InfoBytes Blog
State AGs Urge Card Companies to Advance Consumer Protection by Implementing Chip and PIN Technology
On November 16, nine state attorneys general sent a letter urging leading card brands to expedite the implementation of chip and PIN technology in the United States. The letter summarizes research connected to recent data breaches, stating “individuals whose credit or debit cards were breached in the past year were nearly three times more likely to be an identity fraud victim.” Addressing concern that PIN technology would be burdensome or confusing to consumers, the AGs maintain that many consumers are accustomed to financial transactions that rely on PIN technology, such as transactions involving debit cards, and point to a November 2014 poll that indicated cardholders were supportive of chip and PIN technology. The AGs emphasize that PIN technology is “nothing new” and is considered the “gold standard” for payment card security, noting that countries around the world have seen a dramatic decrease in fraud since implementing the technology. Finally, while the letter stresses that chip and PIN technology would better protect both consumers and businesses from data breaches, it does not suggest that the technology be legally mandated at the federal or state level: “[T]his letter calls upon you as good corporate citizens to voluntarily expedite the implementation of existing technology that offers the most substantial security benefits, and to continue to adapt and improve security as quickly as possible as technology advances.”