Thursday, 7th August 2008 - 13:21CET

Woman admits using Cashlink she found in the street

Josephine Al Suleiman, 33, of Cospicua was today put under probation for one year after she pleaded guilty in court to having used a Cashlink debit card which she found in the street to purchase over €232 worth of items to the detriment of Juanita Muscat last November.

She pleaded guilty to having forged Ms Muscat's signature, defrauding her, handling stolen property, conspiring to commit a crime with another person and assisting Mr Vella to commit a crime.

She told the court she was willing to to pay her half of the money taken since the other half had been paid by the other person.

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Comments

George Curmi (on 8/8/08)

@ A. Camilleri

No, Mr. Licari is not trying to "reinvent the wheel". My family and I live in Canada, and we have at least one credit card that has the card holder's photograph (in colour even) on it. It is another security measure that discourages fraud. Other financial institutions are doing the same. The technology is available, inexpensive, and easy to use.

So, before you criticize Mr. Licari, you might perhaps consider doing some research. You'd be surprised what you might learn. There is none so dangerous as the one with a little knowledge. God deliver us from such people.

Paul Savona (on 8/8/08)

A Camilleri......

Actually photos on the cards is a very common practice with many bank cards and credit cards.

It only makes sense. Easy to forge a signature, it takes Mission Impossible type of makeup to forge a face.

It is not a big deal to add a photo to a card, not an expensive solution to impliment either and adds excellent value for money.

Tonio Mallia (on 8/8/08)

HSBC in MALTA have introduced Chip and Pin Cards in Malta. This is so far limited to Credit Cards but will soon be available for Debit Cards as well.

A Camilleri (on 7/8/08)

A Licari - Are you trying to re-invent the wheel? Do you know of any bank in the whole wide world which prints the cardholder's photo on the card? There are other systems being implemented worldwide such as the smartcards with PIN input. malta will have these soon as well as they are mandatory

Audrey Jones (on 7/8/08)

I cant see what local banks are waiting for to introduce the pin system. I live in Luxembourg and I find this system to be the only 'safe' option. When i cross over to do some shopping in Germany I sometimes have to sign for my purchases, however nine times out of ten i'm asked for identification. I come home at least 5 times a year and use these same cards in Malta.....and i have never ever been asked for ID.....despite looking very maltese and the fact that i'd be paying with a foreign credit card with the surname 'Jones' written on it......makes u wonder doesn't it.

ray borg (on 7/8/08)

With regards credit cards and plastic money I think that once signatures are present on cards fraud is made easier. Signatures should not be present . I identification is rarely checked by shopowners as all they care is that they are cashed.

A Licari (on 7/8/08)

I have been for years suggesting to my bank that a photo should be printed on such a delicate banking document as a credit card. My suggestions have always fallen on deaf ears. Banks wake up!

Anne Marie Kissaun (on 7/8/08)

I am not surprised that this has happened. What surprises me is that this does not happen more often, though, on the other hand it might , but the criminal/s are not caught. Many a time sales girls do not bother to check the signature on the debit/credit cards. This has happened to me many a time,and, I myself, demand that they will check the signatures. It seems that the only thing that interests them is that thery got the money. Are these people trained at all. Before the chip and pin was introduced in England, signatures were definitely checked against debit/credit cards. If not, why do we then have to sign the cards at all.

Duncan Sant (on 7/8/08)

If only the shopkeeper asked for identification when paying by card, this would not have happened. One of the key tasks a shopkeeper or anyone receiving payment by card has to do is ask for identification.

As regards the Chip and PIN technology recently introduced by local banks, this will surely help reduce these frauds.

Karl Grech (on 7/8/08)

@Piero Timpano

Exactly...the 'smart pin cards' system has been used abroad for years now, even by a bank that is present in Malta and I think it's the best way to prevent this type of crime.

jane mifsud (on 7/8/08)

@ farrugia... you don't need a PIN number to pay using a debit card unless it's a bankomat system. the PIN is needed when withdrawing money from the ATM... from the report it can be concluded that the accused paid using the card... the fact that the accused forged the signature makes me think of such scenario...

J Farrugia (on 7/8/08)

Am I missing something in this story, or is this not the whole truth? Found cash link in the street, using a known PIN Number, and probation for one year??? Fishy aint it.

Piero Timpano (on 7/8/08)

Isnt it high time that the banks introduced "smart pin cards" to everyone??

Woman admits using Cashlink she found in the street

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