Computer hardware; computer software and computer programs for the purpose of conducting financial transactions; computer software for encryption; software for secure data storage and retrieval and transmission of confidential customer information used by individuals, banking and financial institutions; magnetic encoded cards and cards containing an integrated circuit chip, namely, encoded electronic chip cards containing software and other programs used for the purpose of conducting financial transactions; magnetic coded charge cards, magnetic coded bank cards, magnetic coded credit cards, magnetic coded debit cards and payment cards; magnetically encoded card readers and smart card readers; computers designed to enable smart cards to interact with terminals and readers; point of sale transaction terminals and computer software for transmitting, displaying and storing transaction, identification and financial information for use in the financial services, banking and telecommunications industries; radio frequency identification devices, namely, transponders; and electronic verification apparatus for verifying authentication of charge cards, bank cards, credit cards, debit cards and payment cards