Why are IE withdrawing the credit card ticket collection facility ?

[jacko]

the following notice appeared today after i booked a ticket online

Note: We are removing the facility to collect reservations via credit card swipe. Please ensure you have this number with you when you are collecting your reservation.

It is much more convenient to insert your card to get a ticket at the ticket machine rather than having to note and key in a ref number.

Using a CC is the norm elsewhere (SNCF etc)

why the backward step ?

[comcor]

I was wondering that as well.

It hadn't actually worked the last couple of times I used it anyway.

IMO It's more secure than entering the order ID. At least you have to have the original credit card to get them.

You could almost certainly pick up someone else's order just by incrementing the order ID. I doubt there are any complicated algorithm's for generating them based on checksum conditions etc. and that's before you get into the fact that emails are passed around unencrypted.

[Thomas Ralph]

In the UK you need both the card and the number.

The new system is not susceptible to incrementing the order ID (the last seven digits are an incremental number, but the first three are random).

I agree though that it seems unhelpful to remove the card swipe option. I wonder why they're doing it.

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by comcor

It hadn't actually worked the last couple of times I used it anyway.

There have frequently been reader issues when you remove the card. With practice it works. There where issues back March/April 2010 but thats long resolved

IMO It's more secure than entering the order ID. At least you have to have the original credit card to get them.

You could almost certainly pick up someone else's order just by incrementing the order ID. I doubt there are any complicated algorithm's for generating them based on checksum conditions etc. and that's before you get into the fact that emails are passed around unencrypted.

You can't fake the reservation id's they are secure, the first three digits comprise a security code the remainder are a sequence number (not sequential either) which you can play with. That feature was added about a year ago for security, It is not a checksum and it isn't random but its independent of the remaining digits, so hack away

To pick up tickets you used to be able to use the card. It was trivial to fake a card to collect the tickets. I can't explain in public the way to break the system but it would be easy enough.

The UK system requires a alphanumeric code and card you are tied to a specific station. Its disappointing to see this change but equally I'm told there is an ongoing war on fraud

[dowlingm]

VIA Rail Canada used to make you do that at their ticket pickup kiosks (not full TVMs) but now you only need your reservation printout which has a scannable 1D barcode - a lot easier when juggling bags etc without also trying not to drop wallet/CC. I suppose it makes it easier when the person paying is not the one travelling.

[chris]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

The UK system requires a alphanumeric code and card you are tied to a specific station.

The UK system isn't tied to a particular station. I missed my outbound CBG-SSD connection before Christmas because of snow, but was still able to collect the tickets using booking reference and card at a machine in Stansted on the way back.