There are four main disadvantages of using the fingerprint scanner.
1) Using the fingerprint scanner does not take into consideration when a person physically changes.
A person's finger changes sizes or form/pattern over time and the fingerprint scanner does not take this into consideration. When these changes occur, an individual can have difficulty identifying themselves and gaining access. The fingerprint scanner can have problems in capturing an accurate fingerprint image as well.
- In the manual labour industry, since employees are usually working with their hands, their fingers may get rough or scratched which could lead to a miss-reading.
2) The cost of computer hardware and software programs can be expensive.
Certain speciality fingerprint scanners require computer hardware and software programs that
can be quite expensive.
- In any government job, where costs are already quite expensive, having a high security system may require expensive computer hardware and software.
3) Using the fingerprint scanner can lead to false rejections.
This biometric device does not always read an individuals fingerprint accurately, and could therefore refuse access to an employee. In certain cases, an employee may have not placed their fingerprint in the right spot or placed the left finger instead of the right and visa versa. When this happens the fingerprint scanner falsely rejects the employees fingerprint.
- In the retail industry, if an employee does not place their correct finger in the right spot the fingerprint scanner may not read the employee's identification properly.
4) Using the fingerprint scanner can lead to false acceptances.
When employees use the fingerprint scanner to punch it, it is possible that the system may identify the punch made from one employee, as another's and therefore grant access to an unauthorized employee.
- In the retail industry, a fingerprint scanner could accidently read an employees fingerprint for someone else's. This is rare but is possible if there is a malfunction in the system.