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Gregg2

macrumors 604
Original poster
May 22, 2008
7,404
1,322
Milwaukee, WI
...but the space on the back of my new credit card sure is! And they print a number on each end of the place you're supposed to sign. I guess you need an ultra fine point pen and a magnifying glass. Sheesh!:mad::confused:
 
On the other hand, it's not like anything in that space really gets used for anything about 99.9% of time.
 
...but the space on the back of my new credit card sure is! And they print a number on each end of the place you're supposed to sign. I guess you need an ultra fine point pen and a magnifying glass. Sheesh!:mad::confused:

Ah, yes, I feel (an dasher) your pain on this.

That is the very reason I started signing my name using my initials and surname, rather than my full name, when I was first issued with cards, as my name is rather long, and - even using initials - it is quite an act of compression to manage to fit it into that tiny space.
 
Ah, yes, I feel (an dasher) your pain on this.

That is the very reason I started signing my name using my initials and surname, rather than my full name, when I was first issued with cards, as my name is rather long, and - even using initials - it is quite an act of compression to manage to fit it into that tiny space.
Well Scepticalscribe is a long name!
 
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On the other hand, it's not like anything in that space really gets used for anything about 99.9% of time.

I used to sign the back of my credit cards, but I stopped when I realized that it's useless. I've never had a vendor point it out to me. IMO, it's just as silly as signing my name using a stylus on POS (point-of-sale, that is) terminals. I typically just scribble something that neither I nor anyone else would likely recognize. That's what I like about Apple Pay - I just wish more places accepted it.
 
It's a non-issue.
I never sign my cards. 95% of the time, no one ever mentions that. A few times, I get asked for picture ID, but that's about it.
 
I didn't bother signing my recent cards either, so I didn't notice that the space was smaller. :oops: The new material they're using for the cards feel cheap and one of them is already peeling.
 
I've noticed 2 things about the signature space on debit/credit cards.

1) The ink quickly wears off. It seems like if someone stole my card they could rub it off and write something new

2) Vendors never, ever check the signature space. I write "See ID" on my cards. In the past couple years I've only had a single cashier ask me for my license. I will note I make almost all of my store purchases via credit/debit.

I also question the purpose of PIN numbers. In the US, debit cards can be run as debit or credit, regardless of if the card had a linked credit account. The only difference is with debit you type in the PIN, with credit you (might) sign. It really defeats the purpose of having a PIN for purchases in the first place.
 
It's a non-issue.
I never sign my cards. 95% of the time, no one ever mentions that. A few times, I get asked for picture ID, but that's about it.
Hmmm. At some stores, the POS terminal flashes a message to show the card to the cashier. But, come to think of it, I encounter fewer cashiers who ask for it these days. I did manage to squeeze my signature on the back of the card, but it doesn't look much better than using my finger on a display.:(:confused::oops:o_O
 
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