Not signing the back of your credit card

[stuben]

I researched a bunch of post on not signing the back of your credit cards but instead putting "Photo ID Required".

 

Does anyone have a "definitive" answer whether this is a legal option and not validating the terms of service with the card issuer?

[pryan67]

read the back of your card

 

 

does it say "not valid unless signed"?

 

If so, then your card is not valid

 

 

if it does NOT say that, then it may be valid...but it's a dumb thing to do IMO....

[clambert1273]

I know the post office wont accept any card this is not signed.... LOL I had to go through that fiasco because I forgot to sign my debit card

[CactusWill]

Its technically not a valid card, but I've never heard of anyone being rejected because of it. The only circumstance where I could see it as being a genuinely dumb thing to do, is if you forgot your ID or lost it. Then you could end up screwing yourself until you replaced either the card or ID.

[CactusWill]

I know the post office wont accept any card this is not signed.... LOL I had to go through that fiasco because I forgot to sign my debit card

 

I've don't sign my cards anymore, and have never been rejected anywhere, including the post office. Some of my cards, I never even removed the activation sticker. Unless I'm travelling, I only carry one at a time and I tend not to lose things, so signing it or not signing it makes no difference to me.

 

eta: I've only been rejected when my card was signed, and then my signature 'didn't match' the one on the back of the card

Edited April 14, 2008 by CactusWill

[inspiringmind]

I researched a bunch of post on not signing the back of your credit cards but instead putting "Photo ID Required".

 

Does anyone have a "definitive" answer whether this is a legal option and not validating the terms of service with the card issuer?

 

All the cards I have say "not valid unless signed". Personally, I am not willing to take the chance that I might walk into my bank one day and they say, "We need to see your debit card and see if it is signed." It could happen. It is supposed to be a part of the terms that you agree with. If you don't sign then you are NOT agreeing with those terms and you shoudl close the account and send the card back to them. Of course I am one of those people that show my identification when asked for it. And am happy to do so!

[sedric1]

why not just sign it?

i guess i fail to see what is gained by not signing..

[Doodah]

I used to work part-time for a local retailer, and we were required to check every credit card for signature. If the card was not signed, we asked for ID and requested the customer to sign the card in our presence. If the customer refused to do so, we voided the transaction.

[inspiringmind]

why not just sign it?

i guess i fail to see what is gained by not signing..

 

Some people have a theory that if you write on the back of it "See ID" or "Please Check ID" "C. ID" or something like that, that it will prevent someone from stealing your credit card and using it because the cashier is supposed to ask to see ID. All it does most of the time though is VOID your card, unless your name is "see ID" or "C. ID" or "please check ID". I don't get it cause there are plenty of places that you can use the card and not get carded. (Buying gas, going through a fast food drive thru.)

[chexstud]

It particularly becomes a problem if you live abroad. I lived in South America for a while and they wouldnt accept any card that wasnt signed. They would even deny you if your signature on your card looked slightly different from the one on your passport. My signature has evolved over time and my 8 year old passport signature looks a little different than my current one. It got so bad, I had to get a new passport with an updated signature so merchants could verify it.

 

I guess int he end all that headache was there to protect me. It still sucked.

[pryan67]

Its technically not a valid card, but I've never heard of anyone being rejected because of it. The only circumstance where I could see it as being a genuinely dumb thing to do, is if you forgot your ID or lost it. Then you could end up screwing yourself until you replaced either the card or ID.

 

well, the merchants aren't SUPPOSED to accept it...

 

however, most of them do...

 

 

I'd much rather have the protection offered by using a credit card than NOT have those protections (and if you don't sign your card, technically you don't have that protection since the card itself isn't valid)

 

 

speaking of which, I have to pick out a card for my trip tomorrow....

[Jen23514]

here we go again

[Rogue]

Here we go again....

 

With MOST card issuers, if you fail to properly sign your card with your legal signature, you forfeit your ZERO FRAUD LIABILITY PROTECTION, that alone gets me to sign my cards!

[CactusWill]

Here we go again....

 

With MOST card issuers, if you fail to properly sign your card with your legal signature, you forfeit your ZERO FRAUD LIABILITY PROTECTION, that alone gets me to sign my cards!

 

And how in the hell would they know if your card is signed or not?

[Xecuter2]

I worked retail for a long time as a cashier. I could careless if a card said SEE ID. I didn't check an ID cause I really didn't feel like it.

 

Sometimes I would purposely not ask for ID just to see if the customer would say anything...

Edited April 14, 2008 by Xecuter2

[EyKay]

I worked retail for a long time as a cashier. I could careless if a card said SEE ID. I didn't check an ID cause I really didn't feel like it.

 

Sometimes I would purposely not ask for ID just to see if the customer would say anything...

 

my retail experience since joining cb has been fun in this regard.

 

i used to get quite the kick out of the effect i could have on the customers who handed me the card and id TOGETHER. the looks on their faces when i refused to take their ids from them ranged from total confusion to utter rage.

 

also had quite a few moments where i used unsigned cards to torment customers who'd been rude to me earlier.

[baller4ever85]

I know the post office wont accept any card this is not signed.... LOL I had to go through that fiasco because I forgot to sign my debit card

happened to me too a couple years ago, they refused to accept any form of photo id i had in my wallet. last time i went i used a different card that wasnt signed and the guy gave me a pen to sign it.

