As my friend and I walked out of our dorm rooms ready to head off to the movie theatre, I peered into my wallet. One five and five ones. Certainly not enough for a ticket, a quick bite, and a cab ride.I frequently go to the ATM at my university's snack shop when I'm running short, and since it was on the way to Broadway (the hive of yellow and black taxicabs), it seemed perfect. From the back of the line, I shuffled my feet until I reached the stall and dipped my Citibank debit card into the slot. Then I pressed in my PIN.And it hit me. A four-digit long password. #-#-#-#.My checking account and savings account, the place where I store my hard-earned cash, is protected my four characters. Worse yet, each of those four characters have just ten possibilites for a total of a measly ten thousand possibilities. More than several websites, including the official Citibank website, force you to create passwords with strong alphanumeric chains.Why haven't banks done the same, especially in an industry that demands security? Sure, if a thief wanted to steal your PIN, let alone your identity, there are sophisticated hacking techniques to do so (and also looking in your trash). But at the very least, enforcing stronger passwords would prevent possible thieves from being able to just look over your shoulder and remember where your finger was in four locations.

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	Felix_Arabia - February 03, 2007 (01:45 PM) I don't know about your ATM, but the ones I'm familiar with will eat your card if you get the number wrong 3 times.
	Halon - February 03, 2007 (06:03 PM) I'm always afraid that I will forget my PIN but luckily I haven't yet. Change are I'll forget anything longer, so I guess the four-digit PIN isn't so bad.
	EmP - February 04, 2007 (03:14 AM) I did forget my PIN once, but instead of eating my card, it wiped it clean and gave it back. Sheepishly, I shuffled into the bank and confessed shyly that I was a retard and I couldn't remember my number. The girl on the desk giggled and took the card, promising to reprogram it with something I wouldn't forget so easily. For a few days, until I could be bothered to change it, my PIN number was 1234. Crack that one, wily theives!
	Halon - February 04, 2007 (07:59 AM) When I created my PIN they wouldn't allow me to put three or more consecutive numbers in it.
	janus - February 05, 2007 (04:12 AM) Mine is 4598. The pattern is easy to remember.
	goldenvortex - February 05, 2007 (05:23 AM) I forgot my PIN once and the bank machine ate my card. Son of a bitch! Yeah, I did the same thing as EmP once too. It's pretty embarassing when that happens. What's worse is when you get a new card and you have to try and remember your new PIN. I've had a few incidents were I've lost my new card by repeatedly putting in my old PIN.