On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:39:51 -0000, Sammy wrote:

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

I tried using some of those strong magnets taken from a hard drive.
I put one above and one below the bank card and then slowly drew the
magnets along the magnetic strip. Is this enough? Is it better to
do this relatively quickly or relatively slowly?

If the magnet is strong, it will take out the strip data. I expect a
record antistatic gun will do the chip. Until my replacement for my
cracked cashcard arrives, I will not be experimenting, but will report
back. The embossed data and the card ID on the signature strip are enough
to be fraudulent, but normally when the following card is used, the other
card is disabled by the supplier. As has been said points cards are easy
to get, so easy that most of the skimmers used to use them as blanks. With
the phasing out of magnetic strips for transactive use, it appears that
more card fraud is committed via the internet, phone, or mail order.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4418140.stm


John Schmitt

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