Went into Staples today to pick up a couple office-type supplies. Got them all, associate was helpful finding an item I needed... all was good.

Then, I reach the checkout. No line! Yay... Items get scanned, I swipe my card at the terminal, put the card back in my wallet and that goes in my pocket. I hit credit, it authorizes, and I start to sign on the little screen with the stylus.

As I am signing, the sales associate who is cashier says "I need to see your ID and card." I finish, hit OK. I grabbed my wallet, opened it and gave them my card, so they could check signatures.

SA: "We need ID."
Me: "The card is signed."
SA: "Well we are checking ID for purchases."
Me: "Since when? No one else asks for ID, on account of it's violation of Visa policy."
SA: "We've always asked for credit cards."
Me: "Well can you get a manager please, because ID can't be required for a sale when the card is signed."
SA: "Ok..." [manager called to storefront... 30 seconds, SA tells them I don't want to show ID... when the cashier put down the card I took it back]
Manager: "We need to see ID to make sure you're the true cardholder."
Me: "The policy, which your company signed with Visa... clearly states that ID can't be required as a condition of a sale if a card is signed."
Manager: "Well our store requires it."
Me: "Look, you've already charged me for this. You're not getting ID, okay. Now give me the reciept."
Manager: "We're trying to protect you?"
Me: "Why was I never asked for ID before? Why do none of the other stores ask?" [btw at this point there were like 3 people behind me... only 1 register open]
Manager: "Alright... fine... [rips reciept off and hands it to me]. Next time just bring your ID."
Me: "Next time, I'll go down the street to OfficeMax, where they're glad to have my business and don't require ID."

So, I got the manager to back down. He clearly was not following the proper policy.

Luckilly, this worked out well as I got my items without showing ID... and they made the money, so they worked out well. If they demanded ID any further, I'd of told them to void the transcation and I'd let them put the stuff back on the shelf.

Anyone have that link to report merchants at Visa/MC/AmEx... as they seem to do this to "everyone" meaning Visa/MC/AmEx... so I will let all three companies know of the violation.

If you had a cell phone I would have made everyone behind me wait, pissed off and dialed 800-VISA-911 and made the manager hear VISA themselves restate their policy.

I had a cellphone... with speakerphone, but I'm not going to be a jerk.

Anyone got that page to send complaints to Visa, MC and AmEx?

Too bad you can't get the policy in writing on company letterhead (from both Visa and MC) to be able to whip out whenever a store becomes beligerant.

I HAVE BEFORE AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T TAKE IT BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO FORGE ANYTHING ON A COMPUTER THESE DAYS...

Wow... you are such a crusader. I'm sure Visa is going to erect a statue in your honor for your refusal to back down.


/sarcasm

I HOPE SO!!!

PLEASE TAKE PICTURES!!!

SHOW YOUR CREDIT CARD WHEN YOU GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN WITH YOUR STATUE!!!

Just went to Best Buy bought over 1200 dollars worth of stuff on my Visa. They didnt ask for ID they didnt ask for anything,

They aren't supposed to ask for ID whether it is $2.50, $2,500, or $12,000.50

I very rarely show ID. only when I buy smokes.

For products like tobacco, alcohol, pornography, and fireworks - ID is for product; not the card.

Never show ID for signed credit cards purchases.

No ID required for signed credit card purchases. Merchants cannot require ID.

If a merchant tries to require ID, immediately call 1-800-VISA-911 to ensure they never do again.

VISA: 1-800-VISA-911
MasterCard: 1-800-300-3069


Also easily report merchant violations online at:

http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/c...violations.html

Check the box that says "Merchant required ID"


Never show ID for signed credit card purchases ever.

No ID required for signed credit card purchases ever.

No offense and I know my post count is low and I am new here but I am not a newbie to the game, but why not just show your ID? If I were behind you I would have been pissed if I had to wait cause some guy wanted to be a booty. lol

EVERYBODY has a different opinion on this and it all comes down to the matter of principle. While the official Visa/MC policy goes that customer is not required to show ID for a purchase, some stores try to deviate from that. It's really up to the customer if they want to show ID or not, especially if local and federal law doesn't require it.

I personally would cause a row too if they've asked me for an ID, especially at a major store (small businesses, I tend to sympathize a little more with them, but only to a limited extent). I would ask for the sales to be voided, report the violation to the card network and write a letter to corporate about the incident.

