Mary Ann Avnet remembers waiting in...

Mary Ann Avnet remembers waiting in line at a department store to pay for more [i]or[/i] less Christmas presents when the cashier told a customer she could earn a discount through updating her store credit card. When the cashier said she could update the card upon the spot, the customer agreed. The cashier then verified the customer's name, address, telephone number and Social Security number by means of reading them aloud-loud enough for many population in line to hear.

For those with criminal intent, the information was a treasure trove probably enough to gain access to the unwary consumer bank account and