Debit Cards

I have a real paranoia about typing my PIN when using the debit card. I'm constantly thinking there's going to be a camera over my shoulder recording it, then the dishonest cashier and the dishonest camera guy run away with all my money. Not that I have that much in my checking account, but they could probably do plenty of mischief.

There's been plenty of times, it seems, when someone has sidled closer to me in the line just as I'm getting ready to enter my PIN. I don't want to be ostentatious about shielding myself from them or shielding my hand. But it's probably just being overly nice not to try my hardest to keep the PIN confidential.

I went to a performance by a guy like Kreskin -- it might have actually been Kreskin, now that I think of it -- at the state fair one time -- and he was guessing stuff by ESP. I wonder if he could guess PINs in the store line.

The thing about typing your PIN is that there's a limited number of lines. And any good crook could say you typed the middle row or bottom row or top row, and the order in which you did it. Then it's a matter of a few guesses and you've got it. I really wish the PIN was about 10 numbers and not just four.

I keep thinking one way to thwart the crooks is to type the PIN wrong a few times, then keep hitting clear and starting over. Pretty soon they're confused and you're OK. But then it might flummox the clerk as well and they'd trip a silent alarm and you'd be going downtown in a squad car.

I'm a very paranoid person. That should be obvious. But there are plenty of reasons to be paranoid. There really are plenty of people out to get you. Don't think they are. Then you're not ready.