Beware!

If you have small children or you know any little ones, surely you have heard of Dora, the Explorer. One of the pesky characters she often encounters is "Swiper". He gets much enjoyment out of swiping things from others.

I was in a local restaurant recently waiting for a carry-out order. I overheard the manager explaining to the cashiers that they would begin training on a new cash out system. It would involve swiping some type of card two times to complete an accounting of the day's receipts.

Swiping cards have been around for quite awhile especially with credit/debit cards, but the practice seems to be on the rise. Employees swipe their identification badges to gain entrance into their workplace. When a person checks into a motel, he receives a card. Swiping it correctly opens the door to the room. Bank machines (ATMs) have been using this technology for quite awhile.

The magnetized strip on the card contains various points of encoded information. Depending on the card, the necessary data allows access. A person slides the card in and out of the receptacle using a swiping motion. There are also some machines that use a "reader" to complete the process.

A PIN (personal identification number) number is used to activate the card. Customers are always being warned about safeguarding this bit of information. In the hands of the wrong person, a person’s life could turn into a nightmare. Swiping is here to stay until some new technology takes its place. Speaking of new technology, there is now a gadget that can read information off the credit cards. It can read through a person’s pocket or purse. In the meantime, check your wallet and be vigilant in finding a safe way to carry your cards. It seems that we have some real “Swipers” out there.