mid-day impact: Stop asking for debit cards, PINs, says KEM Hospital dean

KEM Hospital is the one of the largest tertiary hospitals in Mumbai

A day after mid-day reported how pharmacies at KEM hospital were asking people to part with their debit cards and ATM PINs if they couldn't pay in cash for the medicines (Want meds? Give us your debit card and PIN, says KEM Hospital's pharmacy), hospital authorities have taken note of it and instructed the public-private partnership pharmacies to stop the practice.

Dean steps in
"Pharmacies have been told to stop asking for PINs from those who want to pay for medicines through cards. Henceforth, patients and their relatives will be asked to type the PIN while swiping the card. No one will ask for his/her PIN. Also, no one will ask them to pay in cash if someone refuses to provide the PIN," said Dr Avinash Supe, dean of KEM hospital. Hospital sources said they are trying to procure wireless swiping machines to make it easier for patients to make such transactions.

Also read - Want meds? Give us your debit card and PIN, says KEM Hospital's pharmacy

Don't share your PIN
Cyber experts said sharing PINs makes people vulnerable to cyber crimes. "In several cases involving debit card fraud, we have observed that it is an insider who helps criminals in procuring the personal information. Often, the cyber crime gangs pay money to insiders to provide the PINs and clone the cards. That's why we always ask people not to trust any unknown person with their PIN," said a senior cyber crime officer. Banks also recommend that card users register their phone number for withdrawal alerts, so that if anyone has withdrawn money from their account, they can be alerted.