http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002FTO

The GICC has learned through 3 separate unnamed sources that a prominent credit card billing and processing company has incurred Y2K errors that are causing multi-system data error ramifications. Apparently, as many as 40,000 POS merchants may be affected, and as many as 150,000 credit card transactions may be involved. The problem, in part, seems to be that accounts are being double-billed after the initial credit purchase, then billed once per day after that. The ICC was expected to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. EST today to shed further detail on the event. Verification pending.

-- Someone (someone@somewhere.com), January 06, 2000

Answers

I scanned CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, CSPAN, and CSPAN-2, from 4:00 to 4:15 PM EST, and saw nothing. Also, no announcements on the Tom Brokaw evening news.

If anyone does hear an announcement from the ICC, I would appreciate it if you would post it.

Thanks, Ed

-- Ed Yourdon (ed@yourdon.com), January 06, 2000.

Not to worry folks....all but about 12 of these transactions were made by my wife!

-- Bills (Pistols@Dawn.com), January 06, 2000.

Bills...ROTFL...ain't it the truth! What husband hasn't felt the same way. You know you're in trouble when the credit card bill comes in multiple pages.

-- TM (mercier7@pdnt.com), January 06, 2000.

My credit card was stolen six months ago and I haven't reported it yet because the theif is charging less than my wife.

-- New Guy (Newbie@begentle.com), January 06, 2000.

Link? Verification? Rumors of contrail sightings over credit card processing centers? I'd like to follow this further...and I have yet to see anything elsewhere...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), January 06, 2000.

"Multi-system data ramification errors" Is that ANOTHER WAY TO SAY that the DATA in the systems is being trashed? Want Professional opinon.

-- Brent Nichols (b-nichol@ihug.co.nz), January 06, 2000.

Ed:

Hi, you devil, you. Still lurking around here. How about adding your 2 cents worth to my thread:

I'm curious: Why are *you* still checking this forum?

just for the record.

-- Interested Spectator (is@the_ring.side), January 06, 2000.

Here's more info that was posted on the GIIC Board

The computers of one of the largest point of sale credit card approval companies are posting transactions multiple times to credit card accounts. My information is that the President's Council and the Federal Reserve has decided not to make any public statement about this since it is a "private sector problem" although the banks wanted them to do so. Bottom line, watch your credit card bills and if you can do so to avoid using your credit card until this is fixed -- It shouldn't be long as I understand that the patch is available for download to the POS terminals and the media is already on to the story. Leon A. Kappelman, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Business Computer Information Systems Associate Director, Center for Quality & Productivity College of Business Administration, Univ. of North Texas Co-chair, Society for Info. Management Y2K Working Group Steering Committee, YES Volunteer Corps (www.iy2kcc.org) Voice: 940-565-4698 Fax: 940-369-7623 Email: kapp@unt.edu Website: http://www.unt.edu/bcis/faculty/kappelma/

-- LSRY2K (admin@lsry2k.net), January 06, 2000.

Does this mean I can't use my Discover card?? Hehehe

By the way, Ed, if you're here, I want to thank you. Your book TB2000 is great. Those who criticize you have definitely not read it. I want to announce this publicly: Ed Yourdon is a sweetheart and shows real class, unlike those who have the knives out for him. Good thing he has the hide of an elephant. God bless ya, Ed. Y2K or no, your advice regarding economic disruptions is still sound and useful.

Besides, do I hear any criticisms of Leonard Nimoy? He played narrator to the video "The Family Survival Guide to Y2K." Even Koskinen and Horn were interviewed in that one. And if I remember correctly, they were very concerned about the power grid staying up.

-- Marie (pray4peace@compuserve.com), January 06, 2000.

Sigh. I've seen Ed show up on several rumor threads soliciting hard information. So far, nothing of importance has panned out. Is he collecting these for his next opus, "The Collapse Nobody Noticed"?

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 06, 2000.

Flint: idiot. There's plenty of stuff going on.

-- Dzog (dzog@plasticine.com), January 06, 2000.

Tick... Tock... <:00= ...

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), January 06, 2000.