In the last couple of years in this area, there has been several news stories regarding crooked retail establishments or workers who “double swipe” your bank card; once through the debit machine and once through their own machine that can read the magnetic swipe. They are then able to duplicate your card, all they need is your PIN. This is sometimes obtained through methods like hidden cameras, but more often it is just an accomplice reading over your shoulder as you key it in.

Due to this, we’ve been barraged with instructions to watch your card and protect your PIN. Well technology isn’t perfect, and it’s not unusual for your card to have to be swiped multiple times to get it read once. For all I know, their is a secret floor switch the clerk is stepping on to redirect where the first and second swipes’ data is directed.

So protecting your PIN becomes even more important, and I am conscious of everyone and everything around me as I enter it. As of late most people now step back an extra step from someone using a debit machine, as they hope everyone will do for them.

While waiting for my wife to shop at Dynamite in Metrotown, I noticed over the cashier station what has to be the best technique by an architect/designer to most discourage the spending of money.

I made her use the credit card.

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