Andrew Ferguson dot NET

At the Washington Mutual that I use in Golden, there is an after hours ATM machine secured by a Magstripe reader. I’ve always just slid my Debt/ATM Card through it and it let me in. However, the the process was instantaneous…a little too instantaneous.
Up until now, I had always assumed that when I swiped my card, some information on my card was transfered back to a database somewhere, my access was confirmed, and the door was opened. But that would have taken too long. Perhaps there was some ‘code’ on my card that identified me as a Washington Mutual customer. Perhaps.

So I tried my United Airlines Credit Card (operated by Chase) and the door opened. Curious.
I tried my school ID card: door opened.
I tried my Costco card: door opened.
It tried my Colorado State Drivers License: door opened.

It looks like any card that has a magstripe on it with ‘valid’ data will open the door. Interesting.

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