Signing the back of credit car

Discussion in 'Credit Talk' started by R. Gibson, Jun 13, 2000.

  1. R. Gibson

    R. Gibson Guest

    Recently I was trying to use my credit card at a post office. The back of my card says "check identification." They told me that they could not accept my card unless I sign the card. Then they would compare all three signatures.

    What is the legalities behind signing the back of the credit card?
     
  2. John Debto

    John Debto Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    This board is not about how to get away with credit card fraud. Why would you NOT sign the back of the card? Signing it means you agree to the terms of the account and may keep others from being able to use it.
     
  3. kim

    kim Well-Known Member

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    I don't think he's trying to defraud anyone, rather trying to protect himself from fraud and potential headache.

    True, signing the card means you agree to the terms, etc. However, many times you go to make a purchase and the cashier never bothers to make sure the person signing the card is actually the person who the card is issued to. A lot of people sign the card with the statement "Please Check ID", rather that's what you should do or not.
     
  4. Carreonand

    Carreonand Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    What he did was perfectly acceptable. When I was doing credit card fraud training, we would have bi monthly courses in credit fraud and one of the biggest discussions was the speaker going into great detail about a person signing the card. We pushed people to write "Ask for ID" on the back of the card and were always amazed how often people would read it and still not check. Per the speakers we had from Visa International, they concurred that it was a good fraud deterant.

    Kim wrote:
    -------------------------------
    I don't think he's trying to defraud anyone, rather trying to protect himself from fraud and potential headache.

    True, signing the card means you agree to the terms, etc. However, many times you go to make a purchase and the cashier never bothers to make sure the person signing the card is actually the person who the card is issued to. A lot of people sign the card with the statement "Please Check ID", rather that's what you should do or not.
     
  5. Meredith

    Meredith Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    My cards all say Check ID on them and I've run into many problems with it. I had my bank card stolen about 2 years ago and the police department that handled the case told me to put Check ID on my cards.

    I always goto a manager on my way out if they do not check my drivers license. I have acctually been given store girft certificates for doing this. I have found that many cashiers just don't bother to do their jobs the way they have been trained to do them. They should treat credit cards just like they do checks. Unless using cash everyone should have to show ID. This would eliminate a lot of the problems with stolen cards, not all, but a majority.
     
  6. Len

    Len Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    That's what I have on mine, "check for I.D." Had trouble a couple of times, but it's a good practice and a very common protection.
     
  7. $Bank$

    $Bank$ Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    In the past Please check ID may have been a fraud deterrent but with today's technology a false ID can be created in just a few minutes. If you have Please check ID written on the back of the card it could in fact make it easier to commit fraud. The criminal no longer has to worry about trying to match you signature, they just need to get the fake ID.

    As far as the legal necessity of a signature on the card it is up to the merchant to accept or reject a "please see ID signature". Most CCC's consider each sales draft a contract. It doesn't matter if the card is signed; each use of the card is an indication that you agree with the Terms and Conditions that were provided with the card.
     
  8. spyguyjim

    spyguyjim Guest

    Do both! / Time Magazine Stor

    I sign all my cards and include the "check I.D." line underneath. I think letting a manger know that the clerk forgot to check I.D. is a good idea. It will help stop some of the misuse and fraud.

    The bottom line is, no matter how many steps credit card issuers take, there will always be a way to commit fraud.

    Also, there was an interesting story in Time Magazine recently about credit card fraud.

    http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articles/0,3266,46126,00.html
     
  9. miles

    miles Well-Known Member

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    You know, it's strange that cashiers should check your I.D. & most never do. I went to a store(before Christmas) & the cashier asked me for my I.D. I was actually taken aback as I can't remember the last time someone asked me for this. At first I was perturbed by the fact she was taking up my time & focusing on me, but I quickly realized she was doing her job CORRECTLY. To this day, I have not been asked for my I.D. again. Actually scary!
     
