Stores that ask for I.D. when using a credit card

A personal peeve of mine - stores or restaurants that ask for a drivers license after you hand them your Visa - even if it's signed and there are no other issues. I can understand this when buying a $2,800 HiDef LCD, but for carry out? A couple of weeks ago I ordered some take-out from a big national chain. {Given they just promised to fix the issue I'd rather not give their name} This was a $14 order, and when I went to pick it up the clerk asked to see my drivers license. I asked he why she wanted to see it, and she stated it was store policy.

Well, the first flag here is I've supported large point of sale systems and have have some formal knowledge of handling credit card transactions, security and accountability. Also, given the fact there was nobody else waiting I decided to push the issue:

Me: "I don't see a need to show you my driver's license. If there's nothing wrong withy my credit card, why are you asking for this?"

Clerk: "Well, were trying to fight identity fraud"

Me: "I understand you are following your policy, but it's not Visa's policy and there's no law that says I have to do that - can I speak with your manager?"

Clerk: "Uh, I am the manager"

Clerk then bristles up and get's a bit defiant. Big mistake. I quickly look up Visa's bluntly stated merchant policy on my smart phone regarding this and show it to her.

Clerk: "Uh, yeah..I guess you're right, but I still need to see your I.D."

At that point another couple comes in and I decide not to push it any more because I'm not getting anywhere. I show it to the clerk, grab my chow, and leave. I go home, and send a stern but polite message regarding this incident to their corporate web-site.

It' funny, but friends I've described this incident to are evenly split on it. Some say I was being a pain in the a--, while the other half agree with me. My issue is not the fact it's annoying, but that Visa doesn't require this and sternly discourages their accounts from asking for secondary I.D. Again, I've supported point of sale, and know the rules.

So, why not just show your I.D. with Visa if they ask for it rather than be a jerk about it. Simple, the store isn't trying to fight identity fraud. Stores do this because they can't enforce their clerks to check sigs on the back and if the card is expired or not. So, they make checking a driver's license a policy because it shifts accountability around from their store to the clerk and customer. Statistically I have a bigger chance of identity fraud from the minimum wage clerk seeing both my drivers license and Visa than they do from it being stolen. :scowl: No difference from me flashing my Visa and drivers license to a stranger on the street.

And...it's seems their regional VP agreed given I just got a nice E-mail back claiming it was a store not following rules and making up their own policy. He sounded a bit peeved and that the issue will be sternly corrected. Who knows...I'll stop back in after a couple weeks and see what happens. In any case, think about this before yanking out your driver's license for small credit card purchases.

I cant remember the last time I was asked for id with a credit card but a certain electronics store (r*dio sh*ck) used to argue that they needed your name and phone number to make a purchase. The number of times I told them to go pound sand when buying a spool of wire or a switch still bugs me.

this used to annoy me--less so now. if they're just checking a name against the card, it doesn't bug me anymore.

who bears the brunt of the fraudulent transaction, if say, someone stole your card and used it? the merchant or VISA?

i ask to see id because its caught more than one person trying to use a stolen card, and the small purchases are what they try first to see if the card is still active then they do a big purchase.

If you ask for credit, why would complain if they want to know who you are.

The Credit card company does not pay on the spot, and they will reverse charge at the drop of a hat. The store is giving you credit on the promise that you will pay through a third party and at a loss to boot. Compared to cash receipt that is.

Pay cash if you want to be unidentified.

blasterman I agree totally with you and i understand mossyoak's point but I will NOT give my DL number to any stores while using a credit card. I tell them if they have a problem call AMEX or Mastercard and let them verify my identity for you and thats it.

I have walked out of Comp USA when they were around mostly for principal and also i didnt trust the Manager after i spoke to him with my Card number or DL number.

With many States DL's and NJ in particular many parts of your identity can be decoded from your DL number:
Age/DOB, sex, first/last name middle initial, eye color, glasses or not, wether or not you use a middle name.
Personally a little too much infor to give to some clowns in a store along with your CC numbers too.

I realize certain places its necessary to show ID but to buy food its stupid
Larbo ahh the old days at RS buying batteries and being asked for your phone number, I've seen people totally spaz at the counter over that!! ROFL

The store will get its money from Visa even if it is a stolen card. The real owner of the card will be reibursed for charges against their Visa account for items that he or she did not purchase, after they report the card missing or stolen to Visa. Why some stores really need to see our ID's is not clear to me, unless they think that they are protecting us, and/or Visa.

Bill

Blasterman, sure you were being a PITA, but I'm glad you were. If we don't push back they will push us to the wall... and then mash us into it. Too many sheep are just going along with anything and that's why our rights are being eroded bit by bit. When things get really tough I want people like you right behind me, pushing back. :thumbsup:

Personally, I think there are much more important <civil liberties> issues to stand up against than a store trying to prevent credit card theft. It's not like they are writing down your photo ID information.

My biggest issue is all the states that do not require a legitimate photo ID to vote in elections.

LuxLuthor said:

Personally, I think there are much more important <civil liberties> issues to stand up against than a store trying to prevent credit card theft. It's not like they are writing down your photo ID information.

My biggest issue is all the states that do not require a legitimate photo ID to vote in elections.

