# Spooky PINs



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Anyone know how PIN are generated?

I have accounts with 3 banks and several credit cards from different issuers.

One bank and one credit card sent me exactly the same PIN. 
The second bank sent me the same PIN but with the second & third digits reversed.
The third bank has sent me the same PIN again all bar the last digit which is one higher than the other two.

PINs must clearly be generated using some algorithm or other that uses your personal data - that cannot be just down to coincidence, can it?


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## daffodil (Aug 7, 2014)

Stanner said:


> Anyone know how PIN are generated?
> 
> I have accounts with 3 banks and several credit cards from different issuers.
> 
> ...


They are purely random

If they were on a formed algorith, a hacker got that formula and then a couple of bits of info like dob etc and all hell would let loose so I think yours are co incidence


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

It does make you wonder. Look at ERNIE. They can generate winners when you want to cash in all your bonds.

But on the other hand, how about PAYG phone numbers? Every one I have ever had has been the most difficult and diverse number imaginable.

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

A spooky observation as you suggest, the PIN we have had from French bank accounts seem to follow the same trend of having similar numbers..... even though they from two different banks and cover three different cards.

I would HOPE that there is no calculation that generates these based on inside leg measurement, shoe size or any other characteristic but I can certainly see why you made that suggestion......

Maybe others would say whether they have had the same similarities?

In the UK you can generally change your PIN to one of your own choosing, but in France that option is not available (in the banks we use anyway)....

Being able to change to one of your own choosing would reduce the likelihood of criminals being able to generate such numbers I hope.....

Good question though,

Dave


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Dave.
When I asked to change the PIN of my Auchan Visa card to something more memorable they said it wasn't possible.
So I said in the UK we can. The immediate answer was "Then change all your UK cards to the French PIN number".

Yeah. Ray.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

When you consider that they are 4 digit numbers then the odds of that happening must be incredible.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

747 said:


> When you consider that they are 4 digit numbers then the odds of that happening must be incredible.


I remember when all access codes were only 4 digits. But that soon changed and now they can be up to 29 digits in varying combinations.
So obviously 4 digits was not safe enough.

Ray.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Stanner,

I asked a friend who works in a banks IT department, he stated absolutely random generation is how it's done ???

But then who trusts banks now ??.

Terry


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

dghr272 said:


> Stanner,
> 
> I asked a friend who works in a banks IT department, he stated absolutely random generation is how it's done ???
> 
> ...


In that case I had better start using those 4 numbers and all valid combinations of them in the Lottery then.

Someone is clearly trying to tell me something.

It's the voices you know...............:wink2:


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

If you really want it investigated I have an email from a very nice guy in Nigeria, just send him your card number and pin and he will sort it out for you and send you £5,000 for your trouble.

On second thoughts send me the details.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

dghr272 said:


> On second thoughts send me the details.


Let me think about it?


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Never had any pins that resembled each other, but once had one which was 1 digit short of my, at that time, phone number, guess who lost their card to the machine on the friday pm before bank holiday. Oops


sue


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