17 Sep
Posted by: mark in: Budgeting
Here’s the scenario:
I’m at a major electronics store, and I make a significant purchase on my credit card. Because I like to test the system and see if the cashiers actually check signatures, I sign a big X right in the middle of the touchscreen. A little message pops up :”Signature approved” and I walk out knowing that anyone with my card could’ve done the same thing.
My question to you all today is, how often do they check your signature on credit card purchases?
2 Responses
Andrew
17|Sep|2007 1I can think of one time when they’ve checked my signature. As a matter of fact, when I use my corporate purchasing card they don’t even check my signature. My corporate card is tax exempt so it takes a little extra for them to do everything and they still don’t check. Last time I used it they didn’t even ask me for ID.
I was with my brother the other day and he used his wife’s credit card (with her maiden name on it so the last names wouldn’t even match) and they let it go through just fine. Seems like there’s no real point in signing a card or even putting a name on a card.
AmyL
17|Sep|2007 2Hmm. I didn’t know that the electronic thingy wasn’t at least looking at my signature. That’s scary. At stores without the touchscreen, I hand them the card and my id automatically. Often I am told “thanks for showing me your id” especially at stores where they ask everyone. Most of the time I use a debit card, so the PIN protects me. I have recently acquired a credit card (they offered me $250 in cash to sign up so I took it) but I’m canceling that thing right quick. I didn’t realize I would HATE having one again so much. With my debit card, the money goes right out of my account immediately, and I don’t have to worry about the balance hanging out there. No payment deadlines or finance charges. One of my charges didn’t post until after the billing period cut off, so as soon as that bill comes in and is paid, then I’m canceling that thing! Your post today has given me even more motivation, since I’ve griped before about the whole ‘tap the card’ thing where you don’t have to sign at all. Hate that as well. Anyone could take my card and just tap for as many purchases up to $25 as they want.
The only thing I’m not figuring out is how to safely shop online. I was using the debit card, but a friend lost a lot of money out of her bank account that way, and the bank told her never to use a debit card online. Sigh. Maybe I’ll open a second bank account just for shopping, and only put into it what I want to spend.
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