From: mpd@netcom.com (Mike Duvos)
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 15:10:44 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: VISA Travel Money
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.93.960730215245.174C-100000@smoke.suba.com>
Message-ID: <199607310523.WAA01116@netcom9.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Snow writes:

> This card has the value "written" when you "purchase" it right? 

No.  Unlike the VISA Cash Card, which has a chip in it and holds
value, this card is simply associated with an account containing 
the money, which is accessed in the normal manner using ATMs and
VISA's PLUS network.  You can even have multiple cards issued on 
same account, if you choose to do so, and you get the standard set
of cardmember services, such as lost card replacement, that you
get with a regular credit card. 

> Any one wanna bet on how long it will take the "Hacker" Community
> to figure out how to "refill" it? Otherwise all you have is a 
> debit card. 

Which is precisely what this card is.  A disposable debit card 
sold through participating financial institutions. 

That isn't to say hackers might not have some fun with the 
system, but the card by itself is not vulnerable to such an
attack. 

--
     Mike Duvos         $    PGP 2.6 Public Key available     $
     mpd@netcom.com     $    via Finger.                      $