Bank card– this is the most convenient, practical and reliable payment instrument, which has become an integral part of the life of modern man. For many users, it not only gives access to their bank account, but also gives many opportunities in the form of discounts, bonuses and other privileges. Let's look at what a bank card is and what types there are.

Description

A bank card is a personal payment instrument that gives its owner access to his bank account, debit or credit. With its help, you can make non-cash payments for goods and services, including on the Internet, and withdraw cash from bank tellers or ATMs.

Bank cards appeared in human life not so long ago, only 60 years ago, today they are used all over the world and are gradually replacing cash. By the way, before the advent of “plastic” the system non-cash payments existed in the form check books, which today has completely become history.

A plastic product from any issuing bank is subject to a number of requirements, first of all, the size according to the ISO 7810 ID-1 standard, namely width - 86 mm, length - 54 mm, thickness up to 1 mm, corner radius - 3.18 mm.

Advantages

Compared to cash, cards provide their owner with a number of advantages:

• your money is reliably protected, because the funds are stored in a bank account, if you lose the “plastic”, then access to the account can be blocked, that is, the money is not on the card, but in the bank, which can be more reliable;
• convenient use, that is, when paying for goods and services, neither the cashier nor the buyer can make mistakes in calculations, for example, give the wrong change;
• The advantage abroad is that money stored on the card does not need to be declared, which cannot be said about cash;
• income on debit accounts, most financial and credit organizations I offer a service such as cash back, that is, this is money that is returned to the account from each purchase;
• finally, it is much easier for plastic owners to control their expenses, and therefore regulate family budget, at any time the client can request an extract report, completely free of charge.

Types of plastic

A payment card is just a tool or a key to your bank account or your bank account. In the first case, the card is debit, that is, the user spends only his own funds, in the second, the card holder uses credit.

All bank cards are divided into several types according to the type of payment:

• debit – with own funds in the account;
• credit card – payments on it are carried out using a loan, the limit of which is set by the bank;
• prepaid is “plastic”, with a fixed amount on the account, unlike all other products, it is not issued, but purchased from the issuer;
• overdraft – this is a product with an allowed overdraft of funds on the client’s account.

Not long ago, banks began to offer clients completely New Product- This virtual card, unlike real “plastic”, it does not have a physical carrier. This product useful for those who make purchases through online stores. The bank issues only the details to the client.

Appearance of a bank card

Appearance

So, what does the map look like, its design and the main elements on front side:

• last name and first name of the holder in Latin letters;
• a number of 12 digits, but there may be 18 or 19 depending on the issuing bank;
• logo payment system, which serves it, for example, Visa or MasterCard;
• microchip for additional protection;
• logo of the issuing bank;
• “plastic” status, for example, standard, gold or platinum;
• expiration date, month and year.

On the reverse side:

• logo of the issuing bank;
• magnetic stripe;
• owner's signature;
• CVV2/CVC2 code for additional protection of settlement transactions on Internet resources.

Perhaps not everyone knows, but the issuance of plastic bank cards is regulated by the Regulations of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation “On the issuance of bank cards and on transactions performed using payment cards.”

How the calculation occurs: mechanism

We all quite often use bank payment cards to pay for goods or services, but not everyone knows exactly how the settlement mechanism occurs between the issuing bank and the seller.

Consider this diagram:

1. For non-cash payments, the buyer gives his card to the seller.
2. Next, the seller must verify its authenticity and visually determine whether it is counterfeit, only after that the plastic passes through the terminal using a magnetic tape or microchip. The terminal reads the information by number and sends it to the acquiring bank (this is the organization that owns this device). Automatic system processes information about the cardholder, account limits and makes a decision to carry out the operation or refuse.
3. If the decision is positive, the acquiring bank accepts the payment and debits the funds from the account. The card and check are returned to the owner, the second copy of which remains with the seller.
4. Next, the seller submits a report on non-cash transactions to the acquiring bank, and it, in turn, transfers money in the amount of non-cash transactions performed per day to the organization’s current account.
5. After this, the bank transmits the data to the processing center (a unit that ensures information interaction between settlement participants, that is, banks). It processes information on transactions and sends it to banks for mutual settlements.
6. The issuing bank pays the acquiring bank independently.

