Old story about ID's and Credit Cards

[Nayeli_Sabia]

Back when I worked retail, I had a personal policy of checking signatures on the CC to check if it matched the sig on the receipt. Amazing concept, right? Now, every once in a while, a tired CC with the sig strip worn off so that the void shows comes along. I'm nice, I'll scan it anyways, but I ask for ID so I can... dundundun... check the sig! I also tell them how they can contact the company and get a new card, since technically their's isn't valid anymore.

So one day this gentleman with a Card so worn the entire STRIP says VOIDVOIDVOID comes in. I ask for his ID, and he flips out. "Why do you need my ID? That's stupid, I'm paying with a Credit CardBLAHBLAHBLAHWHINE" I explain that it's to protect him, since I need to check the signature to verify that he's the valid user. He still refused. Small photo store, my manager came over, backed me up and told him we needed to see his ID. Finally he pulls it out, grabs his pictures and says next time he's going to company Y. I say that's fine sir, since company Y owns our company! Have a nice day.

The lady in line behind him told me that she would recommend our store to everyone she knows, since we're careful to try and prevent Identity theft!

[chops]

I remember having a debit card that was used so much that the signature strip wore off. I can understand completely when they can't read the signature because of that and they ask for ID...it's when they don't bother checking the signature and asking for ID instead.

[MrDelirious]

At my store, we have to make sure that your face matches the face on the ID and that the name on the ID matches the name on the card. No sig matching. Which is good. Swear to god, one guy signed a receipt with what appeared to be a lower case t.

[Sparkticus]

A few times I've had to ask for ID (sig worn off, or they've forgotten to sign it) and no-one has minded yet (and that's jinxed THAT!)

Although the funny ones are the ones that have forgotten to sign, sign the card in front of you, and then hand it over and when you say "I still need some ID" they're confused, because, of course, they now have a signed card...

[Lady Heather]

The store my friend works at recieved a memo that said Visa, Does not want them to ask for ID anymore.
Visa will deal with the fraud charges, but Visa has recieved complaints from customers about being asked for ID.
So no more asking for ID at my friends store. Has anyone else heard this BS?

[Andara Bledin]

The basic rundown on credit cards and ID is that if the card is signed, and the signature matches, then that's all the ID you should require as stated by most (if not all) merchange agreements with the credit card companies.

If a card is unsigned, however, then the merchant is actually supposed to check additional ID to ensure that the person is the cardholder.

I've never signed any of my cards (laziness, mostly) but my card has my picture, so I never get asked anyway.

^-.-^

[chops]

The basic rundown on credit cards and ID is that if the card is signed, and the signature matches, then that's all the ID you should require as stated by most (if not all) merchange agreements with the credit card companies.

Exactly. Visa and MasterCard either explicitly forbid or explicitly discourage ID checking. (See Visa's rules on page 29 of this PDF, and MasterCard's on page 28 of this PDF.)

If a card is unsigned, however, then the merchant is actually supposed to check additional ID to ensure that the person is the cardholder.

They're also supposed to make you sign the card on the spot, but it rarely happens because it causes so much grief.

I'd given this a lot of thought because this is one of my pet peeves, though I try my damnedest not to be an SC about it. I had figured that merchants had seen so many of these "See ID" notations from people who want them to check their ID that they just made it blanket policy, thinking that it's a more effective way of verifying identity. In fact, the Apple Retail Stores require ID because they don't have you sign anything. (It's actually really cool how they handle credit card transactions...it's all done on a handheld unit and then the information is transmitted wirelessly and printed out on a remote printer.)

On a side note, you'll rarely, if ever, see ID checking in Vermont. Reason being is that we're the only state that does not require photos on their licenses, even though it's becoming more commonplace to issue photo IDs.

