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Barclays Server Crash Leaves Customers Unble To Withdraw Cash, Use Debit Cards

February 25, 2017

Barclays Server Crash Leaves Customers Unble To Withdraw Cash, Use Debit Cards

Having managed to stem its recent earnings rout, reporting a Q4 rebound in income from continuing operations which rose to £380 million after reporting a loss of £2.24 billion a year ago, UK’s Barclays is facing a more traditional problem: on Saturday Barclays customers have reported problems using their cards in shops and withdrawing money from some cash machines according to the BBC.

Barclays customers tweeted about problems using their cards when out shopping or trying to access online banking on Saturday afternoon. “Wondered why my card was declined when paying for lunch. Barclays servers have crashed. Brilliant,” said one customer, James. Other echoed his sentiments.

Jason Endress @JasonEndress

Major problem with Barclays Bank as their server is down effecting all branches nationwide!

9:25 AM – 25 Feb 2017
Tammy Lei @xtlhx

Barclays are having a major server issue – all card transactions are being declined and you can’t use ATM’s either 

10:47 AM – 25 Feb 2017
According to the BBC, The bank said it was “working to fix” a problem and advised customers to use other banks’ cash machines. It added that telephone banking and in-branch payments were also affected and apologised “for any inconvenience”.

Barclays UK ✔@BarclaysUK

We’re still experiencing issues affecting Barclays Debit Card and ATM transactions. Our teams are working to get this restored.

11:09 AM – 25 Feb 2017

It is not yet known how many of Barclays’ 15 million card customers have been affected by the problems. In a tweet, the bank said: “We’re still experiencing issues affecting Barclays Debit Card and ATM transactions. Our teams are working to get this restored.” Barclays added: “Technical issues are affecting some digital services. We’re investigating this and apologise for any inconvenience.”

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Researchers Predicted In 1971 that Debit Cards Would Become the Ultimate Spy Tool

May 24, 2015

Researchers Predicted In 1971 that Debit Cards Would Become the Ultimate Spy Tool

We noted in 2013:

The Wall Street Journal reported that the NSA spies on Americans’ credit card transactions. Senators Wyden and Udall – both on the Senate Intelligence Committee, with access to all of the top-secret information about the government’s spying programs – write:

Section 215 of the Patriot Act can be used to collect any type of records whatsoever … including information on credit card purchases, medical records, library records, firearm sales records, financial information and a range of other sensitive subjects.

Many other government agencies track your credit card purchases as well. In fact, allU.S. intelligence agencies – including the CIA and NSA – are going to spy on Americans’ finances.

The IRS will be spying on Americans’ shopping records, travel, social interactions, health records and files from other government investigators.

The Consumer Financial Protection Board will also spy on the finances of millions of Americans.

Various agencies are also tracking our debit card transactions.

Indeed, as Gizmodo’s Matt Novak notes, researchers predicted this in 1971:

In late October of 1971 a group of academics and technologists gathered at a conference at Georgetown. They were given the task of devising the most comprehensive (yet invisible) surveillance program imaginable. What they came up with sounds an awful lot like our current debit card system.

This was the question posed to the researchers in 1971:

 

Suppose you were an advisor to the head of the KGB, the Soviet Secret Police. Suppose you are given the assignment of designing a system for the surveillance of all citizens and visitors within the boundaries of the USSR. The system is not to be too obtrusive or obvious. What would be your decision?

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

 

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