Chip and Pin not working for many disabled people

The results of new research that has been carried out by a disability charity has indicated that over fifty percent of disabled people have experienced difficulties with chip and pin technology.

The research was carried out the disability charity Leonard Cheshire, and shows that around fifty four percent of disabled consumers have experienced problems with chip and pin.

Amongst the problems highlighted by those polled were poor access to keypads when using chip and pin machines, and feeling vulnerable when using chip and pin machines. However, officials from APACS stated that there was an alternative for those unable to use the ship and pin system, and this was the chip and signature card.

Sandra Quinn from APACS stated :  "…around the launch last February we did quite a bit of work trying to communicate that to different people. We were always conscious that we would never be able to get this 100 per cent right because there is no way that you can catch every single person."

The chip and pin system also came under fire for other reasons recently. The system was designed in order to make credit card and debit card transactions more secure and to reduce the risk of fraud. However, according to recent reports fraudsters are still finding a variety of ways in which to carry out fraudulent activity using the chip and pin system.

Many people have also stated that they feel uncomfortable punching in their pin number when using chip and pin machines because they are in full view of other people behind them.

Chip and Pin was widely introduced last February, and replaced the old system of using a credit or debit card, where consumers had to sign a receipt and the signature was compared to the signature on the back of the card in order to ensure security.

Tom Smith
5th March 2007

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