# Is this ID checking legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2004, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572 "2004-03-10T23:29:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TygerDralion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TygerDralion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TygerDralion)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/41 "2004-03-12T22:09:52Z")
> [@kirk](#): > > But he had a receipt, and they still asked for all that information. > > You could always lie though, how would they know. But I’m sure there are people that would buy a book, then walk into the store and get one off of the shelf and “return” it, in effect getting the original book for free. Though this may seem like a stretch as far as books are concerned, think of it being in a clothing shop or other retail shop. ---
**Author:** ![np\_complete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecb155/32.png) [@np\_complete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/np_complete)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/42 "2004-03-12T22:28:25Z")
> [@TygerDralion](#): > > But I’m sure there are people that would buy a book, then walk into the store and get one off of the shelf and “return” it, in effect getting the original book for free. Though this may seem like a stretch as far as books are concerned, think of it being in a clothing shop or other retail shop. I’d thought of this explaination too, but I realized that it would have the same net outcome as simply stealing one copy of the book. i.e. Buy Book + Steal Book + Return Book = Steal Book $0 net loss/gain, you now own 1 copy of the book I’m certain that people try to return stolen merchandise frequently, but I doubt that they have authentic receipts (I wonder if any of them forge receipts too). ---
**Author:** ![TygerDralion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TygerDralion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TygerDralion)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/43 "2004-03-12T22:34:15Z")
> [@np\_complete](#): > > I’d thought of this explaination too, but I realized that it would have the same net outcome as simply stealing one copy of the book. > > i.e. Buy Book + Steal Book + Return Book = Steal Book > $0 net loss/gain, you now own 1 copy of the book > > I’m certain that people try to return stolen merchandise frequently, but I doubt that they have authentic receipts (I wonder if any of them forge receipts too). BUT, normal stealing entails leaving said store with stolen merchandise. By doing this, the thief would not be leaving the store with un-paid for merchandise, and thus has a much lower risk of setting off any magnetic strip alarms or anything. I don’t know about Borders, but I know that the local Books A Million and Barnes & Noble sell CDs also, most likely with these strips in them, and would have to use the same return policies for both books and CDs. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/44 "2004-03-12T23:33:01Z")
> [@activgurl](#): > > How much information is too much? How about when the clerks write your driver’s license number on your check? Isn’t it enough that it was properly verified? Now my personal information is in front of whoever sees that check. I hope to hell they are all honest folks. The reason stores write your driver’s license number on checks is so they have a means of finding you should it bounce. It’s perfectly legal, and if you don’t like it, don’t write checks. Robin ---
**Author:** ![np\_complete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecb155/32.png) [@np\_complete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/np_complete)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/45 "2004-03-12T23:39:52Z")
> [@TygerDralion](#): > > BUT, normal stealing entails leaving said store with stolen merchandise. By doing this, the thief would not be leaving the store with un-paid for merchandise, and thus has a much lower risk of setting off any magnetic strip alarms or anything. I don’t know about Borders, but I know that the local Books A Million and Barnes & Noble sell CDs also, most likely with these strips in them, and would have to use the same return policies for both books and CDs. That’s entirely possible, though unfortunately I don’t know anything about retail businesses in general or theft in particular. I did realise something else when rereading the portion of the thread that led to this discussion, we’re assuming that Borders wanted to see **Podkayne** ’s ID to discourage shoplifting, but I don’t know if that’s their sole motivation. I’d speculate that any retail store wants to discourage returns (all returns) in addition to fraud. It’s a pretty weak speculation, but I’ve seen enough signs saying “NO RETURNS - does not affect your statutory rights” to feel suspicious of retailer’s motivations. Of course I’d be most grateful to hear from somebody who works at a retailer’s fraud department and can describe the real intent behind these types of policies (since my knowledge of shoplifting/countershoplifting is woefully poor). ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/46 "2004-03-13T06:49:29Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > The reason stores write your driver’s license number on checks is so they have a means of finding you should it bounce. It’s perfectly legal, and if you don’t like it, don’t write checks. > > Robin **activgurl** you could also write your congress (state and federal) people to make it illegal. If it’s just local stores thats bothering you you have alot more say in county and city level goverment then you do on state and national goverment. If you care enough about write everyone who you have a vote on whether they keep their job or not. ---
**Author:** ![CelraySoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@CelraySoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelraySoda)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/47 "2004-03-13T09:09:26Z")
I didn’t read all the posts on this link but I have an instance where checking ID’s may seem over the top. I work the front office in a hotel in the north east. We don’t require a signature upon checkout, when paying with a credit card, that is why we check all information. Plus, the magnetic key cards have no usefull information to steal identities. A hotel key card only holds the guests name, some random 7 digit number and length of stay. Some news team put fear in the hearts of hotel travellers. -M ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572/48 "2004-03-13T13:56:44Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Why should it? Who doesn’t carry identification in this day and age? If you’re going to buy beer, isn’t it likely that your identification is kept in the same wallet as your preferred method of payment? If you’re a man. If you’re a woman and you’re carrying an evening bag, you may not have taken the time to put your driver’s license into it, especially if you’re not driving. As a 40-something woman, I don’t expect to be carded anymore. I don’t think I’d patronize any establishment that did so. If you can’t look at me and tell that I’m clearly an adult of legal age (thanks in no great part to my grey hair and crow’s feet) then you’re probably too stupid to get my drink order correct, anyway. And I’m surely not patronizing any establishment which puts my state-issued ID through any type of reader machine for any reason without a clearly posted policy explaining that a.) they will do so; b.) what data their machine is displaying to their employees; c.) what data they are retaining and for what duration of time it is retained and d.) what they intend to do with that data. It’s the least to ask, especially in the era of targetted marketing and identity theft. To say “I need to _see_ your ID” then to take said ID and pass it through some machine that does who knows what is simply untenable. It’s a horrible practice and BW3 or whatever needs to be called on the carpet for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-id-checking-legal/233572.md?page=2)