I guess I'm kinda on the fence on this one. From the consumer perspective, ITA. But it is a PITA to defend the policy as
I am ALWAYS asked for ID when I use either Visa or MC. One time I vaguely mentioned it and the lady was like
whatever basically. I understand the stores [/color]to a certain extent [color="#000000"]
because there's so much fraud going on these days. I lost my purse whilst out shopping once and before I could
even get home to report it my cards had already been used! So to me, it's a lose lose situation. Wouldn't you
want them to ask for ID if you dropped your CC somewhere and a thief found it?

I believe this "fraud" thing is way overstated in the context of people trying to use stolen credit cards. I believe more advanced fraud techniques such as skimming are much greater risks. So in this context it is blown up as a much larger problem than it actually is. You are not liable for fraud even if someone does get your card and go use it, so I don't know why the consumers tend to worry so much about if someone else uses their card. If Visa/MC wanted ID to be a part of the game, they would instruct it and they would likely also demand that all cards have a photograph of the cardholder on them. Visa/MC eats the fraud costs. The consumer is not liable and the store is not liable provided they follow the guidelines.

Plus if someone takes your card and they get asked for ID, they will just leave that store and go use your card somewhere else. What good does it really do? The fraud will still happen, just at a different business a few minutes later.

ID requirement with credit card is nothing more than hassling honest customers who wish to conduct business with a given store.

Several points...

- Fraud does exist, albeit only as a piece of an overall puzzle that we should be protecting against.

- Even if one does not have to write a check for any fraud perpetuated with their card, to blow it off as "not my problem" is selfish and irresponsible. Fact is, it IS all of our problem. Don't kid yourself into thinking you don't pay for it simply because it's not a separate line item on your receipt or monthly bill. You may have money to burn, but I don't. Also, condoning theft, which is what one does when they proclaim "not my problem", serves to perpetuate and expand the theft problem.

- Yes, the card companies have chosen the lamest and easiest to sidestep method of ID imaginable. Most likely a remnant left over from a simpler and more honest time. If credit cards were invented in today's climate, showing of ID probably would be required.

I don't have to pay for fraud.

Hard to say, Leo.

Look at some of the most recent inventions of today by the credit card companies:

No signature required

PayPass (no swipe) (and no signature) (only works for below $25 purchases)

Biometric

PayPass/ExpressPay are now ok for under $50 at some places.

Several points...

- Fraud does exist, albeit only as a piece of an overall puzzle that we should be protecting against.

- Even if one does not have to write a check for any fraud perpetuated with their card, to blow it off as "not my problem" is selfish and irresponsible. Fact is, it IS all of our problem. Don't kid yourself into thinking you don't pay for it simply because it's not a separate line item on your receipt or monthly bill. You may have money to burn, but I don't. Also, condoning theft, which is what one does when they proclaim "not my problem", serves to perpetuate and expand the theft problem.

Incorrect. The price the consumer pays in merchandise, interest rate etc is determined by market factors, supply/demand etc. It has absolutely nothing to do with the price you pay for the items in the store or your credit card balance. If there was zero fraud you would still pay the same. In a free marketplace price is determined by what the market is willing to pay. Only a stockholder, or executive could loose out on fraud and they choose to have a no ID required policy.
[i]
- Yes, the card companies have chosen the lamest and easiest to sidestep method of ID imaginable. Most likely a remnant left over from a simpler and more honest time. If credit cards were invented in today's climate, showing of ID probably would be required.
[/quote]


I think the cc companies adapt well to change and if they wanted it would change it in minute. I think visa etc knows how to run there business. It is irrelevant what the consumer or business accepting visa wants the policy to be. It is there policy for a reason. And considering they accept the losses and you agree to there terms as a business owner there is no argument. I don't know what time was more simpler or honest.[/i]

What I have seen as business owner is this: In a retail, card swiped situation, any merchant that is in trouble with MC or Visa over chargebacks usually has some internal problems (employee fraud) or poorly trained employees.


I have never asked for ID at any of my businesses and I have never had a chargeback. Considering the fact that I operate in a college town, that is saying something. I have quite a few friends that own businesses here, who have never had a chargeback. Some of those friends have been in business for over 20 years.

