Patent ID: 7185806

Claim:
An apparatus forming a portable identification card which can be read using a magnetic swipe card reader, comprising: a magnetic stripe for storing information; at least one input device adapted for a user to enter authentication data; a memory for storing reference data; a processor configured to compare the authentication data entered by the user to the reference data stored in the memory to determine whether the authentication data entered by the user is correct authentication data; a sensor assembly configured to detect when the card is swiped through the magnetic card reader; a jammer adapted to emit at least one jamming signal which causes the magnetic card reader to consider the magnetic stripe to be invalid when the card is swiped without first entering the correct authentication data; and, a power source adapted to supply power to the processor, the sensor assembly, and the jammer; wherein the processor is configured to count entries of authentication data entered by the user which failed to match the reference data, and wherein the apparatus is inactivated when the entries of authentication data exceeds a predetermined number by affecting the magnetic stripe; wherein the processor is further configured to count sequential entries in which the authentication data entered by the user failed to match the reference data, and wherein the jammer is further adapted to emit an erasing signal which erases a portion of the magnetic stripe when the count of sequential entries exceeds a predetermined number.