Thumbs Down to Fraud

CREDIT card criminals and cheque fraudsters beware Littlehampton is not the town for you following the launch of a new scheme.

The thumbprint ID scheme is being launched this week by town stores and, following trials elsewhere, it is destined to be a 100 per cent success and wipe out cheque and card misuse, writes Emma Rogers.

The idea is to ask shoppers to put their thumbprint on the back of cheques or credit card receipts when buying items. If the card or chequebook was stolen and the payment returned to shops, the thumbprint would be used to identify the fraudulent shopper.

Ivor Holland, of Quality Textiles, said: The police have given us 40 samples to trial and we have window stickers and information notices. By using this scheme on credit cards and cheques, we can protect our customers.

It also helps to protect the retailer from losses and not having to put prices up because of these losses.

It will be up to each store how they want to run the scheme.

It can be done as blanket cover, so everyone does it, or you could use it for out-of-town people and not regular customers, or those who purchase items over a certain amount.

If the credit card receipt or cheque comes back dishonoured, we hand that over to the police, who will check the thumbprint.

If it comes up trumps, you have 100 per cent proof that person handled that cheque. If not, the print can be added to the police database.

It s not that we distrust our customers. We are trying to protect them and deter the small handful of criminals, as well as trying to protect ourselves.

I don t think an honest person is going to say no to their thumbprint being taken.

For the full story, see the Gazette, August 9.