[Rogue]

Here we go again....

 

With MOST card issuers, if you fail to properly sign your card with your legal signature, you forfeit your ZERO FRAUD LIABILITY PROTECTION, that alone gets me to sign my cards!

 

And how in the hell would they know if your card is signed or not?

You missed the point!

 

There is NO benefit to not signing and a HUGE benefit to signing, so what is the argument?

 

Now in regards to your question, having worked in the financial fraud world for many years, when the bad guys get busted with tons of hot plastic on them or in their dwelling, you bet the card issuer finds out if you signed or not! Seen it happen MANY times! If your bank(s) decide to stick you with the fraud losses for an unsigned card, that is very YMMV.

[Continental]

An unsigned card is not valid and should not be accepted.

[Continental]

CREDIT CARD SIGNATURE IS ALL THE ID NEEDED

 

When you pay for merchandise with a Visa card, MasterCard, or American Express any store that accepts these cards should accept yours too, no questions asked. It's part of the deal that merchants agree to when they become participating members.

 

They must check your signature and the card - electronically or by telephone - to be sure it's valid. Once the answer comes up yes, they can go ahead and charge. They can't ask you for any further identification - not a license plate number, Social Security number, proof of address, phone number or picture ID.

 

Your personal ID isn't needed because Visa, MasterCard, and American Express all guarantee payment on cards that have been properly checked. If the issuer mistakenly authorizes a sale on a bad card, it should make good. MasterCard says that merchants receive instant settlement.

 

Unfortunately, not all merchants play by the rules. Some, apparently, haven't read them.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

 

MasterCard wants to hear about merchants who break their rules. Send the name and address and an account of what happened to MasterCard International, c/o Radio City Station, P. O. Box 1288, New York, NY 10101. The merchant's bank will get a stiff letter, ordering it to investigate and bring the offending store into line - or pay a $2,000 fine.

 

Visa enforces the same rules as MasterCard. "When we hear about a violation, we ask the bank that signed the merchant to get together with the merchant and see that the practice is stopped," Visa representative states. To report a merchant, send a letter to the bank that issued your Visa card.

 

American Express also prohibits merchants from asking for IDs. "All a merchant is supposed to do is take an imprint, make sure the signature matches and swipe the card through the terminal, to get authorization."

[stuben]

Great thanks! And thanks to those who PM'd me as well!

[decaturpunk]

Take the time to look at the card. Counterfeit cards and the people who present them sometimes just don't "look right". Learn to trust your instincts.

 

Verify the signature on the back of the card with that on the sales receipt. An unsigned card is considered invalid and should not be accepted. If a customer gives you an unsigned card, the following steps should be taken:

 

Where permissible by law, request a photo ID. The ID serial number and expiration date should be written on the sales receipt before you complete the transaction. Note: In most cases, a merchant may not ask for an ID as part of their regular card acceptance procedures, either when a valid card is first presented or to complete a sale. Laws in several states also make it illegal for merchants to write a cardholder’s personal information, such as an address or phone number, on a sales receipt.

 

Ask the customer to sign the card. The signature on the card should match the signature on the photo ID. A refusal to sign means the card is still invalid and cannot be accepted. Ask the customer for another signed Visa card.

 

Compare the signature on the card to the signature on the ID.

If a cardholder refuses to sign the card and you accept the card, you may end up liable for the transaction should the cardholder dispute the item.

 

Check the account number on the front and back of the card to make sure they match.

Watch for suspicious behavior such as making large purchases at opening or closing time, not asking any questions regarding major purchases, requests for delivery to foreign countries (particularly Nigeria, Ghana or Indonesia), etc.

 

 

 

 

information above is taking from Heartland Payment Systems website

 

people get offended when they are asked for an ID

but who cares, what if someone walks in with their signed credit card..

they are not responsible for the un-authorized charges, who do you think pays for those charges?

VISA? MC? AMEX?

none of the above..

its comes outta merchants pocket..

 

you do the math.

[beavis956]

If your card is signed and then stolen, the thief will have an easier time replicating your signature and this could make your dispute more difficult. Though, personally I have all my cards signed--the chances of having your signature on your card coming back to bite you are very small considering how many other things you sign.

[dgilbert]

we don't accept cards that are not signed with a valid signature. no where inthe merchant agreement doe sit require us to accept them like that. in fact, it states that we are liable if we accept an invalid card. and failure to sign invalidates it.

[pfp]

Here's my experience.

 

My post office DOES require a signature.

 

My signature is little more than a scribble anyway.

 

 

I write SEE ID in permanent marker, clearly across 70% of the signature panel - if I then use that card at the post office (the ONLY place I've EVER been that requires a signature), I scribble my signature in the remaining inch or so of space.

 

 

FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

 

I would say 80% of retailers DO NOT check signatures, partially from having been one (people come to me with a card that they've had for over a year and say "Oh, no one ever pointed out before that I hadn't sign it") and just watching people.

 

Of transactions where I have to hand the card over, 60-70% ask for my ID when it's written in large block lettering (all caps, same size) with permanent marker. (and occasionally I have to point out my tiny signature to post office employees).

 

 

Technically it's not valid not to sign, but the attention rate to double check that it's me increases many times over when you write it loud and clear

Edited April 15, 2008 by pfp