Charge card catastorphy and how I'm thwarted again.

[Kiwi]

I scratch out my number, Im still using my NZ credit card in Canada and no one checks signatures like they do back home.
Sorry if it makes me a pain in the neck, but the machine screwing up is not my problem

[cinema guy]

Most CC receipts over here usually show only the last 4 digits, so the number looks like: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-1234

But I think the transactions are pretty much all processed electronically with the pin number entry, so having the numbers on the receipt is unnecessary.

Judging by the posts on here, I'm guessing the US and Canada don't use 'chip and pin' for CC transactions?

[Khana]

Funny identity theft paranoia

Hello.

That reminds me of this story, I found it utterly hilarious.

I'm a customer service rep at a call center, at the time, I was doing a patient assistance program. Since it's medical, we have to comply with the patient privacy laws, aka HIPPA. So, anytime I access a file, I have to verify 2 bits of information: usually name + date of birth, or name + social security number... orwe could do name + address AND phone number, but that one is ONLY a last resort if the dob/ssn are close but not quite, like we mixed up the numbers by accident or something.

Anyways, so Ms. Paranoid called in to request a refill on her medication. She doesn't have her ID#, so my Only choices to just find this woman are Name + Date of Birth or Name + Social security number. Can't search with address.

Most people don't like giving their social, so usually, I just say, "Ok, I can find you in our system with your name and date of birth. May I have that information, please?" and they give it and we're all happy.

This woman didn't want to give her date of birth. She started sounding all panicky and uncomfortable. She asked if I had to have it. I said, "Well, per HIPPA patient privacy laws, we do have to verify the name and either the date of birth or the social security number in order to access a file." Sometimes I get that and they just give me the date of birth, because well, that's easier.

She gave me the social security number...??!?!?!?! Yes, the entire 9 digit social. Not the last 4, no, the entire thing.

And as I accessed the file, I glanced at her date of birth. She wasn't that old, maybe 43 if I remember correctly. Most of our patients on that program were between 50 and 90.

I was completely dumbfounded.

[Becks]

Most CC receipts over here usually show only the last 4 digits, so the number looks like: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-1234

I know of places that do that, also.

A bit off topic, but I remember when I was working at Goodwill and occasionally the CC reader wouldn't work. Sometimes it was fun punching in the numbers by hand. One day I knew the opening numerical sequence for Visa, MasterCard AND Discover by heart. (NO, we DIDN'T take American Express. )

[Sofar]

Most CC receipts over here usually show only the last 4 digits, so the number looks like: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-1234

Our machine shows the entire number on the merchant receipt and just the last four on the customer receipt. Unfortunately I've yet to figure out how to get the thing to reprint a merchant receipt.

[Cia]

It's FTC regs that require the customer's c/c receipt only show the last 4 digits. How in the heck did the idiots get ahold of the merchants copy....oh wait they have to sign that one don't they? Never mind.

But back to the asswad who admits he charged the $90, knows it didn't show up on his statement and refuses to provide the card number - have him arrested for theft.

I like our c/c system. Don't use a knuckle buster or a POS machine. I write down their name, number, expiration date and billing address. Get on-line and enter the info and print out their receipt. Then I shred the paper I wrote the number down on. We don't keep the c/c info so the card has to be presented everytime they charge or they fax me the number.

We only take gov't and state issued c/c. Did talk one lady into coming down and pay me with cash instead of putting it on c/c - the charge was for $1.58. We don't sell to the general public. Sometimes we sell to the end-user but most of the time it is electricals or general contractors.

[BusBus]

I'm thinking the $90 guy came back to try to get another free meal....

[Andara Bledin]

Our machine shows the entire number on the merchant receipt and just the last four on the customer receipt. Unfortunately I've yet to figure out how to get the thing to reprint a merchant receipt.

I'd look online for a manual. If you've got the model number and the manufacturer, odds are good you can find it.

^-.-^

[SuperB]

I scratch out my number, Im still using my NZ credit card in Canada and no one checks signatures like they do back home.
Sorry if it makes me a pain in the neck, but the machine screwing up is not my problem

It is if you deny the business the proof of your purchase. A business has every right to have a cc receipt with the signature and full number easily read. It's not just if a machine "screws up". If you can't remember using your card at their location and request proof, the store has to dig up your receipt, photocopy the proof of your signature and fax or mail it to the cc company. If they can't find it based on the number they are provided, or prove it's your card combined with your signature, they lose the sale.

I consider that theft. I deny service if a customer thinks they have the right to do that and their "business" isn't welcome.

[Starlord]

What are you using, those old knuckle busters? The raised number on the cards are the holdover of old technology that has no purpose today. Those raised numbers were for the wimwams to print a receipt, and the numbers formed a carbon paper imprint for the customer. Card readers today do not read the raised letter, you can remove those completely, and the reader reads the magnetic strip on the back. When we would get a real Adam Henry at the jail, we would lay out the jerks cards on the counter and go over them with the bulk tape eraser for the 'Big Bertha' 24-hour media recorder. I always wanted to be there the next time they stuck their card in an ATM, and it kept their card because it had no info on it.