[LINK] Consumer Credit-Card Risks

[Ivan Trundle]

On 13/01/2010, at 12:27 PM, Jan Whitaker wrote:

> Re the no sign use of cards, I have found something that may be an 
> example at Melbourne Airport. Supposedly you can put your credit card 
> in when you enter and then when you exit to have the payment 
> automatically deducted when you leave instead of using a separate pay 
> station box at the terminal or before leaving the carpark.

Doh! I had forgotten about this altogether: of course there are a multitude of ways you can use the card without proving who you are - simply stealing a card and using it to buy goods over the internet is one thing (even with the precautions on the back of the card, it is still possible to order goods or services that do not require a delivery address, such as paying tolls or parking, buying software, etc).

So perhaps the $35/$<insert value here> limit without 'authorisation' is somewhat irrelevant, and demonstrates that a card is worth as much as the credit limit that applies to it, and should be treated accordingly. Not pretty.

Cheers

iT