The process of issuing cash through self-service devices - ATMs - looks similar.

How does payment work using a bank card: diagram

In general, what is payment card? This is a means of non-cash payment that allows its owner to make any settlement transactions without raising cash. On this moment the most in demand are credit cards, that is, cards with credit limit. They are primarily a spare wallet for their owner, and also allow you to use borrowed funds for grace period no interest.

Understanding the types of plastic cards is not as easy as it seems. A personal payment instrument allows you to make purchases and pay for services, as well as cash out at ATMs and bank branches; some types of cards provide discounts, bonuses, etc.

There are quite a few types of plastic cards, so it is important to know which card you need. The issue of using plastic cards is more relevant today than ever.

Many people who have not encountered such services before are interested in what it is and what they eat it with. So, a plastic card is a personal payment instrument. Using this tool, you can make purchases and pay for services without having cash on hand, as well as cash out at ATMs and bank branches.

That is, a plastic card is almost completely capable of replacing cash. Its advantage is that it does not need to be carried in your wallet. large amounts, risking being robbed. The cardholder receives a detailed report every month, which provides a clear financial picture. If the card is stolen, it can be blocked in a matter of minutes, and the money in the account will remain untouched. In addition, holders of certain types of plastic cards are provided with various discounts, bonuses, etc.

It should be noted right away that not all plastic cards are credit cards (as many believe). Plastic cards can be divided into three main types - credit, payment, and debit. Debit card. Provides quick access to funds in the account. In this case, you cannot “get into the red” and spend more than you have. Banks prefer to issue just such cards to clients who do not yet have a credit history.

Credit card. Already from the name we can conclude that this type of card is related to credit. This is true to some extent. To the owner credit card credit is provided. Wherein credit rate, and the bank sets the size of the loan on an individual basis.

To a large extent this depends on credit history client and his income. With such a card, you can purchase goods with bank money. Naturally, the money will have to be returned. It is better to do this during the grace period when the bank does not charge interest. If you pay later, the bank will calculate interest for each day that has passed since the date of purchase. Each bank has its own grace period, usually from 2 weeks to 50 days. A debit card is mainly used for everyday expenses - payments utilities, grocery shopping, etc. Now let's look at the cards provided by the world famous company Visa.

Visa offers the following products: Visa Electron is one of the most popular cards in Russia. Banks issue it to clients with minimal or no history. This card is used by consumers, students, youth, and citizens with limited incomes. Visa Classic – cards of this type are accepted at all points where the “Visa” logo is present.

This card is intended for customers who already have experience in using plastic cards and for people with an average income level. Visa Gold – Used for cash withdrawals as well as for purchases in all retail outlets with the Visa logo.

Banks usually issue such cards to clients who have impeccable banking history. Using Visa cards Gold, discounts, bonuses, and profitable offer, according to the international program special offers. Visa Platinum. This map has even more advantages. This:

• Providing full travel insurance;
• Admission to the VIP zone at airports;
• Providing personal manager services;
• Discounts on the purchase of goods and car rentals;
• Ability to manage accounts over the phone.

Visa Infinite. This card has the most honorable place among all the products provided by Visa. It provides its owner with a full range of exclusive services.

Among them are support from a personal manager (24/7), travel insurance up to $1 million, and an elite system of discounts and offers around the world. The card can even be unlimited - this is decided by the bank individually.

There are several types of bank cards, they differ in the area of ​​application, in the ownership of funds and in purpose. Let's look at each type of bank card in detail.

By area of ​​application:

• Local
• International
• Virtual

Local

Local (intra-bank) cards are intended for transactions strictly within the issuing bank’s system. It can only be used at ATMs and terminals of your bank. ATMs and terminals of other banks do not accept this card. Payment for purchases at retail outlets can also be made only if you have a terminal of this bank, which is quite a rare occurrence. This card does not allow you to make transactions on the Internet, with the exception of transactions on the website of the issuing bank, if it provides such an opportunity.

