A card reader includes a receiving arrangement configured to sequentially receive cards from an upstream process and position the cards to be read. It also includes a first reader configured to read card information from cards a first time and a second reader configured to read card information from cards a second time. The second reader is positioned such that the information is read by the second reader after the information is read by the first reader. The card reader also includes an advancing mechanism configured to advance cards from the receiving arrangement, through the first and second readers, to a downstream process. The card reader also includes a processor programmed to receive card carrier information that identifies at least one card relating to a particular card carrier. The processor also receives card information from the first reader and from the second reader. The processor compares the card information as read by the first reader to the card information as read by the second reader and rejects the card if the card information is inconsistent. The processor also compares the card information as read by either the first or second reader to the card carrier information rejects the card if the card information does not match the card carrier information.