What information is contained in the magnetic stripe on a credit card

[Ian J]

I was shopping in a small local shop and paid by credit card. The owner asked me if I wanted a receipt sent to mobile phone or email address which I declined but I was very surprised when I looked at his card reader to see my mobile phone number displayed there.

I didn't have my phone with me so can only assume that my mobile number was encoded into my credit card which is something that I haven't consciously given the bank permission to do.

Does anyone have any idea what other personal information might be encoded into a credit card?

 

[estwig]

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Does anyone have any idea what other personal information might be encoded into a credit card?

Its a new security feature which will come in the future. The card issuer will phone you a code number which you then use to complete the transaction.

 

[Nico Albrecht]

Your phone number would be saved on the bank sites server. It would be a nightmare to save it on a chip in case a phone number is changing. In that case they would need to issue you a new card. magnetic tracks contain the credit card information and the partial authorization key that will be in combination with your pin create a token to authorize a transaction. During the process additional information can be downloaded to the terminal and displayed. You phone number would be stored encrypted with the payment provider and can be reused in the future for a repeat transaction. The phone number should be only visible for the merchant for the receipt issue process and after that hidden from him.

 

[Ian J]

Its a new security feature which will come in the future. The card issuer will phone you a code number which you then use to complete the transaction.

Not much use if I don't have my phone with me which I didn't on this occasion

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Not much use if I don't have my phone with me which I didn't on this occasion

When I read about it they said that there would be alternative arrangements for people without mobile phones.

Its a similar system to that used by the VAT website.

 

[StevensOnln1]

Was it an iZettle card reader? The iZettle app seems to link the customer's e-mail address to their card number (presumably it does the same if a phone number is entered) if an e-mail receipt is issued, which is then pre-filled when the same card is used for another transaction via iZettle.

 

[Ian J]

I've no idea what type of reader it was but I've never asked for a receipt to be texted or emailed to me

 

[Jeff FV]

I don’t think you would be phoned with a code for every transaction, just as an initial security check as required.

I recently paid my daughters Hall of residence bill online, using my credit card. This was a significant sum, to a source I hadn’t paid before. Before payment could be processed, my credit card texted me a one off code that I entered to authenticate me, my card & the payment.

 

[parkingandsecurity]

Paypal do the same. If the card is linked to a paypal account it will give the option of sending a receipt to the email or phone number. In fact this sounds like it was a paypal here reader from the information given.

 

[Nico Albrecht]

sumup offers similar invoices. I always prefer the phone number for invoices as it is easier to enter than a customer email. Currys started doing it as well during check out to ask customers for emails for their receipts. Nightmare as it take 5 minutes for most people to remember their email etc....

 

[Deleted member 59730]

I always prefer the phone number for invoices as it is easier to enter than a customer email.

Except that some people write the number down incorrectly. I get about one phone call a week from a robot giving me a code number.

 

[Ian J]

I have just heard back from First Direct and they state:-

Thank you for your message dated 09-Oct-2018.

I confirm that first direct do not give out your telephone number when making payments using your Credit or Debit Cards. I am unsure why your telephone number would have appeared unless you have used that retailer before and have given them the details previously.

Was the payment made by using your mobile phone or smart watch?

Please contact us if you require anything further.

Regards

--------------------

The mystery deepens

 

[Ian J]

Mystery solved.

I was at the same shop again yesterday and he sent me a receipt to the phone number that showed up on his screen.

When I checked my phone the number that the receipt came from was the same number as a receipt a few months ago when I had some scratches on my car repaired so I assume that they both used the same provider

 

[Nochexman]

Interesting - have you given them you permission to retain your phone number and use it in this way? Are you bothered?

 

[Ian J]

Interesting - have you given them you permission to retain your phone number and use it in this way? Are you bothered?

These are the times that we live in I suppose. After all Mr Sainsbury knows almost everything about my lifestyle if he cared to look at my Nectar card account and the credit card company also knows a fair bit about me

 

[UKSBD]

Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten of The Next Web recently sent out a newsletter with his views on privacy, well worth a read - https://mailchi.mp/thenextweb/rg4yror1rx-27249?e=164a4f40b2

(sorry only got the mailchimp version)