Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!cs.uoregon.edu!ogicse!sequent!muncher.sequent.com!mjb
From: mjb@sequent.com
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: ANYONE CAN FIND MY CREDIT CARD BALANCE & LAST PMT
Message-ID: <1991Apr10.161630.3499@sequent.com>
Date: 10 Apr 91 16:16:30 GMT
References: <959@camco.Celestial.COM> <6750018@hp-vcd.HP.COM>
Sender: news@sequent.com (News on Muncher)
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems
Lines: 15

In article <6750018@hp-vcd.HP.COM> johne@hp-vcd.HP.COM (John Eaton) writes:
>You absolutely do not want them to use your cards PIN for phone ID. A thief
>who steals your card only gets three guesses of your PIN once it is in the
>machine. He gets as many as his autodialer can punch out via the phone. If 
>he can get your PIN from the 800 number then he can get all sorts of cash
>from your card.

Indeed, it turns out that the Universal Card has the same PIN for the
calling card number and the MasterCard number (arguably a Bad Idea).
Well, I learn something new and terrifying every day.  However, the
by-phone-account-balance system lets you change your PIN over the
phone, so a thief who steals my card gets all the free guesses at my
PIN that he wants, anyway.  Fun *and* profit!  Feh.

Matthew.