Monday, October 01, 2012

We do a great job protecting your credit card..... right?

BMO Mastercard wants me to apply for a USB credit card reader. Why? So I can start using a new service of theirs (SecureKey Concierge) in 2013 to log onto Government of Canada web services. Let's review that again, shall we? BMO is suggesting I should use my credit card credentials to log into government web services. My bank and the federal government in bed together?

I think I'll pass.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you look into the SecureKey Concierge reader details further, you will find out they do not directly share or trade user information unless it was a judicial enquiry. Also, when you request the reader they do not ask for your full BMO credit card number, only the first 8 digits. If you have a long history with credit cards, the first 8 digits are not significantly unique identifier of you as a client. It is not mandatory to use the service, but in hopes of personal identity security and reducing the headache of log-in credential management, I am personally glad the federal government is willing to enter in these partnerships as long as the is sufficient oversight and controls.

Hope you research the service and issues further and then make your opinion. I am just a regular citizen/user but I did research the details of the service before deciding I decided Imwas comfortable trying it out. Not everyone will like it but that's why the government sites are keeping up dual,log-in options (also since not everyone is a user from one of the partners).

Karl Plesz said...

I'm glad that you're comfortable making this connection. I am not. I don't trust the government enough not to cross the line, judicial inquiry or not. Considering the bank's history of sharing personal information, I don't trust them either.