Cover Your Pin at the Checkout Stand

Whether it's Costco, Shell gas, AMPM, MacDonald's, or Starbucks most people are now using debit cards as their primary form of payment. The amount of people conducting debit card pin transactions is growing [Pin Payments Blog]. After analysing the last few months of my own bank statement, it appears that I use my debit card on average about 50 times a month, or 1.7 times per day. With this frequency it doesn't surprise me how some people can be oblivious, and nonchalantly enter their 4 digit pin in plain view of strangers.

Keeping you card number secure is one thing, but not covering your pin is asking for trouble.

How to tactfully cover your pin at the checkout stand, without looking paranoid

I like to use my left hand to cup over the key pad device as if I am shielding the light to better read the LCD screen. I simultaneously take my right hand and type in the code. It is actually quite seamless. If anything, people might assume I am having difficulty reading the screen. It is nothing personal against the clerks, or other people in line, it is just common sense.