GB2255527A - Security card. - Google Patents

Abstract

A security card and method in which information essential for the intended use of the card is issued to an authorised user separately from the main card. The information may be recorded by the intended user on a writing surface 106, provided in addition to that 102 provided for a signature, or, may be contained in first 2 and second 4 components which are issued separately and assembled by the user to form a complete security card. <IMAGE>

Description

Security Cards This invention relates to security cards and to a method of reducing unauthorised use of security cards.

There is a myriad of security cards issued each year including credit cards, cheque guarantee cards and cash cards issued by banks, building societies and other financial institutions, membership cards for companies and organisations, discount cards, cards for carrying out cashless financial transactions e.g. purchase of goods and services from shops etc. and cards which carry encoded information. Many of the security cards relating to finance, e.g., credit cards, cheque cards etc. are made of plastics material and are of uniform size bearing an encoded magnetic strip in order that they are compatible with a range of electronic and mechanical equipment such as, cash dispensing machines, hand operated credit voucher sales slip machines, E.F.T.P.O.S.

devices and the like.

One of the problems associated with many security cards is to ensure the cards reach the intended recipient when they are issued by the organisation. This problem is particularly significant with credit cards, which simply require a signature for validation, since if such cards are intercepted in transit to the intended recipient an unauthorised person may apply his signature and fraudulently use the card until such time that the organisation is aware the card has gone astray. Some organisations take precautions to reduce this possibility of fraudulent use by delivering the card to the recipient by messenger rather than by post or by advising the recipient in advance that a card will be despatched and requesting the recipient contacts the organisation if the card is not forthcoming within a certain period of time.

However, such security procedures tend to be expensive and/or rely upon the efficient co-operation of the recipient and/or are not effective if the recipient is absent e.g. on holiday, when mail is delivered or a messenger calls.

It is an object of the invention to provide a credit card which reduces the propensity for this type of fraudulent use.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of issuing a security card to an authorised user which comprises providing the authorised user with at least a component of the security card and separately providing the authorised user with information essential to the intended use of the security card for addition, by the user, to the security card, said information optionally being provided on a second component of the security card for assembly of the complete security card.

The method of the invention which separately provides the authorised user with the security card and information to be added to the card is a simple effective security measure since it is more difficult and unlikely that a third party could intercept and match the security card and information during transit to the user.

The invention is particularly applicable to credit cards. The card may be sent in the normal way through the post to the intended user. The card has information missing from it which is essential for its proper use.

The missing information is provided to the intended user by post, or by telephone or by some other means, suffice to say it is provided separately to the card. The intended user transposes the information given separately onto the card to validate the card. Obviously the sequence of providing the card and information can be reversed. The principle is that in the same way that the user signs his/her name on the back of the card, the user now puts on additional information onto the card using a writing instrument and this completes the card.

When the credit card is presented for use, the vendor swipes the card through the magnetic vendor or physically enters the number into the terminal, he then enters the additional information manually. Only if the additional information is correct will an authorisation number be issued from the card company to validate the transaction.

In the case of a paper transaction the vendor may telephone the credit card company providing details of the credit card and additional information and obtain the appropriate authorisation for the transaction if the information is correct.

The security card may be provided with a writing surface on which the authorised user writes the essential information. The writing surface may be similar to the stripe on credit cards on which the user signs his/her name or may be in the form of a series of boxes embossed in the card. For example, the card may be provided with a series of boxes each labelled with an integer or letter and the essential information may be recorded by placing a cross in the appropriate boxes. The writing surface may be placed in any desired position(s) on the card.

Fdr example, in the case of a credit card there is usually space for a writing surface beneath that provided for the signature.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a security card system comprising at least first and second components which may be assembled to form a security card, in which said first and second components each contain information essential for the intended use of the security card and each component is supplied separately to the individual for whom the security card is intended for assembly.

The use of a composite security card of two or more components, which may be despatched separately to the authorised user who assembles the components, also provides a simple and effective security measure since it is more unlikely that a third party could intercept and match all the components of a security card during transit to the authorised user. Possession of one component or less than the total number of components of the security card would not enable the security card to be used. Furthermore, by ensuring that each component of a security card possesses information essential to the intended use of the security card and specific to the authorised user it would not be possible for a third party to assemble a valid security card by combining components from different security cards.Alternatively, components could be formed such that only the correct components would physically fit together to form a valid security card or incorrect components fitted together would provide a visual indication the security card is invalid.

The composite security card system is particularly suitable for credit and cheque guarantee cards. The composite card of the invention may be made of plastics material and may possess the same size and configuration as existing credit cards. The components of the composite card may be constructed in a wide range of forms. For example, the body of the card may be formed in two or more parts which may engage with a mechanic fixing arrangement e.g. retaining pins, male/female type connector, snap fit, force fit arrangement or an adhesive join may be formed to secure components. Alternatively, front and back sections of a security card may be laminated together or a strip bearing magnetic or visual information may be adhered to the body of a security card. Preferably the components are constructed to enable the authorised user to assemble the security card without specific equipment and in a manner which reduces the likelihood of inaccurate assembly. Alternatively, the components could be assembled by an authorised person at a designated place with or without the use of special equipment. The assembled security card should be able to withstand the normal physical conditions to which such cards are subjected without separation of its components.

