1. How often does a merchant ask you for positive identification when you pay with a credit card? a. More than 75% of the time. b. 50-75% of the time. c. Less than 50% of the time. 2. Is your experience with merchants that have self service card swiping equipment at checkout worse? a. Yes b. No 3. Are Grocers worse at this than other retail stores? a. Yes b. No ----------------
1. How often does a merchant ask you for positive identification when you pay with a credit card? c. Less than 50% of the time. 2. Is your experience with merchants that have self service card swiping equipment at checkout worse? b. No 3. Are Grocers worse at this than other retail stores? b. No
1. Less than 50% of the time--and that's really bad, because I have "See ID" on the back of all my CC's 2. Yes--Nobody ever asks me to keep my card out to check the signature when I use the self-serve thingy 3. Yes--they all have that self-serve thingy
ALL MY CARD ARE SIGNED...THE CASHIER IS SUPPOSED TO COMPARE THE SIGNATURE ON THE CARD TO SIGNATURE ON SLIP...THAT IS ALL!!! IF SOMEBODY ASKS FOR ID...I TELL THEM IT VIOLATES CREDIT CARD POLICY UNLESS THE CARD IS UNSIGNED... I HAVE TOLD THEM TO VOID THE SALE A COUPLE OF TIMES IF THEY ARE GOING TO PUSH FOR ID!!! IF YOU WANT TO PUT "CID" OR "SEE ID" OR "SEE LICENSE"...YOU EXPECT TO SHOW YOUR ID...BUT I DON'T BECAUSE I FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO SIGN THE CARD!!! BY SIGNING THE CARD YOU ACCEPT THE CREDIT CARD POLICY, AND YOU ARE ALLOWING THE BUSINESS TO CHARGE YOUR ACCOUNT... MOST CARDS SAY "VOID IF NOT SIGNED" OR "NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED" YES I AM RANTING, IT IS A SORE SPOT WITH ME!!! I HAVE BEEN YELLED AT BY CUSTOMERS WHEN I SAY "I NEED A LICENSE, THERE IS NO SIGNATURE ON THE CARD"...THEY SAY "IT SAYS "CID" DOESN'T IT"? YES, BUT THAT IS NOT A SIGNATURE...THE CARD SAYS "VOID IF NOT SIGNED".
Beaker, I think (unless I'm mistaken) that you should answer "yes" to question #2 only if the self-service people are "worse" (i.e., they ask for your card MORE). According to your comment, "nobody ever asks" so I think your answer to #2 would be "no." Similarly, you should answer "yes" to #3 only if you believe grocers ask for your card even more than non-grocers. I think you answered a different question when you commented that "they all have that self-service thingy." Hope this helps you -- perhaps Hal's questions were a bit ambiguous. Doc
Doc--Makes sense. I was under the impression that being asked for positive ID was a good thing, thus "worse" would then mean that you are asked for it less. Having worked in retail for several years, I see lots of people out there who *want* their ID to be checked and are quick to rip you a new one if you don't. I'm glad that someone wants to make sure that the person using my card is really me. But I have seen people take it personally, too, as though they've been accused of fraud. I guess it's all in your perception. Bottom line is, with the increased incidence of identity theft out there, it's all about CYA for a merchant. The strangest credit-card fraud thing I ever encountered was a guy who wanted to use a VISA card that had a strip of masking tape over the numbers with a Mastercard # (began with 5) written on the tape. Talk about having your intelligence insulted! George, I can't speak for everyone else that does it, but I sign my cards with "see ID" so if it's stolen, there's not a thief running around out there with my signature. It's not 100% effective, but IMO showing the cashier my driver's license really isn't all that big a deal. That's why I automatically assumed that asking for positive ID (to keep with the survey topic) was a good thing. At least you know they're actually looking at the back of your card. Just my 2 cents.
I certainly understand your point George. Personally I would prefer to have someone ask for my ID, as most retail clerks are poorly trained in comparing signatures and I have often signed my credit card slips with a very hurried signature that has little resemblence to the one on my card - It was never questioned. I am just interested in what others experience with this first of all due to another thread on credit card fraud and secondly my roommate asked me to pick up a prescription for her last week, gave me her card, I used it, signed my name (not hers) the clerk actually looked at it and the card and NEVER asked a question. As I don't look like my name may be Annabelle, I found this quite amusing.
