SUPERMARKET shoppers are giving the thumbs up to a new scheme aimed at reducing credit card fraud.

From Sunday, some shoppers at Safeway in Harwood, may be asked to voluntarily give their thumbprint, using wax 'inkpads', when buying goods.

The system, being run in partnership with the police, allows staff who may have reservations about a customer's signature to ask for their thumbprint as back-up security measure.

The print will be placed on the back of credit card slips and cheques which will then be kept and could be used for identification purposes if the credit/debit card or cheque is later found to be fraudulent.

Safeway is the first major store in the area to become involved in the scheme.

Assistant manager Nigel Hopkins said: "I had concerns about it at first, but now it has been fully explained I am confident it will be a success. I have credit cards and would be quite happy to do it myself as a customer."

Notices have been displayed throughout the store in the run up to the launch and customers seem keen on the idea.

Customer Denys Tinsley, aged 65, of Hawkshaw, said: "Both my wife and I have Parkinson's, so our signatures can vary from day to day meaning we'd be likely to be asked and wouldn't mind at all. I don't think any honest people would.

"We would like to see a form of ID introduced that doesn't involve any writing for that exact reason."

Another shopper Sue Barker, aged 55 from Astley Bridge, said: "I think it's a good idea and definitely wouldn't be offended, as it is all for security."

Cashiers are also in favour of the scheme. Karen Pickering, aged 45, who works as a cashier said: "I think it's great. My son was robbed last week and with something like this there would be more chance of catching the culprit.

"I wouldn't feel intimidated asking for a thumbprint, you learn to judge people first anyway."

Community Beat Officer for Harwood, PC Pete Thomasson is promoting Operation Thumbprint. He said: "Almost 90 per cent of the people who commit credit card fraud have previous convictions and we think this scheme will cut down on it in a big way.

"It's very much like when credit cards first came into the country, people were reluctant to leave their signatures behind, and I expect some will be wary of leaving their thumbprint, but we hope that in time it will become the norm."

Customers asked for their thumbprint are not obliged to give it, but Safeway reserves the right to refuse their custom.

Thumbprints will be stored on a database for future reference and police hope the scheme will be a major step forward in their fight against cheque and credit card crime which costs an estimated £400 million a year in the UK.