The Cranking Widgets Blog

A couple days ago, I was buying some groceries at a nearby supermarket. As I gently slid my bank card through the terminal at the register, I was prompted to enter my PIN. It’s something I do so often that I rarely consider the potential security risks. What if somebody were to get a look at my PIN? Maybe they follow me into the parking lot and beat me to a pulp and take my ATM card? Sure, the possibility is relatively remote, but this kind of thing happens.

I’m not one of those people who walks around in a perpetual state of fear of what might happen in life. But, having just had a birthday (and the accompanying realization that I’m getting older, blah blah blah), I am reminded of the fact that I am responsible for the well being of other people on the planet (my children, specifically). And it’s that thought that makes me drive a little slower, be more conscious of my health and diet, and using common sense in financial matters.

So, how do I effectively obscure my PIN from unassuming bystanders when at the ATM or checkout line? It’s 2 simple steps:

1. When you first approach the terminal, make a mental note of the backspace and/or ‘reset’ keys. Most terminals will have the latter (which clears out anything you’ve already typed and waits for you to input the correct number), but I’ve seen a handful with the former, as well.
2. As you’re entering in your PIN, intersperse a few hits of the ‘reset’ button. For example, say my PIN is 1234 – I might do something like:
   • 12 [reset]
   • 1[reset]
   • 1234

Now, obviously you can get as crazy as you want with this. The point is that somebody looking to discover your pin is going to watch which keys you press and the order in which you press them. And because they’re not typically peering over your shoulder, they’re watching the general area where your finger is pressing. All you’re doing is muddying the water for them a little bit

Ok, so not a super-practical, everyday tip that will shave minutes off of your morning routine or something, but it could definitely help if you get the feeling somebody is lurking for information while you’re at the SafeWay.

Thanks to everybody for being so patient during the last month of silence. I’m writing this from my brand new Macbook, which won’t be going anywhere (or slowing down) anytime soon. Expect many more regular postings from your favorite productivity geek. Cheers!

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