Many known credit cards contain information about the issuing organisation; information about the user, e.g. name, identification number of account, dates relating to period of validity, a hologram image and a magnetic strip containing encoded information. Such information may readily be divided between two or more components to be assembled to form the completed card.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 represents the rear view of a security card in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 represents a front view of a composite security card in accordance with the invention, Figure 3 represents a rear view of the composite security card of Figure 2, and Figure 4 represents an exploded view of the two components forming the security card of Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1 illustrates the rear of a security card, such as, a credit card or cheque guarantee card. The card comprises a magnetic stripe (100) of encoded information and a writing strip (102) for the signature of the authorised user. The card also includes other conventional information which is embossed, printed or otherwise recorded, e.g. name of authorised user, account number, dates of validity, hologram etc. In accordance with the invention the card additionally comprises a separate writing surface, generally shown at (104) comprising a series of boxes separated by lines or embossed ridges (106). Each box is labelled with an integer or letter (108) which may be printed or embossed.

The presence of embossed squares and labels allows the additional information strip to be reproduced on the paper transaction slips in a similar manner to the other embossed information, requiring the vendor only to complete the required squares manually.

The card is despatched to the authorised user who is separately advised of a personal code to be inserted on the card, in the illustrated example 368F, and the user inserts the information on the card to validate the card. The personal code may be transmitted to the authorised user in any desired manner separate from the card, e.g. telephone, letter etc. The user may be provided with a stencil to place over the card and place a cross in each of the open squares.

In an alternative embodiment the writing surface (104) may be in the form of a strip similar to (102) on which the user writes the required code number and/or letters.

Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings illustrate a composite credit card in accordance with the invention comprising two components in the form of a main body (2) and insert (4). The main body (2) defines an aperture (6) having a perimeter forming a stepped ledge.

The insert (4) is of the same thickness of the main body with the exception of its perimeter which has a flange (8) which is complementary with the stepped ledge of body (2) such that the insert (4) may be positioned within the aperture tocomplete the credit card.

The insert (4) and aperture (6) are shaped such that the insert (4) may only be fitted in a single orientation. The insert (4) may be secured within the aperture (6) by being dimensioned to be a force fit within the aperture. Alternatively, the insert may be secured by an adhesive layer applied to flange (8) and/or stepped ledge.

The credit card includes information, such as, the name of the authorised holder (10), account number (14), dates of validity (12), hologram (16) and magnetic strip of encoded data (18). The insert (4) includes a portion of the information e.g. hologram and part of the account number, which may be repeated elsewhere on the card as a comparison for added security.

Claims (28)

1. A method of issuing a security card to an authorised user which comprises providing the authorised user with at least a component of the security card and separately providing the authorised user with information essential to the intended use of the security card for addition, by the user, to the security card, said information optionally being provided on a second component of the security card for assembly of the complete security card.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which the security card comprises a separate writing surface for said information.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 in which the writing surface is in the form of a plurality of labelled squares.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 3 in which the labels and sides of the squares are embossed.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the security card is a credit card, cheque guarantee card, cash card or debit card.

6. A method as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A security card comprising a writing surface in addition to that provided for a signature.

8. A security card as claimed in Claim 7 in which the writing surface is divided into squares or rectangles.

9. A security card as claimed in Claim 8 in which the sides of the squares or rectangles are defined by embossing.

10. A security card as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9 in which the squares or rectangles are labelled.

11. A security card as claimed in Claim 10 in which the characters of the labelling are embossed.

12. A security card as claimed in Claims 7 to 11 in which the security card is a credit card or cheque guarantee card.

13. A security card as claimed in Claim 7 substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A security card system comprising at least first and second components which may be assembled to form a security card, in which said first and second components each contain information essential for the intended use of the security card and each component is supplied separately to the individual for whom the security card is intended for assembly.

15. A security card system as claimed in Claim 14 in which said first and second components engage with a mechanical fixing arrangement.

16. A security card system as claimed in Claim 15 in which the mechanical fixing arrangement comprises one or more of retaining pins, male/female union, snap fit connection and force fit connection.

17. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 16 in which the first and second components are assembled with an adhesive join.

18. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 17 in which the second component fits within an aperture in the first component.

19. A security card system as claimed in Claim 14 in which the second component is assembled by lamination to the first component.

20. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 19 in which the information contained on the first component comprises visual information.

21. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 20 in which the information contained on the second component comprises visual information.

22. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 21 in which the information contained on the first component comprises magnetically coded information.

23. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 22 in which the information contained on the second component comprises magnetically coded information.

24. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 23 in which the components are constructed of plastics material.

25. A security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 24 in which the security card is a credit card, cheque guarantee card, cash card or debit card.

26. A security card system as claimed in Claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A method as claimed in Claim 1 which comprises separately providing first and subsequent components of a security card system as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 26 for the authorised user to assemble.

28. A method as claimed in Claim 27 substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.