Well Wouldn't That Be Convenient...

[NateTheChops]

I had this gem a couple days ago.

A woman comes gets ready to pay for her things using her "boss's" credit card. She insists that she works for the company on the card because it is a well known toy company with the large giraffe as it's mascott.

I of course ask my supervisor, who in turn calls the manager on duty.

The whole time the woman insists that she works for the company and this is her boss's credit card and that he lets her use it all the time. Here's the other kicker. She insists that because the total is under twenty-five dollars and I wouldn't need a signature anyway, it shouldn't be a problem for her to use someone else's credit card.

Of course even after the FES backed me up and the MOD told her we couldn't accept it, (His exact words were, "Well then your boss is going to have to use it himself".) she decided to pay with her own debit card. Not without continuing to make us eat crow that we wouldn't accept her "boss's" credit card. Oh and that she worked in retail and was aware of the policies. Because for some reason people keep thinking that if they "work in retail" they can get away with breaking the rules in someone else's store.

Now, the purchases weren't all that ambiguous. And if someone had stolen a credit card, I'd like to think a discount retailer wouldn't be their destination of choice for ruining someone else's life.

Maybe she was using her boss's card, but let me just point out a few things that most of us here are probably more than aware of.

1: If the boss did supposedly work for the Giraffe Toy company and the purchase was business related, why not draw the money from petty cash?

2: Just because you have a credit card that has the store logo's name on it, does not mean it is the "company card". Almost every major retailer has it's own credit card as people who apply for a store card are likely to spend more money in that store. It's the reason why you can't go to a store in the SHC without being asked if you'd like to apply for a Sears Credit Card.

3: Wouldn't you find it awfully convenient if someone who was well aware of the "Under 25 dollars than no signature" practice kept making purchases under twenty five dollars just to stay off the radar? Then they could slowly destroy your credit rating without breaking a sweat because most cashiers wouldn't bother checking it unless they needed a signature.

[Treasure]

*raises hand*
did the "company card" have the company listed first, with the "authorized user's" (boss') name under it?
I ask because I use my company's card all the time, but it doesn't have my name on it... it has Company Name then Boss' Name

most of the purchases I use it for are under 25$ however when it goes over and I have to sign, I sign <COMPANY NAME by Me>

I started this when my mom owned a flower shop, and I would have to sign the CC slip for delivery when she provided the # over the phone; I had to sign the Delv. slip and the CC - I'd sign the Delv. slip <Me>, and the CC <Company by Me> No one had a problem with this... not the wholesalers, not the bank, and certainly not my mom/boss....

additionally - if she was that adamant that she had permission, she could've called the boss, or better yet, had you call the boss, for a verbal authorization

[NateTheChops]

There was another person's name there, but there was nothing to indicate that this guy was an employee at the store. Again, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but there wasn't enough information to take the risk and my store's policy is pretty adamant about credit card purchases.

[Teskeria]

verbal authorization does a store no good if the cardholder disputes. Since they cannot prove they actually spoke to the card holder and not a random man the customer had them call.

[wraiths_crono]

What is stupid is that most people do not try this, something I have done a lot and it works: Get a business card from your boss, have him write a note on it stating your allowed to use the card, and sign it. Any place that I had to use his card accepted this note, or called him also to verbally verify... People tho.

[earl colby pottinger]

I would have asked for her driver's licence to record the number on the store's copy of the receipt. It would have been interesting to see her actions when asked.

As for calling her boss, that is what phone books are for. I would have called the local company branch and insist on walking up the chain to her boss. If he complained I will point out we are protecting him, for all we know his assistant has permission to use his card, but the assistant's friend might be the one using it. Better safe than sorry.

[Anakah]

At my casino if your name is nowhere to be found on the card, you can't use it. People are starting to bring in those H &R block cards with NO names on it and are getting turned down.

Couldn't the boss get her a card with her name on it? Problem with the note how do you know it actually came from the boss? There are a lot of variables but I'm not in retail and am in a different kind of business so I don't know the rules and policies but bottom line for me is if your name is not on it, you probably shouldn't be allowed to use it. But that's just how I feel since working in the industry where I work.

I've seen too much fraud to think otherwise.

[Victory Sabre]

My company CC has my name on it, and I'm the only one who can use it.

I smell a rat with your customer.

[auntiem]

I've once been on a company card where the company's name is on the front and everyone who can use it (3 people) had to squeeze their signature on the back. Weird system, but it was accepted everywhere I used it.
All the rest of the times - Company Name / My Name was on the front of the card, when you left the job you turned over the card and they took your name off the list.

Is it a law or policy that you don't need a signature for under $25? I've never heard of that. I've always had to get signatures for everything.

[Draco]

Some stores don't make you sign for under 20/25 dollars. Mine makes you sign even if it's 5 cents. :P

[vikingchyk]

Some stores don't make you sign for under 20/25 dollars. Mine makes you sign even if it's 5 cents. :P

Some stores don't make you sign if it's under $50

[Jay 2K Winger]

Some stores don't make you sign if it's under $50

I went back to the wholesale club recently to buy some razors (I go through them a lot faster now that I'm shaving my head), so my total was up around $45 or so. When I stopped working at the store, it was <$25 meant you didn't have to sign.

That's been bumped up to <$50. Which I'm not too happy about.

[EricKei]

Some stores don't make you sign for under 20/25 dollars. Mine makes you sign even if it's 5 cents. :P

Wow. A number of stores, especially smaller ones, avert this by refusing to accept cards for purchases under a certain amount (usually $5), and/or charging a fee to cover the expenses involved in running the card in the first place (~$2 for smaller purchases, iirc)

[Andara Bledin]

Wow. A number of stores, especially smaller ones, avert this by refusing to accept cards for purchases under a certain amount (usually $5), and/or charging a fee to cover the expenses involved in running the card in the first place (~$2 for smaller purchases, iirc)

We have stores that try that here in Cali.

They don't much care for it when I point out that charging an additional fee for credit cards is illegal in this state. And at least 7 others, but they don't care about other places.

^-.-^

[Beckpatton]

Having worked in retail for the first 12 working years of my life, I learned to be a real stickler when it came to CC transactions! If it wasn't your card, you can't use it. I dont care if its your bosses card, your mum's card, or the pope's card. If your signature doesn't match I will call you on it. If you are a man and it has a woman's name on it, I am going to question you about it.

It wasn't so much that I would get in trouble if I didn't check, but that I was happy to do my job to the letter!

Here in Aus, one of the supermarket chains now has the policy of not needing a signature for transactions under $35. This infuriates me! Sure if your card is stolen, you report it as such, and eventually your credit card company sorts it out and credits your account. However Hubby and I have VISA debit cards, so it can be run as credit, but it's actually our cash being used. Sure once again our bank would reimburse us for any fraudulent purchases, but only after their investigation which can take weeks.

What if I don't have weeks to be without my money?

I don't like that this supermarket is leaving me open to that kind of inconvenience!

Also, the banks are bringing in a new system called Pay-Wave. All new credit/debit cards have a chip that allows you to hold your card up to a reader for a few seconds to complete the transaction. No pin or signature required, not even a selection of account. Just hold up your card, and wait for the light to turn green! This is for purchases up to $100!!

Sure once again, the CC company will reimburse you for any fraudulent purchases, but you are still inconvenienced, and put out, possibly without any money until they investigate!

The part that annoys me most, is that I didn't even ask for this "convenience" it is being forced upon me, and I can't refuse it.