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By LaToya Irby, About.com Guide to Credit / Debt

Self-Scans Make It Easy for Credit Card Thieves

Wednesday September 16, 2009

I like the self-scans grocery stores are using. It's often easier and faster to scan my own items than to get in a clerk-scanned lane. The bad thing is, self-scans also make it easier for credit thieves to rack up charges and get away with it. Since there's no clerk checking IDs on credit card transactions, a thief can easily use your credit card to buy groceries or other merchandise (including gift cards for restaurants and other stores).

It's not just self-scans, but any store that gives shoppers the convenience of swiping their own cards. Convenience usually comes at a price, but identity theft isn't a fair trade off.

What, if anything, do you think stores can do to keep the convenience of self-scanning and self-swiping but keep credit card thieves from succeeding?

Protecting Your Identity

Comments

September 16, 2009 at 10:06 am
(1) John DeFlumeri Jr says:

I don’t like self-scan systems, who knows if it’s safe, I don’t think so

John DeFlumeri Jr

September 17, 2009 at 1:53 pm
(2) gift certificate guy says:

you really cant be for certain if self scans are trustable but i do believe that if you make a purchase over 100$ or are buying certain products they wont let you go with out checking your ID

September 17, 2009 at 3:21 pm
(3) Clean Your Credit With Karli says:

This is very true. If there is nobody there to check ID’s, then it is that much easier for Identity Theft situations.

September 17, 2009 at 3:27 pm
(4) got deals says:

I love the convenience of self checkout, but this is something I hadn’t really thought about before. Thanks.

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