International

International bank cards are cards of international banking systems. The most popular systems are Visa and MasterCard. Cards of these systems come in several types and differ in their functionality. The most popular of them allow you to make transactions at almost any ATMs and terminals around the world, as well as pay for purchases via the Internet. The vast majority of cards issued by banks are based on these payment systems.

Virtual

Virtual bank cards are cards designed for making transactions exclusively via the Internet. By appearance They are almost the same as regular debit cards, but they lack a magnetic stripe and a chip, which makes it impossible to use the card at ATMs and terminals. Also, the cardholder does not have the opportunity to receive cash at the cash desk of a bank branch, with the exception of the case of closing the card if there is a positive balance on it. Thus, a virtual card is more like account details presented in the form of a bank card.

By ownership of funds

• Debit
• With overdraft allowed
• Credit
• Prepaid

Debit

A debit (payment) bank card allows you to make transactions within the limits of the funds available in the account. That is, the cardholder can only use his own funds. The bank can set a minimum balance level - a certain amount, upon reaching which the client cannot make transactions until the account balance is replenished. Also, the bank’s terms and conditions may stipulate the accrual of interest on the balance. The debit card serves primarily as a replacement paper money, and also allows you to make payments online. Most cards issued in Russia are debit.

With overdraft allowed

A bank card with an allowed overdraft is an improved debit card, the peculiarity of which is the possibility of exceeding the balance available in the account own funds. Excess of funds is carried out through a loan, which is automatically opened on the card when the amount of the transaction exceeds the positive balance.

The overdraft amount is fixed and is specified in the card opening agreement. Cards with permitted overdraft are often linked to accounts salary projects, and therefore the issued loan is repaid automatically upon transfer wages. Also, automatic payments can be made on the account, despite the lack of funds, which will also be equivalent to a loan.

The loan commission begins to accrue from the moment the personal funds limit is exceeded until the required amount is credited to the account, taking into account the commission. Usually, interest rates for overdraft transactions is higher than for conventional loans.

Credit

The credit card is intended for making transactions on borrowed funds. In terms of its properties, a credit card is almost the same as a loan. The main difference is that the funds can be used as needed, and interest accrues only on the amount that is actually used.

Credit cards are reusable, meaning they can be used again after paying off the borrowed amount. credit funds. Moreover, for periods when credit funds are not used and there is no debt on the account, no commissions are charged (except for payment additional services, for example mobile banking).

The loan amount is set individually for each client and is determined according to the same principles as when applying for a regular loan.

Another feature of a credit card is that it does not require a positive balance. That is, even if a “plus” was formed on the card account when depositing funds, it cannot be used for anything other than repaying the loan after it has been used in subsequent transactions. These funds are written off within the loan repayment period established by the agreement.

Interest on credit cards usually lower than cards with overdrafts allowed, but higher than regular loans.

An important difference between a credit card and a regular loan is the presence of a so-called “grace period” - a certain period during which interest for using credit funds is not accrued. The duration of this period varies depending on the banks, but on average it is 50-60 days.

It should also be remembered that it is beneficial to use credit cards when paying for purchases directly with the card, since most banks charge interest, on average 3-5%, for withdrawing cash from ATMs.

Prepaid

A prepaid bank card is a card on which a certain amount is available at the time of purchase, and payments are made on behalf of the issuing bank. A prepaid card allows you to make purchases or pay for services in the same way as a regular debit card.

The bank that issued the card may impose restrictions on the use of the card, for example:

short validity period of the card, after which it will not be possible to use it or replace it;
impossibility of returning funds if the card is lost or after its expiration date;
lack of ability to withdraw funds;
inability to top up the card account.
If the amount on a prepaid card does not exceed 15,000 rubles, then the bank does not require client identification.

Gift bank cards are a type of prepaid bank card.

By purpose

• Personal
• Salary
• Corporate
• Pre-released

Personal

A personal bank card is issued by the client independently and used by him for personal purposes. Due to the fact that the client gets a card on his own initiative, he, as a rule, does it consciously and strives to ensure that the card most fully satisfies his needs and provides some advantages.

