I ran into a grocery store (large chain) for about $12 in groceries today with only my signed CC and car keys. Seeing me swipe the CC, the check-out lady immediately asked for ID. (This was before she looked at the card and before I had even signed the slip, so it's not like the signature didn't match and she was following protocol.)

I told her I didn't have any on me, and ended up holding up the line for a solid 5 minutes while a manager was summoned. The manager arrived and made me sign a blank sheet of paper, which she compared to the signature on my card. She then approved the transaction but lectured me about ID being "required" for all CC purchases in the future. Adding insult to injury, the teenage grocery-bagger then chimed in, telling me how I was wrong to try to use a CC without proper ID, and how it was "for my security."

I'm not easily embarrassed, but I felt like a criminal while standing there, and I'm sure the 20 people behind me in line (by the time it was over) were none too pleased.

I'm not a crusader and I legitimately had no ID with me, but isn't it against Visa and MasterCard policy to demand ID when using a signed CC? Is there a Florida state law that makes this legal and/or required?

Thanks very much.

moving to the credit card forum for more views.

VIOLATION OF CREDIT CARD POLICY

FOR MY PROTECTION???

SORRY FOR MY PROTECTION I DON'T SHOW ID ON MY SIGNED CREDIT CARD

READ YOUR MERCHANT AGREEMENT

I'd be contacting the store manager and asking for information on how to reach his/her boss (regional manager, district manager, division manager, whatever). If the manager of that store won't give you the necessary information, call a nearby location of the same chain.

The cashier's argument was somewhat understandable, and it is good that the manager actually compared signatures, but the following lecture from the manager was not good, and the one from the courtesy clerk is enough to completely push this over the limit. What unacceptable customer service. These employees should all be disciplined, except perhaps the cashier who appears to have kept her mouth shut after passing it off to the manager.

I'd also be contacting 1-800-VISA-911 and immediately asking to file an "incident report." Be sure to have the store's phone number and as many employee names as possible to get these idiots in trouble for treating you with such disrespect.

I'd also be contacting Mastercard's Merchant Violation page and filling out a report on this store.

I don't get the signing a blank piece of paper part. Why couldn't they have compared the signature on the card to the signatire on the receipt?

It hadn't even gotten that far. The cashier demanded ID after seeing me swipe the card, *before* finalizing the purchase and printing the receipts for me to sign. It's not like the card was unsigned or signatures on the card and receipts didn't match; she hadn't even looked at the card or compared signatures.

I was just reading another thread in this forum and someone said the ID requests have become "an epidemic" in California, while my incident above happened in Florida.

I believe those two states are #1 and #2 in illegal immigrants; perhaps all the ID theft and outright fraud in those states has led merchants to request ID (in violation of the merchant agreements)?

(But even so, don't the issuers get stuck with fraudulent charges and not the merchants?)

In any event, I've been a CC holder for almost 15 years and this was a first for me. Looks like the start of a troubling trend.

"BEFORE AUTHORIZATION"

?????????????

WITH OUR SYSTEM IT IS ALREADY AUTHORIZED WHEN THE SIGNATURE REQUEST POPS UP

THE SIGNATURE IS JUST THE FINAL STEP

IT IS NOT LIKE THEY HAVE A KEY THAT SAYS "AUTHORIZE" or "DECLINE"

Right, but that was my point. Why not just have you sign the receipt then compare signatures?

its not against policy to ask for ID, they just cant use it as a means of denying your purchase.

THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES DO NOT ENCOURAGE ASKING FOR ID

WHEN THE CUSTOMER SAYS NO...THE BUSINESS NEEDS TO BACK OFF

NOT PUSH HARDER!!!

ok

Merchant is stuck when they don't compare signatures.

Merchant can compare all the ID they wants... but if the signatures don't match and a fraud dispute happens the merchant loses the money.

YOU NEED TO BACK OFF A LITTLE ON THE DISPUTES

YOU ARE GOING TO GET BURNED-OUT

I used to think that, too, but I was at Wal-Mart about a week ago, and swiped my Amex Green for a $53 purchase, it asked me for my ZIP code as usual, which I entered, then the signature box popped up, but before I could sign, the cashier told me the card was declined, and handed me this tiny bit of receipt paper with the decline notice on it.

Yeah, I know...please no lecture about Amex CHARGE...I still think the whole thing was screwy...just to test the card, I tried it at Starbucks about 15 minutes later and it went through no problem.