It’s been driving me nuts (like that old pirate joke… nevermind) that everywhere I fucking go, I have to show my ID when I use my credit card.
I went to Jack in the Box today, for example. This happens every fucking time.
“May I see your ID?”
“No thanks.”
“I can’t accept your credit card without your ID.”
Bullshit. “Did you think I was gonna go to the trouble of stealing a credit card, and then use it to buy a three dollar sandwich at Jack in the Box? Did you really?”
I wish I had some sort of really good document to show every manager and every clerk of every store I go to, something to prove to them that they are hassling me without good cause. I know it’s not required, I’ve heard it on the news and in Cecil’s column, but how can I prove that to anyone?
Any of you jokers have a link to an official website that says as much?
You could find a copy of the Merchant’s agreement that says asking for ID is against their contract with the credit card company, I suppose. I don’t have a credit card (Just a debit card.) Is it really that onerous to have to pull a second piece of plastic out of your wallet? Genuinely curious here. I would guess if you already have the wallet in your pocket…But after a while, wouldn’t you expect ID and just be ready?
About 2 weeks ago a copy of one of my business account cards turned up in SoCal. There were dozens of small transactions, many from fast food places and gas stations for $5-$10.
When I am at work I often have fun pointing at the Graphics on my truck when they ask for ID, stating “either its me or I stole the guys truck too and his boss is gonna be pissed.”
I think the only place I’ve been asked for ID when I use my credit card is in Las Vegas, where that is fairly common. I don’t know if it’s because it’s more likely to have your credit card stolen there or what.
Longs is the only place that consistently asks for ID w/cc, so I don’t mind too much.
Once, my wife and I accidentally switched credit cards and I was stuck with hers on a 4-day business trip. I had some time to kill at Dulles and went to visit the Air and Space Museum there, but had to use the cc to get in. They asked for my cc (her name) and my ID (my name) but still accepted the transaction!
I’ve got a credit card on my keychain that I use when I don’t have my wallet on me. It’s handy, convenient, and not too bulky. I refuse to purchase an item at a store that “requires” ID to be shown and will send a note to the card carrier if that does happen. It’s a violation of the merchant’s agreement.(Warning PDF Page 48).
And a big **** *** for the people that keep this “CID” bull**** going. You’re the ones that are ruining this.
You do realize that if you raise a stink that all the people stuck in line behind you are going to wonder if killing you comes under justifiable or commendable homicide.
Violation of merchant agreement or not, it’s a buffer against ID theives, and I think it’s dandy. I’m more than happy about showing my ID because it means the store can keep prices lower because they stop at least SOME of the crooks.
Round here we’ve got to enter our zip codes at the gas pumps too, because of such rampant thievery.
To expand, yes, it’s against the merchant agreement, but no, most merchants don’t care, and, to protect themselves, ask for ID. You, the cardholder, are not liable for more than $50.00 worth of fraudulent purchases, and on many cards, zero. Don’t argue with the cashier. They will, in general, not back down if they ask in the first place. They are FORCED by management to ask. They don’t care about losing your business, they care about losing their job. If you want to make a stink, go to the manager, then whoever else they refer you to up the food chain.
Aside from it being an inconvenience, it also requires me to provide the cashier additional information that can be used for identity theft. For example, if I show my military ID, my SSN is on that. My home address is on my driver’s license. My date of birth is on both. Whenever I express this concern to the manager (yes, I don’t deal with the cashiers on this point) I am invariably told that, “my cashiers are too busy to remember every SSN or DOB on every customer that comes in here.” That is fine if the cashier can’t remember all of the customer’s. I am only concerned she can remember mine. Further, when has anyone ever said something along the lines of, “Oh, S**t you got me. I looked at your Social and was going to use it, but since you said I can’t, well I guess I won’t.”
I usually end the transaction by stating something along the lines of, “If you think I am dumb enough to lose accountability of my credit card, you probably think I am too dumb to shop here.” Then I leave and try to never return.
Seriously, people don’t leave cash lying around. The lowest limit on any of my cards is $2000. I wouldn’t lose track of that much cash, even if it was 2 one thousand dollar bills. Why would I lose track of a credit card if I know that it has the same effect?
This is 100% correct. I am one of those cashiers forced to do this, and I will tell you right now that I don’t care if I lose every single customer because of it.
When people complain I just tell them that it is store policy and that I can’t do anything about it. I even made a sign that I could point to so that the policy would look more official.
Defective Detective, you could show me the Merchant’s agreement that I would be violating, but it wouldn’t do you any good.
Are you serious? I understand that YOU may be diligent, but AT LEAST twice a week, people come in to my store, saying “I found this card still in the gas pump,” or “I found this ON TOP of the gas pump.” People are RIDICULOUSLY lax about their credit cards.
I suppose I’ll just take it up with MasterCard, then. Don’t worry, I would never get mad at a cashier for doing this, but it is annoying. Just one of life’s littler annoyances, but could be prevented if people just paid attention to detail and followed the rules that MasterCard provides. I don’t think there’s anything difficult about it.
And they could just as easily point out that your card is not valid unless signed. It’s a game people seem to enjoy playing, for reasons I can’t quite figure out.