A system for increasing transaction security across existing infrastructure is
provided. A user bio-metric sensor device is integrated into a credit or debit
card. A display unit provides a key, preferably encrypted, upon successful utilization
of the sensor device. Included in the key generation mechanism is an indicator
of the transaction number or other sequential count indicative of card use. An
authorization service decrypts the key in a manner at least partially dependent
upon a second sequential count maintained in sync with the first count to determine
whether the use is authorized. In one embodiment, a separate credit card reader
may be configured to read conventional credit cards, smart cards, and credit cards
incorporating such bio-metric sensor devices.