From: "Poldie" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Chip and Pin - no more signatures
Date: 10 Oct 2005 02:36:01 -0700
   posting-account=XzE4SQ0AAACFx3WAnI8y0lIaSam3xHg3

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4320072.stm

Fraud involving the stealing and counterfeiting of debit and credit
cards has fallen 29% year-on-year in 2005, a banking body has said.
...
But the figures are incomplete as they do not include card fraud over
the telephone or internet.
...
In addition, the figures do not include fraud committed when cards go
missing in the post.
...
Precise figures for these types of card fraud will be released next
month.

----

I probably could have waited until next month then, to be honest.  The
story continues:

-----
Apacs announced that the banks and retailers, in a bid to tighten the
net on fraudsters, had agreed to make it harder for consumers with chip
and pin cards to pay for goods in shops without using their pin.

During the introductory period of the chip and pin system, if
cardholders do not know their pin number, retailers have been able to
accept a signature, after first checking with the card issuer.

>From 14 February 2006, banks and chip and pin functioning retailers
have decided to curtail this facility.

"Customers can expect to be asked for a different method of payment if
they don't have their pin number," an Apacs spokeswoman told BBC News.
-----

This is bound to upset some people.  I think the loved ones of disabled
people are going to have to go with Valentines Day presents next year!