# Credit cards and merchants who set minimum purchase limits **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110 "2001-08-25T19:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/41 "2001-08-27T14:17:21Z")
Also, I have a friend who signs all his credit card reciepts Donald Duck. Has for years, and nobody ever looks at them. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/42 "2001-08-27T17:16:40Z")
Quote: Just a side note, on the subject of “to sign or not to sign the back of one’s credit card”, I was advised by my friend that the best thing to do is write “Ask for ID” in the signature space. That way, if the merchant checks the signature (which many don’t, in violation of their agreement), they will see the request to verify ID before accepting the card. This eliminates the issue of trying to choose between leaving the signature area blank (in which case a thief could sign your name on the card in their own handwriting, and therefore pass any signature verification if it came up) or signing your name and giving the thief a sample of your signature to practice forging. My reply: Nope, nope, nope. You are living in a different neighborhood. Merchants I know in my area will always reject such a credit card out of hand. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/43 "2001-08-27T17:40:31Z")
…when the card holder and the card user are two different people? My father in law is blind and therefore cannot drive (or see the little signature slips). Often, he will send me to the store to pick up whatever. I sign the charge slip with my signature (sine it’s the only one I have). I am not representing myself as someone else, I am simply an authorized user of the card. Other times, my father in law is with me at the store, but rather than sign the wrong space on the charge slip, he asks me to sign it. Again, I am not misrepresenting myself – just using the card. How would checking my ID affect this purchase? Aren’t card holders allowed to assign the use of their cards to others? Once, I went into a bank with my in-laws card and was able to cash out $1500 on the spot. No problem. Of course, I did have permission from my in-laws to do this!😉 Really. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/44 "2001-08-27T17:56:35Z")
**hardygrrl** …if checking the signature on the card against the receipt is a requirement of the merchant agreement, how are so many stores getting away with allowing credit card transactions where an employee of the business never even gets to see or handle the card, such as Pay At The Pump services at gas stations? Does this require a different sort of agreement, similar to that which would be required for mail order purchases where you give your credit card number and expiration date over the phone or online? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/45 "2001-08-27T23:29:36Z")
Some observations, In all four of the local CompUSAs I’ve been too, they ALL have signs expressing the fact that they REQUIRE photo-ID for transactions over (I think) $200, _unless_ the credit card is a MasterCard, for which no ID is ever required. Maybe it’s a MasterCard thing, since THEY’RE the ones (not Visa) advertising the “no ID required” thing all the time. In the state of Michigan, it’s _illegal_ to offer cash discounts in lieu of credit credit cards. This always burns me in stupid states, like Indiana for example, when I go to the gas station that advertises 1.399 for gasoline, but it turns out that that price "reflects the cash discount" and it's some .10 PER GALLON(!) more for credit card. I write “See Photo ID” on the back of all of my credit cards, and always have the ID ready when I use them. The attendents SEE the ID, so they ALWAYS take a closer look. I hope this inspires them to check ID more often, but I’m just a little bit more safe from credit fraud (from which I’ve already been burned $9000 which we ALL have to pay back in one way or another). ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/46 "2001-08-27T23:32:49Z")
**Jadis** I’ll find out for you tomorrow. I know offhand that any transaction where the card is not swiped-mail,talephone and online transactions-V/M has automatic chargeback rights. We just discussed “pay at the pump” charges today. I personally wish that wasn’t allowed because like I stated before, fraud perps either test the cards there or offer to pump gas for people in exchange for cash. But due to the convience for customers and merchants, they’re here to stay. My suggestion would be that people would have to enter their zip code as a pin to use a credit card. Of course, between the banks and the merchants, that will take forever to put into action. 🙂 **Drum God** Easy solution. Have your father call the bank and order you a credit card. As an authorized user, you can get a card with your name on it. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/47 "2001-08-28T01:44:59Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by hardygrrl \* \*\*My suggestion would be that people would have to enter their zip code as a pin to use a credit card.QUOTE] Not a bad idea in lots of places. Where I live, my one little suburb city has like five ZIP codes, so the chances of “guessing” are really narrowed. However, where I grew up, a sprawled town of about 30,000 with mini-suburbs bringing that to about 100,000, it’s ALL the same ZIP code. Pretty easy to guess the PIN in that case. That little town’s also where a lot of Canadians come in to get some real shopping options. How do you type 1Q2 2Z5 into a keypad (well, looking at the AT&T phone, it just so happens that Q and Z _are_ on the phone, but you know what I mean). Start talking about _real_ foreigners, or travel to foreign countries, and the ZIP code becomes a real problem. On the other hand, a four-digit, normal PIN Number (yes, it’s redundant, who cares?) universally may not be a bad idea at all. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/48 "2001-08-28T01:46:10Z")
Dangit! ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/49 "2001-08-28T02:08:07Z")