One of the biggest instances of credit card fraud in this town (Secret Service and FBI showed up), involved a restaurant. The manager and a few employees were asking for id and memorizing basic info and then recording it later. They were passing the info on to friends in South Florida. Quite a few personal and business cards were hit.

Businesses don't worry about covering their costs as a base point in determining what to charge. Right. Fine. Whatever.

Boy they picked the WRONG PERSON to ask for ID, didn't they BB !!

I will NEVER show my ID.... I don't need anything that bad and if I do I can take my business elsewhere.

This is why you should not show ID!

Having worked in fraud detection with credit cards, I can agree with your statement that stolen cards are definitely not the most prevalent cause of fraudulent activity. And most people who would use a stolen credit card would use it whether they had to go to a different store because of the ID issue or not, but your comment did remind me of a story.

I took a POS (point of sale referral) call one day at work. On the other line was a man standing at a counter at Best Buy trying to make a fairly large purchase. I spoke with the merchant, verified the CVV code on the card and asked for her to verify a picture ID (it's a good way to verify some simple information before speaking to the customer and verifying some more in-depth/non-traditional information). The customer advised the merchant he would need to go to his car to get it, when the merchant told me that I did tell her I could simply speak to the customer because it was not required to verify the picture ID. The customer was already out the door at that point though. We sat on the phone for a few minutes when she asked if she could simply call back when the man came back in. I let her know that was OK, gave her the callback number and hung up. Now, even if you haven't worked in fraud I can image most people see this as suspicious and so I called the numbers we had on file, no answer and so I left a message. When I rechecked the account I saw that they cardholder had called back and had actually lost his card. The Best Buy charge was not his and we had reissued a new card with a new number obviously.

Now the whole point of this story, besides the fact that I'm procrastinating sleep, is that actually, in this one instance asking for ID did indeed stop all possible fraud from that lost credit card because the perpetrator did, in fact, leave the stolen credit card in the hands of the cashier at Best Buy.

Of course, that's not to say that is the norm, but merely an amusing story. Also, this is a slightly different context than being asked for ID at a store when it's not the bank that needs to manually approve a transaction.

And as a side note, the MC/Visa don't eat the fraud costs, at least, not as substantially, as the banks that issue the cards. I don't imagine MC/Visa really care who uses your card for the most part as their fraud blocks tend to, umm..., not be as stringent as they could be.

Terrible how those uninformed customers foolishly gave their IDs to those crooks.

Never show ID for signed credit cards purchases.

No ID required for signed credit card purchases. Merchants cannot require ID.

If a merchant tries to require ID, immediately call 1-800-VISA-911 to ensure they never do again.

VISA: 1-800-VISA-911
MasterCard: 1-800-300-3069


Also easily report merchant violations online at:

http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/c...violations.html

Check the box that says "Merchant required ID"



Never show ID for signed credit card purchases ever.

No ID required for signed credit card purchases ever.

Actually that is ok in the case you describe. Best buy did what is called a code 10 authorization. They called you. You requested the ID, not the merchant. Some merchants do not know how to do call in authorizations.

Code 10 authorization calls cannot require ID either.

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."

I strongly disagree with your comment on Code 10 see below.

You are right the merchant can not ask for ID. If they do a code 10 authorization. The merchant can not ask for ID, however the center can ask for ID or have the merchant ask for the ID. Read the Visa & MasterCard merchant polices.

Are you sure about that?



What happens if the answer comes back 'no'?



Some policy-bots apparently haven't read them, either.

If it comes back no or declined they cant accept the card

Verifying picture ID is not necessary or required during a code 10 authorization call.

No ID required for signed credit card purchases.

Never show ID for signed credit card purchases.

To clarify, in my story I was not talking about a code 10 authorization call.

I was talking about a fraud referral, which is on the bank's end, not the business's end. I was within my right to ask for ID of the customer and within my right to decline the transaction if none was shown.

You can reference this website: http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/rul...a_merchants.pdf

Page 26, look in the box for "Call, Call Center, or Referral" and read the description.

Merchants cannot require ID and should not ask for ID as part of their regular card acceptance procedures. So if you are ever asked for ID, immediately call 1-800-VISA-911 to ensure the practice is discontinued at once.

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."