| 摘要 |
Fraud in the utilization of debit cards having magnetic media on one face, in debit card readers having magnetic read/write heads, is prevented. With the magnetic head the card is automatically read when inserted into the debit card reader to determine information from the magnetic media. The card can be invalidated immediately after the data is read, and only revalidated if it is determined the same card resides in the reader throughout the transaction. Generally simultaneously with reading, a security code is written on the magnetic media with the magnetic head, and/or after the card has come to rest in a transaction position, at least one of a plurality of card position sensors is enabled to sense the movement of the card from its rest position. Then prior to completing a transaction the magnetic media is read to be sure that the security code is present, and/or it is determined from the sensors if the card has moved more than a predetermined amount from its rest position. If either aberrant condition is determined, the read/write head is used to invalidate the card (or prevent revalidation of the card) and displays a fraud code on the reader LCD. Also a gate is provided at the entrance to the reader, and alternatively or as a compliment to the other steps and apparatus, the gate can be controlled to positively prevent movement of the card out of the entrance to the reader until the transaction is completed, or to trap the card if it is an invalid one.
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