Can I see your ID not your signature? (credit card merchants)

[monokakata]

I got carded a couple of days ago. Where I live, tourists are common and clerks tend to ask them for ID.

Although I was born and raised here, I'm white, as are many tourists. If I'm at the point of sale and I talk to the clerk, I never get carded. It's my local accent. If I have no reason to say anything and a cruise ship's in town, I'm likely to get carded.

Yeah, it can be annoying. But it's fun to be asked for ID and reply, knowing that my speech alone says I'm local. I can't count the times the clerk and I have both shrugged and laughed.

I do realize this is different from what's annoying the OP. But there's no one size fits all for ID requests, or for agreeing to them.

 

[Macky-Mac]

My sig at a terminal is scribble scrabble at best. I have done triangles, circles, squares, and signed vagina.

They always say thank you.

seriously.....even if you wanted to, on many of those things you couldn't manage to scrawl anything that actually manages to approximate what you signed on the back of your card

 

[Menel]

.

I have recently been the victim of identity theft and fraud. In one incident, my credit card was duplicated. The fraudsters were able to obtain a copy of the magnetic stripe and tested it with a $20 purchase. ?

Chip and PIN is coming. It's being rolled out at major retailers.

You can get a Target Chip and Pin card. (Let me know how that goes, I wont get it till my debit card gets updated)

Target and Kroger stores have the readers. Its spreading. Better late than never.

 

[smithrh]

You can get a Target Chip and Pin card.

Target?

Yeah, no. I won't see the inside of a Target store for a good while after what they allowed to happen.

 

[SandPebble]

Target?

Yeah, no. I won't see the inside of a Target store for a good while after what they allowed to happen.

Agree.

I will not do Target.

 

[arogge]

Here's what happens when you don't do a signature verification on the printed receipts:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...n-Same-Places----2-Years-Apart-260815491.html

She enters unlocked cars in elementary school parking lots, takes multiple credit cards from bags left in plain view, and goes on a shopping spree at local department stores. The thief did the same thing two years ago, and now may be working with an accomplice.

 

[aristobrat]

Here's what happens when you don't do a signature verification on the printed receipts:

I usually pay with a card multiple times a day. I can't remember when the last time someone asked to see the back of my card (so that they could verify signatures).

A local pet store and Best Buy will occasionally ask to see an ID, but that's it.

While I don't necessarily disagree with your point, at this point in society, it seems to be purely academic.

IMO, your best bet for not having your card skimmed and fraudulently used in the future is EMV (chip and pin). Trying to change the habits of virtually every merchant in the US in regards to signature verification (and the occasional request to see ID) isn't likely to yield you any positive results, regardless of the logic.

Well, it may yield you some catharsis, but I seriously doubt no matter how many times you report a big box store for not verifying your signature or asking for ID, that they'll change their ways.

 

[jlsm511]

When I worked at the Apple Store it was drilled into us that we COULD NOT ask for an ID unless the card wasn't signed or it specifically said "Check ID". That was 4 years ago. Now when I go, the noobs there don't even ask, even though all my cards state "Check ID".

 

[aristobrat]

When I worked at the Apple Store it was drilled into us that we COULD NOT ask for an ID unless the card wasn't signed or it specifically said "Check ID". That was 4 years ago. Now when I go, the noobs there don't even ask, even though all my cards state "Check ID".

FWIW, VISA tells merchants to not accept cards that do not have a signature, including cards that have "See ID" (or the equiv.) written on the back.

This is snipped directly from the VISA merchant agreement (page 33):

SEE ID

In the U.S ., some customers write “See ID” or “Ask for ID” in the signature panel, thinking that this is a deterrent against fraud or forgery; that is, if their signature is not on the card, a fraudster will not be able to forge it. In reality, criminals often don’t take the time to practice signatures. They use cards as quickly as possible after a theft and prior to the accounts being blocked. They are actually counting on you not to look at the back of the card and compare signatures; they may even have access to counterfeit identification with a signature in their own handwriting.

In this situation, follow recommended steps listed above under Unsigned Cards.

UNSIGNED CARDS

While checking card security features, you should also make sure that the card is signed. An unsigned card is considered invalid and should not be accepted. If a customer gives you an unsigned card, the following steps must be taken:

• Check the cardholder’s ID. Ask the cardholder for some form of official government identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. Where permissible by law, the ID serial number and expiration date should be written on the sales receipt before you complete the transaction.

• Ask the customer to sign the card. The card should be signed within your full view, and the signature checked against the customer’s signature on the ID. A refusal to sign means the card is still invalid and cannot be accepted. Ask the customer for a different signed Visa card.

• Compare the signature on the card to the signature on the ID.

The words “Not Valid Without Signature” appear above, below, or beside the signature panel on all Visa cards .

 

[chris.breshears]

Call and file a complaint.

Unless required by law, a merchant may not require identification. They may request that you show an ID, but they cannot decline a transaction for the sole reason that you do not want to show an ID.

Complain about it.

It's not their job to be detective and fight fraud. It's their job to check the signature, and if it resembles, to complete the transaction.

On that same note, it's never wise to write "See ID" on the back of your cards. Why would someone want to willingly give personal information to a stranger? That person who is working at McDonalds who is 35 years old may not be trustworthy. And you just gave them your address, zip code, et cetera.

If you ever have electronic fraud on your account, you can only legally be liable for up to $50.00 per occurrence, and most good banks offer zero liability if you report the fraud in a timely manner.

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Chip and PIN is coming. It's being rolled out at major retailers.

You can get a Target Chip and Pin card. (Let me know how that goes, I wont get it till my debit card gets updated)

Target and Kroger stores have the readers. Its spreading. Better late than never.

Visa and Mastercard are essentially forcing a change within a year and a half.

At Wells Fargo, we're offering Chip and Pin on all credit cards issued through WFB NA. Not doing debit cards just yet though.

 

[Southern Dad]

We have many businesses in this area of Georgia that have signage up stating that they require identification for any purchases using a credit card. The credit card companies make their money by getting businesses to accept their card and customers to use their card. Since only a tiny fraction of the customers are upset by this practice, they aren't going to take any action.

I have no objection at all to showing my Driver's License to the cashier when using my credit cards. Since we don't use a PIN when selecting credit anyone could use a card that they found or stole.

 

[einsteinbqat]

Just upgrade already, and follow the rest of the world with the chip and PIN!

 

[noodlemanc]

In my almost 52 years, I have never been asked to give ID when using a credit or debit card. Shrug.

Neither. When I was obviously underage I used my dad's credit card at shops with no questions asked. Hell, I even used to (try) sign his signature back when not all merchants accepted PINs, and there were no issues.

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I've never been asked in NZ; my card requires that I enter a PIN in most cases so that's sufficient evidence that the card is mine. In the US, on the other hand, I was never asked for a PIN and in some cases was asked to show ID. The cards must be processed differently over there otherwise I'd certainly have needed a PIN there too.

I haven't been in NZ for a while, but here in Australia most of the banks are actually getting rid of signing for purchases altogether. Surprised that the U.S doesn't use PINs still...