Chip and PIN: who’s telling the truth?

Forum of Private Business warned the banks in October that they needed to delay the January 1 2005 deadline to avert chaos. The launch of the Chip and PIN system is seen by some as the biggest change for businesses and shoppers since decimalisation.

The FPB’s CEO Nick Goulding said:

"The FPB has been deeply concerned for some time that Chip and PIN is being crow barred in by the banks, which are desperate to transfer liability for fraud.

"[If retailers] continue to accept signature payment rather than PIN they will shoulder the cost of any fraud, not the banks.

"Retailers are going to be faced with having no option but to accept signature payment – and risk being stung with the fraud – or lose the sale altogether.

"The situation is utter chaos and the blame lies entirely with the banks and their abject failure to adequately plan and prepare for this enormous transition.

"The banks must have known for months that there were major problems with Chip and PIN’s introduction. But deplorably they’ve chosen to ignore it leaving businesses to shoulder all the risk and carry the cost of the confusion."

[Note: Goulding might be right on Chip and PIN but his org is so pro-car it’s painful. Goulding hates London’s congestion charge and said in December "more roads should be built to ease congestion, rather than introducing widespread road tolls." More roads in London? Where?].

Forum of Private Business press release:

http://www.fpb.org/…/document?id=BEP1_pressrel_0000070189

Chip and PIN info for retailers:

http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/…/card_payments.html

Can customers still sign?

http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/…/faqs.html#fallback

Wanna know how Chip and PIN develops? Fill in this form:

http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/…/subscribe.html

Links to participating banks etc:

http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/…/links.html

Bearded, pipe-smoking cademic with worries about Chip and PIN security:

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/rja14/

Retailers could be liable for cardholder present fraud:

http://www.accaglobal.com/…/1128993?version=1&session=fffffffeffffffffc28288ca41dbe2c541ef9859f58af1559431593fbcb627d5

Trade assocations:"As a trade association you play an important role in the smooth implementation of the Chip and PIN Programme. Your members will call on you for impartial help and guidance on chip and PIN issues, and information about the practicalities of implementing chip and PIN technology."

http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/…/index.html