Salary

Salary cards are issued to employees of companies as part of salary projects (an agreement between an enterprise and a bank on transferring wages to cards). Terms of Use salary cards are usually more profitable than using personal ones. In addition, banks usually greatly simplify the process of applying for a loan for salary card holders, and loan conditions may be preferential.

Depending on the specific organization, you may need to return the card after you leave the company or continue to use it until it expires.

Corporate

Corporate cards are issued for the purpose of making prompt purchases and paying for services by company employees in its interests, for example, paying for restaurants, gas stations, car washes, etc. Cash, located on the card account belong to the company and are taken into account in the calculation of own funds. In this regard, all transactions carried out using the card must be confirmed by checks and other documents confirming intended use funds.

Pre-released

A pre-issued bank card is a card that is issued before the client writes an application for a card. Such a card initially does not contain information about its owner; it does not indicate the full name. The card is attached to an account that is opened for a specific client. Such a card makes it possible to perform all the same operations as a regular debit card, including using online banking and receiving interest on the balance. However, for security reasons, it is not recommended to use such cards as main ones and store large sums on them, since making payments using them does not require the presentation of documents. In addition, cards may not be accepted for hotel reservations, car rentals, and payments at some online stores.

Pre-issued cards are very convenient when you need to urgently issue a card, because in this case the procedure will take a few minutes. They are also often used by banks to pay interest or to replenish a loan account.

Plastic, banking, payment, club, discount, identification, embossed, non-embossed, credit, debit, ATM, magnetic, smart, individual, corporate, family, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Diner Club, standard, gold, electronic - you can find these and many other words in combination with the words card and card. Let's try to understand all this variety of types of cards and cards.

Discount plastic cards	Club plastic cards		Insurance plastic cards
Gift plastic cards	Bank plastic cards	Identification plastic cards	Family plastic cards

So, all these types of cards refer to plastic cards. They are made from special plastic, and the vast majority of these cards have standard size: 2.125" x 3.375" (approx. 53.9 x 85.6mm) and 0.039 (~0.76mm) thick.

Plastic cards can be classified according to a number of parameters. One of the main parameters is special purpose cards. Plastic cards can be divided into bank cards (sometimes called payment cards), identification cards, club cards and discount cards.

Types of plastic cards

Bank cards

Bank cards are intended for carrying out cashless payment goods and services by the cardholder, as well as for him to receive cash from his bank account at special ATMs almost anywhere in the world. This type of cards is of the greatest interest, since these cards are mainly used both for making purchases on the Internet and in offline trading.

The following information is usually located on a bank plastic card:
on the front side of the card is the owner's name, card number, card expiration date, card issuing bank logo, payment system logo. On some cards, a halogram is applied as one of the means of protection against counterfeiting.
on the back of the card there is a place for the cardholder's signature, a magnetic stripe, sometimes a photograph of the owner and logos of ATM networks where the card can be cashed out.

The card number consists of 16 digits: the first six are the code of the issuing bank; the next nine are bank number cards (card account number); the last digit is the control digit.

According to functional characteristics bank cards are divided into credit and debit.

Credit card allows its owner to receive a certain credit when paying for goods or services, the cost of which is higher than the balance in the bank account linked to the card (card account). The issued loan must be repaid within a certain period. Repayment of the loan can occur from a security deposit, which is made by the client when opening a card account with the bank, or by crediting the account with money deposited by the card owner in cash or through money transfer. Thus, a credit card is a card that allows its owner, when making any purchase, to defer its payment by obtaining a loan from the bank.

Debit cards(For external parameters, see discount card) are intended for immediate payment for goods, works and services by direct debiting of funds from the cardholder's current account to the account of his creditor within the amount available there. In this case, if there are insufficient funds, the bank will not make payments, since the limit entered when opening an account cannot be reduced, and the bank did not assume any obligations to lend to the client.

