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From: dplatt@coherent.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: AT&T Universal Card is Not Two Cards in One
Message-ID: <12704@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 28 Sep 90 00:57:50 GMT
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In article <12594@accuvax.nwu.edu> Matt McGehrin writes:

> Another thought came to mind about the 'AT&T Universal Card': Just
> think, if you use the 'card' to charge purchases, your 'phone number
> with four-digit code', along with the 'ATT Credit card number' goes on
> the same slip (since its one huge carbon) ... Reach Out and Touch
> someone's life, since you have their credit card number, (their bank
> since ATT uses only one bank), their phone number with a 'universal'
> calling card ... not bad huh??

Nope.  They aren't stupid enough to do it that way.

The four-digit PIN is not included on the card.  It'd better not be...
the same PIN is used both for the phonecard authorization, and as the
auto-teller-machine PIN which enables you to get a cash advance
against your card.  There's no way AT&T would put it on the card ...
if they did, they'd almost certainly end up being held liable for any
cash withdrawls made via a card that was reported stolen.

They send you the PIN under separate cover, and warn you not to write
it down on the card or keep it in your wallet.

Nor is your [home or business] phone number included on the card.  The
phonecard number is a made-up number which isn't in the correct format
for a real phone number (mine starts out 507 00x, and there are no 00x
phone exchanges to the best of my knowledge).  I understand that this
is done deliberately, to ensure that AT&T is the only carrier which
will honor the number (this is a feature, not a bug).

In these respects, the Universal Card is slightly more secure than,
say, a Pacific Bell or MCI calling card, both of which have the real
phone number _and_ the PIN embossed on the card.  For the benefit of
those with short memories, I suppose. 


Dave Platt VOICE: 					      (415) 493-8805 
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