March 11, 2009
-
Credit Card Signatures, Pt.3
Who's liable, here?As far as cashiers checking ID for a credit card purchase, all to often if they do check it, they're not normally predisposed to make a scene or confront a customer. Generally those that do check will just make a quick glance and hand the credit card and ID back to you. Few of these cashiers are trained criminologists nor do they want to be. They may check your gender, race and possibly age (within 30 years) but, don't expect much else. They don't get into hair and makeup as those things can easily change. If the thief has also stolen your wallet or other ID, with any smarts at all they can work with that. If you haven't even signed your credit card, that's ‘duck soup', even for a mediocre thief. Simply producing ID with your name on it is middle-school stuff.
According to credit card association rules, a cashier is prohibited from accepting a card that is not signed. So, if you only shop where people know you and they will still accept your credit card with no signature, this may be the way to go. A thief probably won't have the advantage of finding the same deal, especially if that person knows them.
Just keep in mind that "See ID" does not substitute for a signature. If a cashier notices the blank signature and allows you to sign the credit card right then and there, they may be doing you a favor...or not. Provided the thief knows how to write in cursive (or even scribble the same way twice), they're home free. This may not be a cashier you want to trust in the future.
If a merchant accepts other ID in place of a signature on the back of a credit card, they then make themselves financially liable if something goes wrong (like fraud or, even a dispute by you at a later time). So, even though a young cashier may allow this, few managers would. Your signature on the back of the card is half of the agreement. Therefore, without your signature on the card, that manager would simply be allowing you to walk out the door with free merchandise (if you had a mind to take advantage of it).
On the other hand, it you don't sign the card and someone else steals it and signs it for you, it means that you have broken your agreement with the credit card association and you may find yourself liable for any fraudulent charges.