Both credit and debit cards can be individual or corporate. Individual cards (Customer cards) only individuals, corporate - only for companies (organizations). The corporate card is linked to the company account and can only be issued to a company employee. Such a card can be limited by the company and then the cardholder is given a limit on the use of funds from the company account. If a limit is not set, the cardholder can dispose of the entire amount in the company account (linked to this card).

As part of the classification of cards into individual and corporate, family cards can be distinguished as a separate type. They are issued as individual cards only to individuals, but also as individual corporate cards can be issued for each family member of the card account owner. At the same time, a limit on the use of funds is usually set for credit cards of family members.

Bank cards can also be divided by payment systems or card associations (Card Associations) within which the cards are serviced. The most common cards in the world are the following largest systems: VISA, EuroCard/MasterCard and American Express (AMEX). One card can be supported and serviced by only one payment system.

Please note that some payment systems can only issue cards of a certain type. For example, American Express and Diners Club issue only credit cards, while other lesser-known systems (especially those that operate only within one country) do not risk being associated with credit cards and issue only debit cards. World leaders VISA and EuroCard/MasterCard issue and support both credit and debit cards.

Features of credit cards different systems as dividing them into classes.

VISA has two main classes - Classic and Gold. MasterCard - Standard and Gold, American Express - Mass and Gold. The choice of a credit card of one class or another significantly affects the amount of the security deposit made when receiving the card. Otherwise, the difference between the classes mainly comes down to a matter of prestige. In addition to the main classes, cards of Platinum, Silver, Basic and a number of others classes can also be issued. IN special kind cards, corporate cards are highlighted. Moreover, recently such cards have begun to be divided into Business cards (cards for small businesses) and Corporate cards directly.

Within each of these classes, cards can be further divided into a number of subclasses. More details about this division and the difference between one or another class or subclass of cards can be read directly on the websites of card issuing companies.

Another type of cards issued within payment systems is electronic cards. Such cards are available in many payment systems. In VISA, for example, this is VISA Electron, in MasterCard - Maestro. As already noted, such cards are not embossed and are intended only for electronic application. With this card you can get cash from ATMs, and you can pay for goods and services only at retail outlets equipped with special electronic terminals. There are electronic cards that are intended only for receiving cash from ATMs, for example MasterCard system Cirrus card.

And in conclusion, let’s figure out what ATM cards mean. ATM is an abbreviation from English Automatic Teller Machine (sometimes also called Automatic Banking Machine (ABM) or Payment Banking Machine (PBM)) that is, an ATM. All bank cards, with rare exceptions, can be called ATM cards, since they are all serviced by ATMs and you can use them to get cash.

Insurance plastic cards

Insurance cards - this plastic card is an alternative to paper insurance policy. For these purposes, cards with a barcode or microcircuit (chip) are used. An insurance card may contain various information: policy number, insurance program, insurance period, individual data of the owner. The map may contain the necessary information about the activities insured event. In addition, such a plastic card may also have the properties of a discount card, i.e. provide the opportunity to receive discounts in a network of controlled companies.
Plastic insurance cards are more modern and durable custodians of information about the owner of the insurance policy.

Insurance cards can also be divided into categories according to the level of service.

Advertising cards

This type of plastic cards is used for advertising purposes. The advertising plastic card acts as the face of the company. Personal business cards and branded calendars made on plastic look much more expensive and richer than on paper and can serve as both advertising and a pleasant souvenir. Such plastic cards can be used for local advertising purposes, for example at exhibitions. Advertising cards are becoming more and more effective advertising of their goods and services

Club cards

Club cards are essentially an ordinary plastic card, but with a specific focus.

Club cards - the name speaks for itself, and is a document certifying a person’s membership in any club that unites people of interest. Club cards can give a person various benefits and privileges. In some prestigious clubs, the club card gives the right to unhindered and free entry and even free lunches. This is like the rules of a casino, thus attracting wealthy clients. Usually club cards are divided by class and determine the status of the client, VIP denomination club cards are very popular, so information about the status is often hidden so as not to offend other club members, and sometimes vice versa, so that all clients strive for a more prestigious denomination.

