, shape or form. Pardon my language, but companies like this, and marketers in general, arouse me to levels of rage normally reserved for politicians.
• Comment by John Bambenek on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  Well strictly speaking they do "let you know" in the fine print that either you have to ask for, or somehow is lost in the noise that no one looks at. It isn't made clear, it's made as small and unnoticeable as possible. And I agree that the companies should be sued, I've tried to find some lawyers willing to do class action to no avail at this point.
• Comment by Nancy on Credit Card Theft, National IDs, and Strong Authentication
  What I most resent is that the credit card companies, along with other 'data-gathering' companies, help themselves to everyone's private information, without permission or even letting the person know they are part of the data base, which is then peddled to whoever has the money to buy it. A person's private personal information should be just that - private. And personal. The law theorectically doesn't allow someone to just appropriate my car, so why is it hunky-dory to appropriate my identity and information, and worse, handle it so ineptly and carelessly it's easily lost or stolen. The half-wits in congress is just now getting around to thinking about changing this (altho it's unlikely without a major fight by consumers, since these corporations spend millions annually buying their favorite politicians), but at this point it's like shutting the barn door after the horse is out: too little too late. No company should be able to co-opt any personal information without written permission from, and knowledge of, any individual. And it shouldn't be "opt-out", but opt-IN. At the very least these companies should be sued - and hard - by a major class-action suit on behalf of every single person whose information has been lost or stolen thur their stupidity, carelessness, and ineptness. The only way they seem to learn is when they're hit in the wallet.