Credit cards need photo identification

June 15, 2008

Credit cards need photo identification

Our society endorses and encourages identity theft. Even credit card companies seem to encourage it.

I get that impression from an advertisement on television where everyone is using the tap-and-go Visa card, but the system comes to a halt when one person uses cash.

Some credit card companies put the cardholder's picture on the card. That makes it very simple to verify the appearance of the person using the card.

Actually, all cards should be required to put that picture on every card. Then all credit card transactions should require that the picture be verified against the appearance of the person using the card. This would not stop identity theft, but it would slow it down.

There are other ways for identities to be stolen. In fact, I understand that the identity thieves are now going after medical records. I can't figure what they hope to gain from those records, but I also would be unwilling to have anyone other than my doctor peruse my medical records.

The faster we make our society go, the easier identity theft will be. Let us slow down so we have time to smell the flowers and coffee.

Source

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/OPINION/806150318/1050