The more prestigious the club, the more expensive the club cards. The card should look elegant, beautiful, and sometimes protected from counterfeiting, and stand out from other plastic cards. That is why, by design, club cards should perform at a high level.

Typically, club cards carry some information (open or hidden) about its owner, it can also be a pass, identification card, discount card etc. Often club cards must contain at least one type of personalization, this can be: embossing with coloring, magnetic stripe, magnetic stripe encoding, custom data printing, signature stripe, foil stamping, sublimation.

Microprocessor cards

They open up fundamentally new possibilities, since they have their own internal logic and are actually microcomputers.

A specialized operating system is built into the card, providing a wide range of service operations and security features.

The operating system of the card supports a file system that provides access control to information. For information stored in any record (file, group of files, directory), the following access modes can be set:
always read/write. This mode allows reading/writing information without knowing special secret codes;
readable, but requires special write permissions. This mode allows free reading of information, but allows writing only after presenting a special secret code;
special read/write permissions. This mode allows read or write access after presenting a special secret code, and the codes for reading and writing may be different;
not available. This mode does not allow reading or writing information. The information is available only to internal card programs. Typically this mode is set for records containing cryptographic keys.

As a rule, such cards have built-in cryptographic tools that provide encryption of information and the generation of a “digital” signature. Traditionally, cards use a cryptographic algorithm for these purposes. In addition, the card contains tools for maintaining the key system.

The cards provide a different range of service commands. For banking purposes, the most interesting of them are means of conducting electronic payments.

TO special means include the possibility of blocking work with the card. There are two types of blocking: upon presentation of an incorrect transport code and upon unauthorized access.

The essence of transport blocking is that access to the card is impossible without presenting a special “transport” code. This mechanism is necessary to protect against the illegal use of cards due to theft during the transfer of the card from the manufacturer to the consumer. The card can only be activated upon presentation of the correct "transport" code.

The essence of blocking in case of unauthorized access is that if, when accessing information, the access code was incorrectly presented several times, then the card ceases to be operational at all. Moreover, depending on the set mode, the card can subsequently either be activated upon presentation of a special code, or not. In the latter case, the card becomes unsuitable for further use.

plastic cards with microchips have a higher degree of protection against fraud and counterfeiting.

Despite obvious advantages, smart cards have so far had limited use for the reason that such a card is an order of magnitude more expensive than a card with a magnetic stripe. Only in last years, when the damage from magnetic card fraud in international payment systems became alarmingly high and continues to grow, banks decided to gradually switch to smart cards.

Smart cards

Let's consider the typology of smart cards. Depending on the internal structure and functions performed, experts divide smart cards into two types: memory cards and microprocessor cards.
Smart cards

This is a plastic card with a microprocessor built into it, which allows you to perform operations with the data stored in the card. These cards have their own operating system, which provides a set of memory management functions, services and security features. There is a huge trend in the development of Smart cards in everyday life, in access control systems, anti-theft systems, automation of various processes, and logistics. Intelligent contactless plastic smart cards are: electronic wallets, time tracking at the workplace and much more. Smart cards according to their operational, information characteristics and information security are significantly superior to conventional magnetic cards. Smart cards work in real time. Carrying out a transaction using a smart card only requires the owner to enter a personal PIN code. This password is written on the card itself, which means it does not require access to authorization centers

Super smart cards. An example is the Toshiba multipurpose card used in the Visa system. In addition to all the features of a regular microprocessor card, this card also has a small display and an auxiliary keyboard for data entry. This card combines credit, debit and prepaid cards, and also performs the functions of a clock, calendar, calculator, currency conversion, and can serve a notebook, etc. Due to their high cost, supersmart cards are not widely used today, but their use is likely to grow.

In 1981, J. Drexler invented the optical card. Optical memory cards have a larger capacity than memory cards, but data can only be written to them once. Such cards use WORM technology (write once - read many times). Recording and reading information from such a card is carried out by special equipment using a laser (hence the other name - laser card). The technology used in the cards is similar to that used in laser discs. The main advantage of such cards is the ability to store large amounts of information. Such cards have not yet become widespread in banking technologies due to the high cost of both the cards themselves and the reading equipment.

