GB2279614A - Improvements in card security. - Google Patents

Abstract

The security of a card (e.g. bank, credit, debit, cash or the like) which is provided with a magnetic stripe (11) and at least one other known security feature (e.g. embossed account number, embossed user's name, signature, visible design, etc) is enhanced by severance therefrom of a close fitting portion (15, 15a) which includes at least part of one said security feature but which does not include any part of the magnetic stripe. The card and the severed part(s) are therefore strictly complementary. In use the part(s) is(are) kept separately but must be produced for matching when the card is to be validated, thereby frustrating attempted fraud with an isolated card. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN CARD SECURITY The invention relates to improvements in the security of cards, such as credit and debit cards, bankers cards, cash machine cards and the like, and the prevention of their use by unauthorised persons.

With the increase in the crime rate, the theft of cards such as those described above has become more prevalent. These cards are prime targets as they give immediate access to the victim's cash or credit facilities within the card limit in the stores in which they are presented. This in turn has led to an increase in the theft of money using the cards as it has proved to be fairly simple for the thieves to overcome any security aspects of the cards. Existing security aspects include magnetic strips, embossed names and numbers, holographic images, signatures and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs). However very few of these relate to the actual card owner and signatures are forgeable.

Often victims are unaware of the loss of their cards for some time and so there is frequently a delay in reporting the theft. The cards can be used in shops and other businesses for buying goods up to the 'floor limit' of the store. This is the limit of the value of credit which can be given before authorisation needs to be obtained. Even after reporting the theft it is impossible for the card to be stopped so long as it is not presented at shops that use electronic wipe machines or which seek authorisation before accepting the card.

The card companies and banks also take some time before they can put a stop on their computer to prevent the electronic acceptance of the stolen card.

There is therefore a real need to improve the security of cards. As a result cards have now been proposed which bear a photograph of the card owner.

However, the cost of these is likely to be high and the process for obtaining such a card is likely to be complicated. Furthermore it is still necessary for the photographs to be checked by fallible human beings. The proposal has also been criticised as being too reminiscent of identity cards It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a security feature for cards which is not forgeable by providing a two-piece card.

A problem occurs when producing a card in two or more pieces in that if it is cut vertically across the card's magnetic strip, it is damaged and may not be accepted by cash machines and electronic swipe or identification machines. Furthermore some means must be found to hold the two pieces together in perfect alignment, so as not to disrupt the encoded information for use in such machines.

According to the invention there is provided a card comprising a stiff card-shaped piece of material having a magnetic strip and at least one security feature, which card has a removable security portion at least partially formed therein overlapping the security feature, but not information contained in the magnetic strip.

The magnetic strip is thus not disturbed and the card can be used in any electronic or voucher wipe machine, with or without the security portion, after the two parts have been shown to match.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a card according to the invention; and Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the card of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a plastic card 10 having a number of standard security features including a magnetic strip 11, signature 12, embossed account number 13 and embossed name 14.

The card 10 has a security portion 15 which has been punched in the card 10. The security portion 15 can be removed from the card and kept by the owner of the card 10 separately from the card 10 itself, say in separate pockets. The security portion 15 may be of any shape, circular, diamond 15a, star-shaped etc. The portion 15 need not be a geometric shape and may even be a convoluted strip. The security portion 15 overlaps one and preferably more of the other security features 12,13,14, but not the magnetic strip 11. Thus the portion 15 has a unique part of the information borne by the card 10 which reduces the risk of forgery. In cases where the portion 15 bears a section of the account number or name, this prevents a thief from purchasing goods or services over the telephone.

When the card 10 is presented in a store or bank, it is necessary that the owner provides both parts, and that they are matched up, before the transaction is completed.

This helps to increase the security of the card 10 as the thief would have to steal both parts. Obviously if both parts are kept separately, this reduces the thief's ability to steal them.

The card 10 may also be issued bearing a background pattern of different shapes and/or colours. If the security portion 15 overlaps with such a pattern, the chances of finding two cards with exactly the same size and shape of security portion 15 and the same pattern and colour would be negligible. The pattern also helps the shop assistant or teller to quickly and easily see that the two pieces are compatible.

The cards may also be printed with an additional discrete pattern, to provide a specific area for the punch to be used.

The security portions 15, 15a may be produced during manufacture or in a previously issued card 10 by a manual or automatic punch. The punch may come with cutters of a variety of shapes and sizes that could be varied from issue to issue of the cards, or according to customer preference. The customer can have his card 10 punched on the spot in a position of his choosing. This adds a random element to the security of the card 10 which makes it even more difficult to forge.

The security portion 15 need not have straight edges. If they are slightly chamfered, this will allow the portion 15 to fit into the hole and be retained there.

The cards 10 may also be partly punched during their manufacture so that the portions 15 remain in situ until issued to the owner. Alternatively, the hole need not be punched through cleanly, leaving just an indentation deep enough to allow the portion 15 to fit.

It would also be possible for a card holder to have a 'master' security portion which fits all his cards.

When ordering his card he would simply state the reference for his 'master' portion, so the hole would be punched to fit it.

It is also envisaged that the magnetic strip may be redesigned to allow it to have a section punched out without disturbing the information carried there on.

To add another source of randomness in the location of the security portion, the card may, before issue, be manually overstamped with a rubber stamp and indelible ink. The manual application of the stamp would ensure that it was placed randomly within a specified area.The security portion would then be punched from that region.

This would make it virtually impossible to find another security portion to fit and align correctly in the hole with the pattern of the stamp. The stamp could be made like a Post Office cancellation stamp either entirely of metal or with metal strip or edge so that an indentation would be put into the surface of the card when it was stamped. Even if the ink was removed, the indentation would remain, even if a forged stamp was placed over it.

The indentation would also fill with the ink of the forged stamp to highlight misalignment.

It shall be understood that the term "cards" includes credit, debit, bankers, cash cards and the like.

It may also include other types of card which are personal to the owner and which may or may not have monetary value.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A card comprising a stiff card-shaped piece of material having a magnetic strip and at least one security feature, which card has a removable security portion at least partially formed therein overlapping the security feature, but not information contained in the magnetic strip.

2. A card as claimed in claim 1 in which there are a plurality of security features and the security portion overlaps one or more of said features.

3. A card as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the security feature or features comprise an account number, a name, a signature, a hologram and/or a pattern.

4. A card as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the card is a credit, debit, bankers or cash card.

5. A method of making a card comprising the steps of forming the card from stiff material, providing it with a magnetic strip and one or more security features and at least partially forming in said card a removable security portion overlapping one or more of said security features, but not the magnetic strip.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 in which the security portion is formed by punching before or after manufacture of the card.

7. A card substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.