Users of Westpac's " Handycard " are entitled to be confused when they receive it's new, upgraded model.
According to the supporting literature their purchases will now be protected by the " Falcon " fraud protection system.
Under the old system using what is a debit card to access your own money was fairly simple. Put the card in the card reader. Select either " Cheque " or " Savings " to determine which account the money should come from - enter your PIN - and then hit " enter ".
Not so with the new card. Ignore both " Cheque " and " Savings " - and enter " Credit " to activate the Falcon system.
Now to most people " Credit " is to select a method where money is borrowed from some source that charges interest. Most would be reluctant to hit that key when their intention is to access their own money.
Just to be totally confusing, the explanatory letter does suggest instances when " Cheque " or " Savings " must be used. That is when a " cash out " withdrawal takes place at the same time as a purchase. In such instance, " Credit " is to be ignored - and the user returns to the former system.
Westpac does not offer further explanation in it's covering letter, but the following would be fair questions to ask.
How does the machine determine whether the user wants the funds taken from Cheque or Savings - if the account holder has both accounts with the bank - if there is no use made of these selection keys ?
Why does the user have to activate " Falcon " ? Surely a fraud detection system should act automatically on any transaction !
And just to add a further complexity to the equation. Try paying your Optus or Telstra phone bill at any Post Office using " Handycard " with the " Credit " button requirement.
Payment will be refused - despite the Telco's instruction on the back of their bills that credit payments are welcome.
But then - that is another matter and the source of another story.
After all, this is the twenty-first century - and whoever said that in this day and age such matters had to make sense ?
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