What Credit Card Numbers Mean

 The front of your credit card has a lot of numbers – here's an example of what they might mean.

Although phone companies, gas companies and department stores have their own numbering systems, ANSI Standard X4.13-1983 is the system used by most national credit-card systems.

Here are what some of the numbers stand for:

·           The first digit in your credit-card number signifies the system:

·            3 - travel/entertainment cards (such as American Express and Diners Club)

·            4 - Visa

·            5 - MasterCard

·            6 - Discover Card

·           The structure of the card number varies by system. For example, American Express card numbers start with 37; Carte Blanche and Diners Club with 38.

·            American Express - Digits three and four are type and currency, digits five through 11 are the account number, digits 12 through 14 are the card number within the account and digit 15 is a check digit.

·            Visa - Digits two through six are the bank number, digits seven through 12 or seven through 15 are the account number and digit 13 or 16 is a check digit.

MasterCard - Digits two and three, two through four, two through five or two through six are the bank number (depending on whether digit two is a 1, 2, 3 or other). The digits after the bank number up through digit 15 are the account number, and digit 16 is a check digit.

Some important tips:

·           Sign your card -- as soon as you receive it! (Obviously, this is only as effective as the clerk who's checking it.)

·           When you use your card at an ATM, enter your PIN in such a way that no one can easily memorize your keystrokes.

·           Don't leave your receipt behind at the ATM.
Your PIN and account number from a discarded receipt could make you vulnerable to credit-card fraud. Also, don't throw out your credit-card statement, receipts or carbons without first shredding them!

·           Never give your credit-card number over the telephone unless you initiated the call.
Even when you place the call to a legitimate merchant (such as a mail-order company), never give your card number out over a cordless phone. Radio scanners that eavesdrop on these conversations are available for a few hundred dollars at any electronics store, and your voice can be received by one from a far greater distance than the maximum useful range of your cordless phone. One common scam is when someone calls you "back" right after you place an order, claims to be from the merchant and tells you that there was a problem with your card number -- would you mind giving it to them again? The best thing to do is ask for a contact name and call the merchant back at the number you used originally.

·           Ignore any credit-card offer that requires you to spend money up-front or fails to disclose the identity of the card issuer.

·           Make certain you get your card back after you make a purchase (one habit to observe is to leave your wallet open in your hand until you have the card back). Also, make sure that you personally rip up any voided or cancelled sales slips.

·           Always keep a list of your credit cards, credit-card numbers and toll-free numbers in case your card is stolen or lost.

·           Check your monthly statement to make certain all charges are your own, and immediately notify the card issuer of any errors or unauthorized charges. (More on this later!)

 


-Thank you,
HowStuffWorks.com

Quotes of Swami Vivekananda.....

      When we have become free, we need not go mad and throw up society and rush off to die in the forest or the cave; we shall remain where we were, only we shall understand the whole thing.

       

      Astrology and all these mystical things are generally signs of a weak mind; therefore as soon as they are becoming prominent in our minds, we should see a physician, take good food, and rest.

      

      The secret of life is not enjoyment but education through experience.

       

      Experience is the only teacher we have. We may talk and reason all our lives, but we shall not understand a word of truth until we experience it ourselves.

      All knowledge that the world has ever received comes from the mind; the infinite library of the universe is in our own mind.

      

      First, believe in the world—that there is meaning behind everything.

       

      You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.

      

      The Kingdom of Heaven is within us. God is within us. He is the Soul of our souls. See Him in your own soul. That is practical religion. That is freedom.

       

      As long as we believe ourselves to be even the least different from God, fear remains with us; but when we know ourselves to be the One, fear goes; of what can we be afraid?

       

      Be strong! … You talk of ghosts and devils. We are the living devils. The sign of life is strength and growth. The sign of death is weakness. Whatever is weak, avoid! It is death. If it is strength, go down into hell and get hold of it! There is salvation only for the brave. "None but the brave deserves the fair." None but the bravest deserves salvation.

       

      All power is within you. You can do anything and everything. Believe in that. Do not believe that you are weak; do not believe that you are half-crazy lunatics, as most of us do nowadays. Stand up and express the divinity within you.

       

      “The earth is enjoyed by heroes”—this is the unfailing truth. Be a hero. Always say, “I have no fear.”

       

      The highest manifestation of strength is to keep ourselves calm and on our own feet.

      

      A few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century.

what happens if 1Rs = 45 $

What happens if 1 rupee = 45 dollars!
   .............. ......... ....
   