> [@](#): > > We just discussed “pay at the pump” charges today. I personally wish that wasn’t allowed because like I stated before, fraud perps either test the cards there or offer to pump gas for people in exchange for cash. But due to the convience for customers and merchants, they’re here to stay. My suggestion would be that people would have to enter their zip code as a pin to use a credit card. Of course, between the banks and the merchants, that will take forever to put into action Just last week, I was at a gas station where entering the zip code was necessary with a Speedpass ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/50 "2001-08-28T02:16:59Z")
That’s where I got the idea. 🙂 It’s one thing however for a single merchant to do that with their own credit card/speedpass. It’s another for Visa/Mastercard and their many issuers to put this in effect, along with getting merchant cooperation. It would require a lot of work. Also, speedpasses get stolen a lot lately. The perp takes the speddpass and offers to pump gas in exchange for cash. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/51 "2001-08-28T02:22:58Z")
…or maybe not a solution that satisfies people, but when I don’t like the ‘rules’ a merchant sets up, I don’t go there anymore. Toys R Us is obnoxious about asking for a phone number; I take my kids to other toy stores. A liquor store near me requires a $15 minimum for credit cards, and they don’t get my business. ---
**Author:** ![Sysop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Sysop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sysop)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/52 "2001-08-28T06:10:55Z")
Personally, if I go to ANY merchant, and they ask me for my identification when I present a credit card, it makes me look at them in a more positive light. I feel like they’re looking out for MY best interest, not theirs. Hey, even if the ARE just looking out for themselves, at least I won’t wake up one day with zippo in my account because someone found my card and decided to go crazy at Wal-Mart. For those of you that don’t like to show an I.D., USE CASH. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/53 "2001-08-28T09:58:12Z")
Slight hijack-please do not scream or get nasty with a sales clerk who asks for id-often, we’re only doing what we’re told. A few things-most merchants are doing this, not because they are accusing you of stealing, but are protecting themselves after having been screwed too many times. Another thing is debit payments-we ask for signatures ONLY when a person gets money out. People may not like it, but we do this because in the past we’ve gotten screwed when people will come back and claim that they were never at our store, or that it was a relative-child, spouse, etc-who used the card. What galls me is people getting nasty when we ask for ID for checks. So, if you have a problem with it, discreetly take it up with managment, and don’t make a stink to some poor clerk who’s just doing her job-and could get written up for not asking. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![dwtno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dwtno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwtno)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/54 "2001-08-28T13:05:21Z")
**Guinastasia** I sympathize, but if the store puts you in front of me as their representative, then you better be prepared to act as a representative. As far as I’m concerned, you _are_ the store. Picayune details of store hiarchy don’t interest me, and _shouldn’t_ interest me. If you aren’t prepared to discuss policy or details of procedure with me, then get someone else out there, pronto. But until then you are the person the store has assigned to be their public front and it is with you I shall speak. That being said, I don’t yell at anyone, cashiers, telemarketers, etc., but I refuse to let you (not the personal you, you understand, but the vast pool of persons in positions similar to yours)… I refuse to let you hide behind the “I’m only following orders” routine. Self-rightous rant over. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/55 "2001-08-28T13:48:51Z")
**BRAVO, dwtno! BRAVO!** That is _exactly_ how I feel. A few months back we had a bunch of threads about nasty customers and surly clerks. So many of the anti-customer posters hid behind “we’re only following orders” argument. Every time I read one I wanted to reply with exactly your response. (But never did… didn’t want to get dragged into the fray.) Again, bravo dwtno! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/56 "2001-08-28T22:49:47Z")
My point is-I’ll explain policy, but I will not break it-sorry, I’m not going to endanger my job just because someone is offended. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/57 "2001-08-29T00:34:16Z")
I agree that you should follow orders but I will insist on talking to the manager. There’s nothing wrong with saying “I’m sorry, those are the orders I have; would you like to speak to the manager?” What is not acceptable is the “I only work here” response which pretty much translates as “I couldn’t care less about you, your card or whether you live or die”. To me, you _are_ the store. If you cannot resolve the issue, then get someone who can. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/58 "2001-08-29T00:57:38Z")
Exactly, **sailor.** If a customer has a problem, the clerk should either deal with it or **get someone who can.** If a clerk wants to kick it upstairs, then he/she should kick it upstairs – not just stand there all pissed off and stoney. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2001, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110/59 "2001-08-29T01:11:28Z")
And that’s exactly what I would say-unless of course, the person was being rude about it-“You stupid bitch, you let me use this card!” But, that’s very rare, at least where I work. If they’re really nice, I usually commiserate-“Yeah, I agree, this policy really reeks, but managment just won’t listen…” I’m nothing if not polite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-cards-and-merchants-who-set-minimum-purchase-limits/78110.md?page=2)