Account cards are used in many aspects of daily life, including gaining access to secure locations, providing identifying information, and performing monetary transactions. In some situations, mobile devices such as smartphones are replacing traditional cards, such as mobile devices having apps for making payments at point-of-sale locations or accessing a hotel room. But traditional cards still remain the most commonly-used mechanism for providing account information, thanks to their small form factor, convenience, and the highly developed infrastructure for receiving account information from cards such as magnetic card readers.
Compared to mobile electronic devices, traditional cards have more inherent security risks. While mobile electronic devices are usually locked with a passcode or PIN to prevent unauthorized usage, traditional cards are inherently unlocked and can be used by anyone in possession of the card. Thus, when a card is lost or stolen, the finder or thief can use the card at will, until an intervening event occurs, such as the card issuer disabling the card, a diligent cashier refusing the card upon checking the cardholder's identification, or destruction of the card. Often times, card issuers and the true cardholders suffer the consequences of fraudulent activities by the time the card number is cancelled or changed.
In view of the shortcomings of current systems and methods for providing account information, a robust, secure, and efficient mechanism for controlling activation of account card devices is desired.