Smart bank cards to combat fraud

South Africans can look forward to using microchip-embedded smart cards this year in a bid to combat fraud, says Bush Radio news.

However, ITWeb has discovered that consumers may have to wait a while for these smart cards.

The radio station reports that SA is the first country outside Europe to launch the technology and among the second batch of countries to adopt the card, to the tune of R2 billion, according to Standard Bank's Herman Singh.

The card, which will contain a microchip, will allow movie downloads and sports event tickets to be purchased from the Internet by 2010, and commuters will also use these cards to pay for public transport and buy items at a low cost.

Phuket residents looking to be issued with one of the new "smart" ID cards will have to wait until about mid-year to get their hands on one, as all district offices on Phuket have run out of the new cards, reports the Phuket Gazette.

Phuket city mayor Somjai Suwannasuppana said people would have to settle for an old-style card until the Department of Local Administration (DOLA) is able to get more smart cards from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology.

An officer at the local DOLA office told the Gazette that more smart cards are expected to arrive by about mid-year.

The First Responder Smart Card Programme kicked off on Saturday morning in Arizona, USA, according to the Kingsman Miner Report.

Spearheaded by the Kingman Area Partnership for Children with Special Needs, it is an extension of a programme started in the Prescott area to help first responders during crisis situations.

The packets include everything needed for caretakers to register their residence and cars in order to notify law enforcement of special needs. The kit contains smart cards for both the house and cars, as well as forms to fill out so that dispatch would also have the information regarding special needs, medications and any special tips or warnings in how to deal with the individual in a crisis situation.