Memory cards

Cards with unprotected memory have no restrictions on reading or writing data. They are sometimes called full/available memory cards. You can arbitrarily structure the card at the logical level, treating its memory as a set of bytes that can be copied into RAM or updated with special commands.

It is extremely dangerous to use cards with an unprotected memory as payment cards. It is enough to purchase such a card legally, copy its memory to a disk, and then after each purchase restore the memory by copying the initial state of the data from the disk, i.e., encrypting the data in the card’s memory does not protect against fraud of this kind. Practice shows that in Russia there are enough people capable of such an occupation.

Secure memory cards use a special mechanism to allow read/write or erase information. To carry out these operations, you must present a special secret code to the card (and sometimes more than one). Presenting the code means establishing a connection with her and transferring the code “inside” the card. The code itself will compare the code with the read/write (erase) data protection key and “report” this to the smart card reader/writer. It is not possible to read the security keys stored in the card's memory or copy the card's memory. At the same time, knowing the secret code(s), you can read or write data organized in the most logical manner for the payment system. Thus, secure memory cards are suitable for universal payment applications, are well protected and are also inexpensive. Thus, the price of the CPM896 card is no more than $4 for circulations over 5 thousand copies.

Typically, secure memory cards contain an area in which identification data is recorded. This data cannot be changed subsequently, which is very important to ensure that the card cannot be forged. For this purpose, the identification data on the card is “burned”.

It is also necessary that the payment card have at least two protected areas. It has already been noted that the technology of non-cash payments using cards usually involves three legally independent entities: the client, the bank and the store. The bank deposits money onto the card (credits it), the store withdraws money from the card (debits it), and all these transactions must be carried out with the approval of the client. Thus, access to data on the card and operations on it must be differentiated. This is achieved by dividing the card's memory into two areas protected by different keys - debit and credit. Each participant in the operation has his own secret key.

Correct presentation of the PIN code allows access to the card (by reading the data), but should not change the information held by the card creditor (bank) or its debtor (store). Key for recording information in credit area Only the bank has the card; the key for recording information in the debit area is at the store. Only upon presentation of two keys at once (client PIN code and bank key when lending, client PIN code and store key when debiting) can you carry out the corresponding financial transaction- deposit money or write off the purchase amount from the card.

If plastic cards with one protected memory area are used as payment cards, this means that the bank and the store will work with the same area, using the same protection keys. If the bank, as the issuer of the card, can debit it (for example, at ATMs), then the store does not have the right to credit the card. However, he is given this opportunity because, due to the need to debit the card when making purchases, he knows the key to erase the protected zone. The fact that both the creditor of the card and its debtor (usually different persons) use the same key violates several basic principles of information security (in particular, the principles of separation of powers and minimal powers). This will sooner or later lead to fraud. Cryptographic methods of protecting information do not help the situation either.

Of the known cards with protected memory, only the already mentioned CPM896 card has two protected memory areas and meets the requirements for restricting access to information, both from the bank and from the store.

Scratch cards

Scratch cards, payment and prepaid cards

Payment cards are plastic cards used by various companies for payments in the company's trade or service network. Such cards are used in payphones, gas stations, etc., for example, if it is possible to organize access to the client’s bank account. Among payment cards, “chip cards” are often found. These cards use a microchip embedded in plastic card, which can contain a large amount of information, read and processed through a computer interface. Otherwise, such plastic cards are called “microprocessor” or “smart cards”.

Scratch cards are called prepaid cards. This is a plastic card, the peculiarity of which is the presence of some secret data, knowledge of which provides access to any service (login password of the Internet provider, PIN code for crediting cash to the account mobile phone, and so on.). The information is covered with a special erasable scratch panel, and the very fact of removing the panel reveals the information for activating the service. The method of applying a scratch panel to a card is different, the most common are embossing, silk-screen printing or a sublimation printer.

Articles about Banks and banking activities

Bank cards can be used to pay for any goods and services, as well as to withdraw cash. The owner is the bank that issued the card, and the holder is the bank's client.