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yeah the reason they ask for your id isnt to steal your identity, its just keep someone else from stealing yours.

After having my card jacked twice, I'm glad they ask. That way they match the face to the name on the card via the ID.

My peeve is the opposite. My cards all have 'ask for ID' on the back and I've not been asked for it in over two years.

Pellidon said:

After having my card jacked twice, I'm glad they ask. That way they match the face to the name on the card via the ID.

My peeve is the opposite. My cards all have 'ask for ID' on the back and I've not been asked for it in over two years.

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I started writing that on the back of some of my credit cards until some high school dropout took my card because an unsigned card is not considered valid. Eventually after making a scene I got it back, but supposedly they were told by a credit card company to do that.

I called both MC & VISA issuing banks, and indeed, their firm policy is that a credit card MUST be signed to be valid. They consider the signature as your legal acceptance of their terms. When asked how I could use a credit card with an online merchant then, they both said that was a technical exception.

Those of you in the USA who object to showing your ID from a civil liberties point of view should probably cross Spain off your "places that might be nice to live" list.

If I pay by any card, or do pretty much anything else actually, vote, get a cellphone (including prepaid), sign for a package (which I do a lot ), whatever, I need to show my national ID card which in order to get, among other things I had to be fingerprinted. Yes, we are all fingerprinted, all fingers. ID cards are mandatory from 14 years old.

However, though that may sound bizarre to some in the USA, the fact is that here, it works. Here people might very well end up complaining to a store manager on the subject of showing ID, but it would be because a store clerk didn't ask for ID.

Rexlion said:

Blasterman, sure you were being a PITA, but I'm glad you were. If we don't push back they will push us to the wall... and then mash us into it. Too many sheep are just going along with anything and that's why our rights are being eroded bit by bit. When things get really tough I want people like you right behind me, pushing back. :thumbsup:

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what "right" do you have in using a credit card?

I guess some people have more to hide than others regarding info found on their DL (weight comes to mind) but at the end of the day I'm more worried about what happens with my card at a restaurant when it leaves my sight. Ever heard of skimming?

funkymonkey1111 said:

what "right" do you have in using a credit card?

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It is the third of the three unalienable rights of all human beings:

• Life

• Liberty

• The Pursuit of Happiness
  

You need a credit card to pursue happiness. Ergo, it must be a right.

why would complain if they want to know who you are.

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Fine - then I have the right to ask for the clerks I.D.

Store has no more legal or contractual obligation asking for a drivers license than asking for a drivers license for cash purchases.

what "right" do you have in using a credit card?

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Same rights the bank has for issuing one.

Personally, I think there are much more important <civil liberties> issues to stand up against than a store trying to prevent credit card theft

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Again, the store *isn't* trying to prevent identity theft or could give a flip about it. Store is trying to cover their *ss because they can't get clerks to check sigs and expiration dates, which *are* a violation of the merchant agreement with Visa, who technically owns the card.

A minimum wage clerk who changes jobs every month has my credit card number stored and wants to see my driver's license number. Uh, no.

My cards all have 'ask for ID' on the back and I've not been asked for it in over two years.

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I agree with you as well. You should be able to request a card that requires picture I.D. as part of the merchant agreement.

In this instance, clerk didn't even look at my face and had her thumb over my picture (I watched real close) she just checked the name. Matter of fact, most of the time they are just checking the name, and not the picture anyways. Not very usefull if somebody stole your wallet.

I'm more worried about what happens with my card at a restaurant when it leaves my sight.

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I hate to make you nervous, but when they run the card initially it's only 'pre-validated' and the tip is entered usually at the end of the shift. When supporting point of sale I narked on several server staff who were doing this to the extreme, muich worse than the typical turn '3s' into '8's, etc. They don't need your card. Pay tips in cash, and check your statements.

Those of you in the USA who object to showing your ID from a civil liberties point of view should probably cross Spain off your "places that might be nice to live" list.

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Unless I'm 17yrs old and trying to buy booze.

The reason they just check the name is to make sure they match up, how many people actually look like their DL photo? not me, what iI usually do is when I get the card for payment, ill ask the person what the name is on the card or what the middle initial is.

relax, blasterman dont be so paranoid, you cant do much at all with simply a DL number and CC number you need that 3-digit PIN on the back of the card to do anything.

I have no problem if they ask for my ID to check names and match it all up. I had my debit card number stolen a few months ago and thousands came up missing all in the matter of 4 days. This is without even having the card in hand, as it was in my own.

So whether asking for ID would have helped here, I don't know. The *** that had the number may have known people who worked at all these places. But none the less, checking names or testing me in some way, I have no problem with.

I do have a problem though when the cashier then takes my ID and swipes it at the register. Target does this for alcohol sales, even if you are 60+ years old, and are gladly showing your age through wrinkles. I then have an issue with it. Why do they need it...

blasterman said:

Unless I'm 17yrs old and trying to buy booze.

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Ironically with all the things I do need my ID for, one thing I've not ever needed is to prove my age for anything.

As far as I know, the age to buy a drink in the USA is 21 and it is quite strictly enforced, although maybe it's different in some states, I don't know. Anyway, I would imagine that this leads to some quite lively 21st birthday parties!