[Imogene]

Had a guy, my first Christmas at Chesterfield... handed me his card, I flip it over, it said "See ID". So, of course, being the good little doobie I am, I ask him for his ID.
"What? Why?"
*blink, blink* "Your card says See ID."
"That's not right..." *snatches card away from me, starts flipping through his walet, hands me another card, this one signed*
*Alarms go off in my head, but I ring him through anyway, because he was being a jerk at that point, and I wanted him out*

[sms001]

Back when I worked retail, I had a

I've noticed over the years that stores have gotten more and more lax about checking ID.

I think the major reason is that these days, they get their money immediately whether it is the valid cardholder or not. Back in the days of batch processing, or even the paper slips, there was such a delay between the card and cardholder leaving the store and the merchant getting paid that they wanted to be sure everything was going to go through correctly. Now, why should they care?

It doesn't bother me one way or another, but it used to be kind of irritating that out of a hundred customers, forty would get snooty about not being checked, forty about being checked, and twenty just wouldn't care.

[digilight]

The fact that you aren't supposed to ask for ID on a CC sale is stupid. If its a fraudulant charge then with a chargeback the retailer will have the money from the sale debited from their account as well as a chargeback fee (verys from provider to provider anywhere from 35 bucks to a hundred bucks a pop).

So basically you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

[wagegoth]

CC company doesn't care because the merchant will suffer the loss.

My husband lost my debit card after putting gas in the car, and someone ran up almost $300 on it in two days before we knew it was gone (just didn't use it again). Anyway, the thief didn't have my pin, so she had to sign everything and nobody checked the signature. I figure that's the merchants problem, because the card signature strip was signed and in good, readable shape.

One thing interesting happened, I have ordered merchandise from Land's End. The thief apparently attempted to order some items but they refused to accept the order. I surmised that she couldn't verify my address to change the existing address in their system, otherwise there would have been more money out of the account.

My bank immediately cancelled the card, put the money back in the account, and charged back the merchants.

On Topic: I think a merchant should be allowed to ask for photo ID when anyone uses a credit or debit card. My bank checks my information, why can't the retailer?

[chops]

The fact that you aren't supposed to ask for ID on a CC sale is stupid.

The credit card companies think it's sound. After all, wouldn't you think that with today's technology it's easier to forge an ID than an average signature?

If its a fraudulant charge then with a chargeback the retailer will have the money from the sale debited from their account as well as a chargeback fee (verys from provider to provider anywhere from 35 bucks to a hundred bucks a pop).

That's true, but it doesn't explain why checking ID is more effective.

Here's my take. Checking ID can be more effective if the card was not signed before it was stolen; however, if the victim admits that the card was not signed or the issuer finds out some other way, that is the victim's problem, not the merchants'. It can also be effective if a signature is not captured.

Checking signatures can be more effective if the card was properly signed to begin with. Unless the signature is very simplistic, if a card is stolen the thief could either go to places that do no checking at all, or forge an ID with their own picture to match the name.

Just my .

[Refkeila]

My take on IDing credit card transactions (I work in retail). I DO NOT swipe that plastic until it's been signed.

Card signed/signature matches- Good enough for me.
Card signed/signature's a little different, but major characteristics are there- Still acceptable.
Card signed "See ID" or some variant- Before I swipe the card, I want to see official government ID.
Card NOT signed- I don't care if it's in your truck at the other end of the parking lot in -30 weather. You want your shit, I want your ID. And yes, I'll get the manager so they can tell you the exact same thing.

It's for your security, deal with it or shop somewhere else.

[powerboy]

With my old jobs, I would ask to see some ID.

We do that at my new job also. But only when someone is a new tenant.

[bainsidhe]

On a side note, you'll rarely, if ever, see ID checking in Vermont. Reason being is that we're the only state that does not require photos on their licenses, even though it's becoming more commonplace to issue photo IDs.

Wait. Vermont doesn't have photos on their IDs? What's the point of that? If you're buying alcohol, why even bother checking ID, since you don't know if it's the same person. Let alone confirming ID for checks, CCs, etc. Isn't there a lot of fraud with getting a job or a loan (using someone else's ID & info) or getting pulled over (cops won't know you have warrants, you have someone else's ID). Just seems silly, if you ask me.