1. How often does a merchant ask you for positive identification when you pay with a credit card? c. Less than 50% of the time. 2. Is your experience with merchants that have self service card swiping equipment at checkout worse? b. No 3. Are Grocers worse at this than other retail stores? b. No
I'M JUST AFRAID THAT THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES MAY TAKE AWAY MY RIGHT TO SIGN THE CARD AND NOT SHOW ID, BY NO LONGER HAVING A SIGNATURE STRIP, THUS REQUIRING EVERYBODY TO PRODUCE ID WITH EVERY SALE, IF "CID" IS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE... "Sign slip, compare, and go" was for the benefit of the customer. People complain about the lines now, what happens when they have to go to the car to get the license for EVERY credit transaction? I happens enough now, with check writers!!! Every check writer leaves their DRIVER'S LICENSE in the car!!! (They might be having a POWER TRIP)...
I feel your pain, GEORGE! No matter what you do, someone will complain. I think it's a cardinal rule of retail. :\
1. How often does a merchant ask you for positive identification when you pay with a credit card? c. Less than 50% of the time. Hardly ever. And I use credit cards for everything. Kinda scary, huh? 2. Is your experience with merchants that have self service card swiping equipment at checkout worse? b. No By 'worse' I assume you mean that they ask to see ID even less often. I answered 'No' because at least at Target they always at least glance at my signature and compare it to the sales slip. 3. Are Grocers worse at this than other retail stores? b. Yes Well, actually not really. I answered 'Yes' because I consider Target a retail store. I am never asked for ID in the Grocery store. But I'm never asked for ID in Sears either. Myschae
Hal, it's clear that some of us took "worse" to mean it's a hassle to be ID'd when presenting a credit card. Actually, I thought it was against the law, but I could be wrong. Others of us took "worse" to mean that it's a good thing to protect the consumer by requesting ID. I think, sadly, that the results of questions 2 and 3 can't be tallied because the operant word "worse" was fairly ambiguous. Doc
IT IS AGAINST THE LAW IN SOME STATES TO ASK FOR ID, IT ALSO VIOLATES VISA AND MASTERCARD POLICY...but that does not apply if the person does not sign the card, even though it says on MOST cards "NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED" or "VOID IF NOT SIGNED"...F.Y.I. "C.I.D. OR SEE ID OR SEE LICENSE" IS NOT A SIGNED CARD...
George, interesting! I was at the post office today and saw an official USPS sign that said they no longer accept credit cards signed only with "See ID" or "C.I.D." I asked the postal clerk about it, and she said that the only legal way a card can be used is in accordance with card agreements which all require that the card be signed. Looks like the tide is turning for the "See ID" proponents. Doc
You are right Doc, #2 & #3 were a bit ambigous. I was interested in getting a feel for how different merchants (i.e. Department/specialty store vs Grocery retailers) dealt with credit card holders as a whole. My experience in grocery stores is that I have NEVER had my credit card and/or debit card checked to compare signatures - this concerns me because I don't believe most credit card issuers put grocery purchases into a "high risk" category that would set off any flags - thus someone with a stolen credit card could purchase several hundred dollars worth of grocery items without immediate notice. With department/specialty stores I find it about 50/50 to even have my signature compared between the charge slip and the card. As for the "See ID" proponents, I can certainly see their point. If one applied for a new credit card and had it stolen from the mailbox the thief can simply sign their version of your signature on the back of the card, use it until you discover the theft - in my opinion comparing the signature on the back of the card does nothing to prove you are the true cardholder.
I had a customer that had just come from the POST OFFICE...she was "LIVID" that the POST OFFICE would make her sign the card!!! The back of her card says "NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED." I have had call stickers on a card I have got in the mail...it (COMPUTER) says after all the sales pitches for CREDIT INSURANCE, "REMOVE THE STICKER FROM THE FRONT OF THE CARD AND SIGN YOU NAME ON THE SIGNATURE STRIP IMMEDIATELY"
in my opinion comparing the signature on the back of the card does nothing to prove you are the true cardholder. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My picture on my DRIVER'S LICENSE is some what close...my SIGNATURE on the credit card is "CLOSER" than the DRIVER'S LICENSE signature... I WAS VERY TICKED OFF AT THE TIME...THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME WRITTEN PROOF THAT MY FINGER PRINT WAS REQUIRED BY LAW...AND THEY REFUSED TO TELL WHY I COULD NOT HAVE MY OLD LICENSE...WE GOT TO KEEP OUR OLD ONES IN CALIFORNIA.
