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I got my ATM pin number a week after I got my ING Vysya Maestro Debit Card (salary account) which happens to be the norm. The pin came with a note which stated quite clearly that I keep the pin number to myself and not disclose it to anyone no matter who it is.. mother, girlfriend or he-must-not-be-named who decided to rob me for some weird reason known only to him.
And yes guard the PIN I did, until I came across a new bunch of people. Lets call them IDIOTS (why? Because they were.. duh!!). So what did they do to deserve my wrath.. Its a long tale so read on
Incident 1
Location: PVR Cinemas, Forum Mall
Me: Two tickets for XYZ movie pls
Idiot-1(from across the counter): Would you prefer aisle seats? Back row okay?
Me: Ya thats good. So how much would that be?
Idiot-1: Rs.$^% sir
Me: Okay.. You accept maestro?
Idiot-1:Ya sure.
(I hand over card and he swiped it..)
Idiot-1: What is your PIN sir?
(I give him a blank stare; no not the piercing one)
Me: Why do you want my PIN?
Idiot-1:To enter here sir (points at the swiping machine)
Me: Move the machine here I will enter. I can’t tell you the PIN. I don’t need to tell you either!
Idiot-1:If you don’t tell me I will have to cancel the transaction .. hmm you can pay by cash as well
Me: You are not getting the point. I can type the PIN but I can’t tell you. And I don’t have cash so if you move that machine here I will enter it myself
Idiot-1:The cable is short won’t stretch till there! You will have to tell me or I will have to cancel the transaction
Me: (reluctantly) Sigh Okay its ^*%&
Idiot-1:(Smiles.. that, I had it done my way kinda smile) Thank you sir
Incident 2
Location: Petrol pump
(I don’t have a vehicle, so I was pillion riding my roommates bike and he decided to fill petrol–ya meanwhile, lets call him mojo thats what he calls himself on his blog!)
Mojo: Petrol for 200
Pump guy(Idiot2): hmm
(fill fill fill)
(Mojo hands over debit card — maestro again)
Idiot2 swipes the card enters the money and stares at Mojo, confusion prevails for a few moments until Idiot2 decides he needs to break the news to us “dud-heads.”
Idiot2: saar pin number…
Mojo: eh.. ya give me the machine
He reluctantly hands over the machine I wanted to tell him that it’s nothing worth stealing! Mojo begins to enters the pin and the Idiot2’s eyes are fixed on the machine’s keypad trying to decipher the pin he is entering. mojo stops!
Mojo: What are you doing? Let me type no..
Idiot2: Nothing happens saar. You enter. (He continues to stare)
We didn’t have much option other than to enter the pin and leave the place
OBSERVATIONS
Banks certainly do a lot to teach their customers the value of their PIN numbers and how wrong it is to divulge them. Shouldn’t they be lecturing these shopkeepers/machine holders too to respect others privacy? The sign on the print out slip is not mandatory in Maestro card. So PIN is the sole security feature why should one have to divulge them? Isn’t there any alternative?
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