Flash forward to a few days ago. I return to the SAME post office. Now they have the unsigned card policy (photocopy) posted in a plastic sign holder sitting on the counter. I pull out my card and am again asked for ID. I refuse it and tell them my card is signed and this time the plastic sign holder is taken and dropped in front of me. I asked where it says on there that ID is required. The clerk reads it and shrugs but says that is their rule. I ask for the manager. Someone from the back comes out and looks at my card then tells me no credit card without ID and that is our policy and it says it right there and points at the plastic sign. I ask her where on the sign it says they require ID. She reads it and is speechless. She then shows it to the clerk. The clerk says "it doesn't say it on there." The manager insists it is policy and says my card will not be accepted without ID. I told the manager I want to see it in writing that they require ID for signed credit card use. The manager disappeared into the back for a few minutes and comes back and says she doesn't have anything. I advise the manager I will be contacting the consumer affairs office regarding this incident, and the manager isn't phased. They refused to accept my card, but gladly handed it right back to me.
I immediately called the consumer affairs office again and the person took a message stating that she thought everywhere required ID but she'd give it to her supervisor to look into it.
The next day, I received a call from the supervisor of the consumer affairs, and returned that call. I got someone else when I returned the call, who transferred me to someone else, who said he didn't think they require ID if it is signed but that they can't tell the other post offices what to do but he gave me a second phone number to call about it. I called the second number and left a message for the "manager of post office operations and marketing." Meanwhile, I received a call back from the supervisor of consumer affairs who couldn't find anything but noted personal experience using credit cards and never understood why some merchants ask for ID always, some ask sometimes, and some never ask. I think I managed to convince that person they weren't supposed to be asking at all and that was the point of the signature panel and signing the card. That person emailed the regional office (Denver) to request an official policy. Shortly thereafter, I received a call back from the "assistant of the manager of post office operations and marketing." This individual continually read me the USPS "unsigned card" policy that states two forms of ID are required and the customer must sign the card. I explained that policy is for unsigned cards at which point this person claimed they have worked for the USPS for 25 years and it has always been USPS policy to require ID. I told her I would like to see in writing a policy that says they require ID for signed cards. She offered to fax or email me a policy. I never received any fax or email.
The next day, I received a message from the supervisor of consumer affairs advising me that directive had arrived from Denver that they were not supposed to be asking for ID with signed cards and the policy had been misread by the assistant to the manager of post office operations and the manager at the station where I had the issue. I was further told that they spoke to the station and the station will discontinue the practice of asking for ID.
This was one of the more difficult complaints to get resolved. I'm pretty surprised.
Edited by thelowpriceleader, 17 September 2009 - 09:57 PM.