Place of application

Depending on the place of application, cards can be local, international or virtual.

• Local

Local cards are intended for performing transactions in the system of the bank that issued the card. You can withdraw money or pay for services/goods with such a card only at ATMs and terminals of this bank. Also, using such a card, you cannot carry out transactions on the Internet, with the exception of transactions on the website of the issuing bank, if it provides such an opportunity. Nowadays such cards are quite rare.

• International

International bank cards are cards of international banking systems. The most popular systems are Visa and MasterCard. Cards of these systems come in several types and differ in their functionality. You can withdraw cash from such cards at ATMs and terminals around the world (with a commission). You can also pay for purchases online with them. International bank cards are used in international systems payments. The most popular are Visa (Visa Electron, Visa Classic, Visa Gold, Visa Platinum), MasterCard (Cirrus, Maestro, MasterCard Standard, MasterCard Gold, MasterCard Platinum), American Express, JCB and China Unionpay.

• Virtual

These are cards designed for online transactions. They do not have a magnetic stripe or chip and cannot be used in ATMs or terminals. The owner will not be able to receive cash at the bank's cash desk, unless the card is closed if there is a positive balance on it.

Type of funds

Depending on the type of funds placed on the card, they can be debit and credit, prepaid and with permitted overdraft.

• Debit

The owner of such a card is limited only by the money that is on it. And this money should be his own. For such cards, the bank can set a minimum balance level: a certain amount, upon reaching which the client cannot make transactions until the account balance is replenished.

Debit cards come with an overdraft: they allow you to make transactions exceeding your own funds limit, that is, going into the red. The overdraft amount is fixed and specified in the contract. Such cards are often linked to salary project accounts. The issued loan is repaid automatically when the salary is transferred. The loan fee begins to accrue from the moment the personal funds limit is exceeded until the required amount is credited to the account.

• Credit

Credit cards have a certain amount of funds provided by the bank to the client. From ordinary credit products These cards, firstly, differ in that they almost always have a grace period (from 30 to 100 days), during which interest is not accrued on paid purchases. Secondly, the interest on credit cards (which accrues after the grace period expires) is several points higher than on a regular loan.

The amount of money lent on a credit card is individual for each client. The cardholder can use the funds as needed, and interest will only accrue on the amount that was actually used. The peculiarity of this card is that it does not assume the presence of a positive balance. For periods when credit funds are not used and there is no debt on the account, no commission is charged (with the exception of payment for additional services, for example, mobile banking). Please note that when withdrawing cash from an ATM, a fee may apply.

Category

Bank cards have categories, they depend on financial investments client at the bank. If the client makes many transactions with large sums or he has a lot of money in his account, he may be offered (or he himself can apply for such a card if desired) statuses Gold, Platinum, VIP and others. In most cases, all clients receive Classic status when opening an account. The higher the category of the card, the more features it has and the more more privileges it provides the holder (discounts, priority service, concierge services, etc.). But at the same time, the cost of service increases in proportion to the card category.

Purpose

Depending on the purpose, cards can be payroll, corporate, prepaid, pre-issued and gift.

Salary cards are issued to company employees as part of salary projects.

Corporate cards are issued for the purpose of making prompt purchases and paying for services by company employees in its interests (for example, paying for restaurants, gas stations, car washes, etc.). Funds on the card account belong to the company, and employees using it must provide reports confirming the intended use of funds.

A prepaid bank card is a card on which there is a certain amount, and payments are made on behalf of the issuing bank. Such cards, as a rule, have a short validity period and do not allow you to withdraw funds or top up your account.

A pre-issued bank card is a card that is issued even before an application for receipt is written and is attached to an account that is opened for a specific client. Such a card initially does not contain information about its owner; it does not indicate the full name. The card allows you to perform the same operations as a regular debit card, including using online banking and receiving interest on your balance. Making payments using such cards does not require the presentation of documents.

Gift cards are non-reloadable and do not provide a cash option. The funds available on it can only be used to pay for the purchase.