laser numbers on receipts

subway

just popped out to the shops there,
stopped off to get some petrol then puled into superquinn to pick up a couple of beers for this evening.

paid for both things on laser [garage dont give cash back so couldnt kill 2 birds with 1 stone]

anyway, was just about to throw my receipts in the bin when i noticed something unusual,
************7890 was printed on my recipt from the garage as normal,
but 123456********** was printed on the sq receipt.

throwing these away would leave somone with 10 of the 16 digits of my laser card.

is this a security issue?
does anyone know if its standard practice to only use the trailing 4 digits on the recipts or can a retailer leave any digits they want out?
why do superquinn have 6 instead of 4 digits showing?
and finally, is there a chance i will go to another retailer who is in the habit of revealing digits ******789012**** and suddenly have all my card details floating around if i inadvertently drop my receipts somewhere?

thanks for reading

subway

just noticed theres actually 19 digits on a laser card,
so maybe this isnt such a huge worry...

Ruu_Old

I noticed some places leaving the entire laser number on there, can't remember what shop or service it was.

NUTLEY BOY

Side issue - NEVER leave a garage without a receipt for petrol. People wrongly accused of drive-offs could have bother with no receipt.

Also, never throw away receipts with partial details or even put them in the bin as they are exactly the sort of material that ID thieves love. Shred or burn your receipts when you no longer want them.

Sam Vimes

i can go one better. some places put your entire number on the receipt. that pisses me right off

jaggeh

i have never once incountered a laser card that begins with 123456 and i take payements over the phone all the time
typically its
Visa - 4xxx
Mastercard - 5xxx
Laser - 6xxx

subway

jaggeh wrote:

i have never once incountered a laser card that begins with 123456 and i take payements over the phone all the time
typically its
Visa - 4xxx
Mastercard - 5xxx
Laser - 6xxx

yes, very funny.

for the card numbers that are in full view on the recipt was it possible that you were given the merchant copy?

Random

Some places use carbon paper for the signatures etc and so the full number goes through on them.

@jaggeh - I think he was using 123456 as an example ... you know, not wanting to give out his actual number?

Nightwish

Penneys print the whole number on the receipt which really really wrecks my head. Where I work we just print out the last four digits of the card.

subway

ciaranfo wrote:

Some places use carbon paper for the signatures etc and so the full number goes through on them.

still?
wow, i thought everyone used them alphyra machines these days?
they were all upgraded to the thermal ones years ago.
thats particularly dodgy id think.

nightwish,
so penneys do that for all cards?
very strange for a big store like that to do it.
id say a lot of people use cards in there so theres a higher chance of a receipt being thrown away.

ball ox

this probably sounds stupid but is there really that much you can do with someones lazer number? I've never noticed any internet sites that accept lazer payments so just wondering how it could be exploited

subway

the card could be cloned and then used in shops all around town until you ran out of cash.
same as everything else really

ball ox

you can clone a card with just the number? Thats a bit worrying

subway

im not sure,
what else would you need?

ball ox

i always assumed the magnetic strip on the back had information that identified the card

chuckles30

ball - lots of websites accept laser - pigsback, cd wow, car tax, tesco are ones that I can think of offhand and I'm sure there's plenty more.

BC

This isn't just an issue with laser, it happens with credit cards too. It depends on the shop. There are no official rules to say how much of the card can/cannot be printed on the receipt although its standard practice to only print the last 4 digits. The banks are trying to get it brought in that its a requirement that numbers are not printed on receipts but last I heard they had not managed this.

Kimbot

Well I order pizza the odd time for delivery and on two occassion I paid by Lazer over the phone and on both occassions the only took out half of the order out of my account!! THen the shop rang us an hour after it got delivered and said oh we just put the full amount through!!
The staff could still access your numbers so in a way it is worrying!!!

Nightwish

I have access to all cc and laser card details going back 12 month, where I work. However its my job to mind them, and anyway all access to them is password protected.

@jonny24ie, the staff at the pizza place were totally wrong in putting through another transaction on your card without your prior knowledge. They legally cannot do it. If the shop undercharged you with cash, would they have rang you and asked you for the money? I doubt it. I would never use anyones credit card or laser card details without the owners consent.

Random

jonny24ie wrote:

Well I order pizza the odd time for delivery and on two occassion I paid by Lazer over the phone and on both occassions the only took out half of the order out of my account!! THen the shop rang us an hour after it got delivered and said oh we just put the full amount through!!
The staff could still access your numbers so in a way it is worrying!!!

Of course they still have access to your details! How else do they keep track of the transaction?

Nightwish is correct though - if they charge you again then they have no backing for it. It was their mistake and without your consent (signature or pin) they cannot process it again.

ArphaRima

There was a smart kid somewhere in Dublin living a life of luxury from receipts left in carpark machines. All he did was ask people their names. Then he had everything he needed to order.
Careful people.

BC

ciaranfo wrote:

Of course they still have access to your details! How else do they keep track of the transaction?
QUOTE]

They don't need the card details to keep track of the transaction. My company accepts credit card payments but we don't hold on to any card numbers or other card details, its not required. In fact our bank don't recommend it. Any company which does hold credit card numbers is supposed to be audited by visa to ensure security of the card details.

Nightwish is correct, its completely illegal for the pizza company to put through a 2nd transaction, It wasn't authorised.