  10. Citibank r

    Citibank r Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    I always tell my customers that it is the merchants right to require that the card be signed. That is both for your protection and the merchants as well. However there is an even more secure form of I.D. and you wont even need to show you're drivers license. some credit card companies will givce you a photocard which is a credit card that has your photo and signature imprinted on the front of the card. that way if someone steals the card and the merchant looks at it they wont be able to use it.
     
  11. FP

    FP Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    seems to me that the Visa Merchant agreement clearly states that a valid card is all that can be asked from a member therefore asking for additional ID is a violation of the Visa agreement. As far as the client volunteering more info, it is up to him, but in todays society I would consider it a privacy issue and the less info you give out the better off you are.
     
  12. Citibank r

    Citibank r Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    That is all true BUT the Visa and Mastercard associations do not consider the card valid unless it is signed.
     
  13. R. Gibson

    R. Gibson Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    Hey man look, do you thionk I would have put my last mane on the post had I been trying to commit fraud?

    I just want to know what the regs are on this. I just want people to check my ID against my signature to make sure that the person using the card is me. Considering that most times people just swipe the card and hand it back to me w/o looking at it, this might make them look at the card closer.
     
  14. legally

    legally Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    Actually, the merchant DOES NOT have a right to ask for ID when using a credit card, only when writing a check. And, when writing a check, the merchant DOES NOT have the rigt to ask for your telephone number, as many do.
     
  15. legally

    legally Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    Actually, the merchant DOES NOT have a right to ask for ID when using a credit card, only when writing a check. And, when writing a check, the merchant DOES NOT have the rigt to ask for your telephone number, as many do.
     
  16. exactly

    exactly Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    FP is right on with his post. Not only does the merchant NOT HAVE a right to ask for additional ID when using a credit card, they also DO NOT have the right (or any business for that matter) to ask for or tell you they require a phone number when writing a check, as so many do anyway.
     
  17. Don

    Don Well-Known Member

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    My wife used the "check ID" method with a Visa card. She left it with a cashier one time, and we didn't realize it until the next day. Unfortunately, the cashier had already decided it was party time, and her and her boyfriend went and started buying auto parts on the card, and then would turn around and try to return them for cash refund. Their shopping spree hit about 500 bucks in a few hours...

    The back of the card had "ask for ID" (my wife and the thief were very different physically, so it would be obvious there was a problem here..)...all she did was take a big black marker and sign my wife's name.

    NONE of the auto parts stores checked the card...they didn't realize what was going on until the police notified them...I'd say I see a cashier check the back of the card maybe 50% of the time...

    I'm not sure there is any sure way to avoid the fraud thing, especially with Internet commerce the way it is...they get your numbers, you're screwed...

    Oh, and the final resolution of the credit card thing...Visa refunded our money, including the 50 we are responsible for, the auto parts store didn't lose anything so they had no interest in prosecuting, the bank wouldn't prosecute due to the relatively small amount of money, and except for the cashier losing her job due to the amount of evidence against her, that was it. No prosecution, nothing...

    Gotta' love it...
     
  18. Stu

    Stu Guest

    RE: Signing the back of credit

    I'm sure this varies by state, but even in CA (which seems to be one of the best on consumer privacy) there is no law stating that a business cannot ask for a photo ID before accepting a credit or charge card (and in the case of an unsigned card like this, even VISA instructs the business to verify ID). And as far as a check, the business does indeed have the right to ask for a phone number. You have the right not to give it. And then the business has the right to not accept your check. (In CA it is illegal for a business to record any personal information in a credit or charge card transaction, and it is illegal to record a credit card number on a check).

    exactly wrote:
    -------------------------------
    FP is right on with his post. Not only does the merchant NOT HAVE a right to ask for additional ID when using a credit card, they also DO NOT have the right (or any business for that matter) to ask for or tell you they require a phone number when writing a check, as so many do anyway.
     
  19. spyguyjim

    spyguyjim Guest

    prosectuting employees

    I've found this is typical of most businesses, they'd rather just dismiss the employee than through to do the right thing and prosecute. Too much potential for litigation, I'm afraid.

    These same companies will often fail to disclose their former employee's criminal activity when the next employer down the victim chain calls for a reference.
     

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