 Scene 1
 
 Venue: Microsoft Corporation, New York, US.
Some s/w engineers are Seeing some photographs.
 
   s/w engg 1 : What's that? 
 s/w engg 2 : Bob's photographs from India .  
 s/w engg 1 : Wow. Let me see. Which is this place?   
 s/w engg 3 : (Sees the photo) This is ITPL, Bangalore.   
 s/w engg 1 : Fundoo yaar! And what is this? He got Bajaj Pulsar also. 
 s/w engg 2 : Let me see (sees). This guy enjoyng life maan...    
 s/w engg 3 : You know how much an Bajaj Pulsar costs?   Nearly 60K.....  Say it in dollars... (60000*45 = 27,00,000 dollars) 
 
 s/w engg 2: Oops. We can't dream of such a thing here. 
  s/w engg 1 : Let's go to India & try for a job.
  
   [Everybody excited.]
   
 ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- -------
 SCENE 2
   
 Venue: Sun Microsystems, SanFrancisco , California, US

 s/w engg 1: I'm with you man. My Visa is expected anytime. Soon I will  fly to India 
 s/w engg 2: Ohhh.... When is the party?
 s/w engg 1: When I get it on hand.
 s/w engg 2: Where will you be working? 
 s/w engg 1 : I'll be working in Electronic City.
 s/w engg 2 : Oh! Electronic City. Great yaar. where it is...  
 s/w engg 1 : It is in Bangalore.
 s/w engg 3 : Fundoo place yaar. Nice climate Not like California.   You'll love the weather yaar. One of my friends is in Koramangala...   He says it's the ultimate place to live in Bangalore. Cool maan. 

s/w engg 2 : Who is the client yaar?
s/w engg 1: You know Municipality Corporation of Bangalore ?

s/w engg 3 : Yeah. MCB. One of my friends is there in  the Road Cleaning Division. Most challenging job yaar. People are   working in the cutting edge of technology there. 
s/w engg 1 : I'll be writing software for the accounts department of   the GCU. 

s/w engg 2: GCU? what it means...? 
s/w engg 1 : that is Garbage Collecting Unit. 
 
 s/w engg 3 : : Great yaar. That's what I like about  that country. You can get a job which requires all your skill. Not like  here. See I'm writing software for the space shuttle remote control. 
 I hate this. 
 s/w engg 1 : Don't worry guys. I'll give you my   Hotmail id. You can send your resume to me and I'll forward it to the   HRD. 
  
 [Everybody takes down his Hotmail id.] 
 
 ----------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------
 
   SCENE 3
 
 Venue: IBM, New York, US
 (Conversation between a Male s/w engg. and Female s/w engg.)
  
 Male : Hi!
 
 Female: Hi. You know. I'm planning to settle in India soon.
 
 Male : What??
 
 Female : Yeah. My marriage will be here in America only. He is doing    his Ph.D in J.N.T.U and he's coming here for a month. His study  will be over in 2 months. He's already got a job in MSCB. We planned to    settle in Hyd itself... I'm also planning to work there. Let's see...
    
 Male: Good luck... dont forget us & US...

 ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ------- 
 SCENE 4 
 
 Venue: Intel Corp. US
   
 s/w engg 1: Great news guys. Our George has got   admission in the IGNOU with scholarship for B.A History. A   great new field yaar...
 
 All are excited...
  
 George : Got my Visa yesterday. It's all finalized now.
    
 s/w engg 2 : Congrats yaar. So you are out of this country.
 
 s/w engg 1 : B.A in Histroy...ohh. ..man, enjoy your life there!! 
   
 s/w engg 2 :Got full aid, eh? 
    
 George : Yeah. Got the UGC scholarship That will be 1200 Rupees / year. 
  
 s/w engg 1 : Great. Enjoy. 
 
S/w engg 2 : (Thinking loud): 1200 Indian Rupees...!
 that means 1200 * 45 = 54000 Dollars... with that amount I can buy an
 
 three bed-room flat & a Mercedes here...!!!
  
 ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
   
 SCENE 5
 
 A foreigner working in Hyderabad as Software Engg gets   a call from his Home .. 
    
 Father : What are you doing son ? 
  
 S/w Eng : Having breakfast ?
  
 Father : what are you eating ? 
 
 S/w Eng: Coconut Sauce and Rice Cake i.e., (Idli and Chutney)  
 

Woaah !!!...Life would be great !!!!