Signatures are history after 14th February
Shoppers who fail to use their personal identity number when paying with cards after next February will be forced to abandon their goods at the till, the Chip and Pin Programme will announce today.
After 14 February, cardholders may be turned away at the tills if they have forgotten their number, when the option of signing will no longer be guaranteed.
Although the new system has been successful in cutting fraud, it has proved unpopular in some quarters, with consumers being forced to remember a mounting array of numbers and passwords.
“Using chip-and-PIN has already cut fraud – and now we want to close off even more opportunities for the fraudster,” said Sandra Quinn, a director of the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS).
“Most people have taken to chip-and-PIN like ducks to water,” said Paul Smith, director of the British Retail Consortium.
“Now is the time to encourage those not using PIN to get ready to do so, so we can drive even more fraud out of our shops.”
A consumer awareness drive on the last phase of the roll-out will run until 14 February.
