Credit card tantrums

[tollbaby]

Unless you can show me this law then I don't think it exists.
I think a difficulty here occurs when, for example, a parent sends a teenager to buy some jeans with the parents credit card.

Eek. I just fell into a trap and used SC logic. It's probably not a law, but it's definitely a regulation with most credit card companies (looking at my Visa and MasterCard agreements online, it's definitely there that ONLY the person who has been issued the card may use it.

[Banrion]

When I was younger, my friend's mom would give her a a CC, I think it was a store card to Express if my memory serves, but anyway, she would write a note to the effect of "so and so has permission to use this card for up to $250.00." and she signed the note. When we went to the store, they would allow her to use the card, and would staple the note to their copy of the receipt. They never once questioned it.

[RentalRacer]

haha I get people all the time that have "See ID" on their CC's...then ask me/yell at me why I did not ask them for their ID.
I get to smile nicely, and inform them that I have already seen their ID. Why? Because, you are renting a car, so you have already given me your Drivers License...in fact, I still have it. Funny, none of them have ever apologized for yelling, but I do get some sheepish looks.

[SCSlave]

Ummmmmm....you ask for I.D. because they're using a credit card.
They get mad.
And accuse you of not knowing anything about Credit card safety? God people really are stupid. I have absolutely NO tolerance for stupid people.



And a mother, seriously, allowed 1) her 5 year old to go to a store by himself and 2) allowed him to use her credit card? People never cease to amaze me.

[BlaqueKatt]

anyone that writes "see ID" on the signature strip of their cc is technically using and invalid card-Credit cards state "NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED" so unless your name is See id it can be refused as invalid the way around this is to sign it and then write see id over the signature with a sharpie.


BlaqueKatt-who never took an unsigned credit card

[CrazedClerk]

Err... I thought that was the LAW with ALL credit cards. I'd never EVER let someone use a credit card that didn't have THEIR OWN name on it. ugh. I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

Actually I think that does constitute Fraud, which last time I checked, is a crime.

[Jester]

anyone that writes "see ID" on the signature strip of their cc is technically using and invalid card-Credit cards state "NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED" so unless your name is See id it can be refused as invalid the way around this is to sign it and then write see id over the signature with a sharpie.

I think it would be amusing if someone changed their name, legally, to See Id.

And I am sure that somewhere there is someone with a name like Catherine Ingrid Davis who signs with their initals only, as many people do. THAT would be a case where "CID" would be perfectly valid. The question is....at that point do you ask for their ID?

As for the kids with the credit card thing, there is a simple solution. You can in fact get a card with the kid's name on it that is part of your account, so that the kid can quite easily charge stuff to you. (My mom did this for me for clothes when I was in college.) And if you are worried about your kid going hogwild with the card? Keep the card, and only give it to them for specific uses. Duh. I am only an uncle and I know this.

[Rapscallion]

I think it would be amusing if someone changed their name, legally, to See Id.

"I am El See ID, scourge of the infidels!"

Rapscallion

[Primer]

I do remember as a kid that the cards my mom carried and used were in my dad's name, but she signed them herself.

Also, I just checked all my cards the other night, and Amex and Discover do NOT say "Valid only if signed" or words to that effect.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Sounds like Loss Prevention is actually paying attention! Seriously, most merchants violate credit card rules every day. This is usually due to middle management not paying close enough attention and understanding the rules set by the credit card companies. I work in Revenue Assurance, and my company is totally gung ho about the credit card rules, so I know them well. They are all very similar, so I'll give you the Visa/MC rules as an example:

Asking for ID. Visa/MC states that if the back of the card is not signed, YOU MUST ASK FOR ID. Once they have produced it, you must have the customer SIGN THE BACK OF THE CARD or else you cannot accept the transaction. If it says 'see ID' its not considered signed and so same rules apply. If the customer refuses to sign it, you cannot accept the card. An unsigned card is not considered valid for charging...i.e., the cc company can REFUSE TO PAY A MERCHANT for a charge on an invalid credit card.
If the card is signed, the merchant cannot ask for ID. No really! this is their rule. If the signatures on the card and the sales slip don't match, the merchant can call the cc verification department and that person will do some kind of verification. they may ask the customer to show you their ID, but you cannot ask for it.

Now this varies by state. Washington state, for instance, has laws allowing merchants to ask for ID, which trump VISA/MC regulations. You should check your local laws to see what they allow.

Minimum and Maximum limits. Did you know that Visa/MC do not permit merchants to set limits on charges? In other words, you cannot post a sign stating that a customer can only use their debit/credit card if they spend over $10. Conversely, a used car lot cannot refuse you a car (which does happen sometimes) because you want to put it all on your card. If you've got the credit, then yes! you can legally charge a 17 thousand dollar car to your card and they are not supposed to refuse you.

Only the person who's name is on the card may use it. Period. If you and hubby are both on the bank account, you will either be issued separate cards or one card with both your names. period. End of story. No signed notes permitted. The cc company can legally refuse to pay merchants who knowingly allow someone else to use the card. Not that it happens very often, but they can.

[tollbaby]

"I am El See ID, scourge of the infidels!"

Rapscallion

Voltaire is rolling in his grave

[ISellCars]

Minimum and Maximum limits. Did you know that Visa/MC do not permit merchants to set limits on charges? In other words, you cannot post a sign stating that a customer can only use their debit/credit card if they spend over $10. Conversely, a used car lot cannot refuse you a car (which does happen sometimes) because you want to put it all on your card. If you've got the credit, then yes! you can legally charge a 17 thousand dollar car to your card and they are not supposed to refuse you.

Here's our policy at the dealership concerning credit cards:

There's a $2,500 limit on credit card transactions. Occasionally do we have a problem with this, you've got the people who want to get a $20,000 vehicle, and charge it all on their credit card so they can get flyer miles, or bonuses from their CC company or whatever.

It's this way, because after $2,500, we will get charged up to 4% of the balance. So if someone wants to put $10,000 on a credit card, we have to pay the CC company $400. So we tell them, yes, you can put the whole balance on your credit card, but you'll also have to pay us the extra 4%.

That usually stops them.

[chantal]

Store Policy and SC's

The store policy where I work is that ALL credit card transactions require photo identification. It can be anything that has your picture and name on it, driver's license, [ontario] health card, student card, etc. We have customers who love the policy and customers who HATE the policy. Some say that it's a good idea because it helps prevent credit card theft, but we also get the ones who go ape-shit on us. No ID, no transaction. You want to pay with cash or debit (remember, debit cards and credit cards are different things in Canada) fine, no ID required. It's store policy, don't yell at the poor girl ringing you through.

It's also required that we write down the driver's license number on the receipt if it's over $200. We've had numerous customers tell us that that's illegal, so management is checking it out, but for the moment...I need to see your &$@*%! ID

[Rapscallion]

Voltaire is rolling in his grave

I'm using him to power a dynamo.

Rapscallion

[Lace Neil Singer]

I once had a customer try to pay with an unsigned credit card in the days BC (Before Chip and pin). She had a whole trolleyload of shopping, and she handed me a card with the sig bit worn off. I told her I couldn't accept it. She said, "Why not? It's my card, the sig bit just wore off." I told her that it was against store policy. She threw a fit and asked to see a manager; I got a supervisor who then told her the same thing, before putting out a tannoy for a duty manager, who told her the same thing. She then stormed out, leaving a trolley load of stuff including the Cheestrings her spawn had been gnawing on.