O/T: Credit Cards Glow in the Dark.

[BillyParadise]

I suppose this post isn't any more off-topic than some I've seen around here, but for those who never go into clubs, did you know that your credit card glows in the dark? I ended up in a club the other night and wasn't expecting it. Under a blacklight, my MBNA SPG card said MC, and my 2% gold amex said AM EX with some logo in the middle.

I never knew about this before, and assume it's an antifraud measure.

BP

[kenchau]

yes, credit cards have had those glow in the dark watermarks for years. i think visa is like a bird (eagle perhaps?) at least that was one of my old visas. can't remember which one.

[simms]

yup - black light usually brings out add'l features. Gold AMEX has HUGE letters with the letters A-M-E-X. neat.

[tkyoshi]

Yeah it's neat, not many people know this though.

MC is as you guessed an MC, the Mastercard on the signature panel will also glow.

Visa used to be a bird but they are similar to M/C now, it will show a V, the signature panel is just lines in normal light but will say VISA under a blacklight.

AMEX has a huge AMEX on the card, I forgot what the signature panel looks like though.

[Octavius]

yes, credit cards have had those glow in the dark watermarks for years. i think visa is like a bird (eagle perhaps?) at least that was one of my old visas. can't remember which one.

+1

Visa is a bird in the middle of the card
Mastercard has MC on the lower righthand of the card
AMEX is by far the coolest with AM (GLOBE) EX across the face of the card.

When I used to work at BB, for most purchases I put through in the computer department, I'd always check to make sure the watermark was there. If it wasn't, 99 times out of 100, it was a fake.