# Showing ID when using your credit card **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741 "2012-07-19T16:48:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/41 "2012-07-20T04:01:11Z")
I say “it’s a signature card; no ID is required.” Sometimes this works. When they say it’s for my protection, I say “no thank you.” When they say it’s their store policy, I explain that their merchant agreement forbids them from asking for additional identification. When they say they can’t change the rule, I ask them to call a manager, and we replay steps 1 through 4. If I’m getting nowhere and I **need** to finish the transaction, I show them my Library of Congress Reader Card. Then I find a different store to make my next purchase at. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/42 "2012-07-20T04:02:47Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > When they say it’s their store policy, I explain that their merchant agreement forbids them from asking for additional identification. Now that’s just not true. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/43 "2012-07-20T04:13:00Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I say “it’s a signature card; no ID is required.” Sometimes this works. > > When they say it’s for my protection, I say “no thank you.” > > When they say it’s their store policy, I explain that their merchant agreement forbids them from asking for additional identification. > > When they say they can’t change the rule, I ask them to call a manager, and we replay steps 1 through 4. > > If I’m getting nowhere and I **need** to finish the transaction, I show them my Library of Congress Reader Card. > > Then I find a different store to make my next purchase at. Wow, you sure showed them! Do you really believe that being a giant prick over something so utterly inconsequential will have any impact whatsoever on anything other than wasting some people’s time? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/44 "2012-07-20T04:16:54Z")
From the merchant agreement “Visa rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID” Basically, it says, that the merchant can ask for an ID as long as asking for an ID is an exception to the procedure for taking a credit card and not part it. IOW, you can’t ask for an ID for every CC, but you can if you suspect there’s a problem. If someone was at my store and for some reason I felt the need to ask for their ID to go along with their CC and they said “no thank you” or “no ID is required” that would just make me suspicious. At that point, I’d probably just be more comfortable turning down the sale. I mean, why waste everyone’s time, including you’re own, rather then just pulling out you’re ID and showing it to the poor cashier who doesn’t make the rules? What point are you proving? Or, just sign the back of your card and not deal with it (FTR, I’m assuming that’s why you’re being asked for an ID to begin with). ETA BTW, saying “no thank you” or you telling the store that an ID isn’t required sounds kinda jerkish and is going to make the store feel less bad about turning you down. It reminds me of a lady who was writing us a check for a hundred dollars or so. We asked for her phone number to write on the check and she refused. We called out the boss and he asked what the problem was. She said “I don’t trust you with my phone number” and he said “You don’t trust me with your phone number but you want me to trust that this piece of paper is worth $100?”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/45 "2012-07-20T16:03:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > just sign the back of your card and not deal with it (FTR, I’m assuming that’s why you’re being asked for an ID to begin with). The card **is** signed. The merchant has signed a contract agreeing that he won’t make further identification a condition of acceptance. Yet he requires me to provide it before he’ll sell me a movie ticket. He has installed a machine nearby that will provide me the very same ticket without even a signature, much less ID. There’s no big problem with people taking movie tickets to pawnshops to make big bucks off stolen cards. The charge card will pay him the $10 even if the card turns out to be stolen. So why do I have to go home and get an acceptable ID to show the kid at the ticket booth? (The kid, incidentally, won’t even turn the card over to glance at the signature that’s supposed to be the real security measure.) The charge card is supposed to be more convenient than a check. Otherwise why would I pay $100 a year to have it? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/46 "2012-07-20T16:05:08Z")
I’m for it. I don’t sign my cards, I write “Check ID” on the back. I’m surprised how rarely I’m asked for ID. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/47 "2012-07-20T16:18:28Z")
Okay, **Mr Downtown** , I’m really confused now. > [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > The merchant has signed a contract agreeing that he won’t make further identification a condition of acceptance. Didn’t **Joey P** just say the merchant _could_ ask for ID? Do you have a cite for your claim? > [@](#): > > Yet he requires me to provide it before he’ll sell me a movie ticket. He has installed a machine nearby that will provide me the very same ticket without even a signature, much less ID. Then why don’t you use the machine?😕 > [@](#): > > So why do I have to go home and get an acceptable ID to show the kid at the ticket booth? Why is it harder to carry your ID with you than to carry your credit card with you? > [@](#): > > The charge card is supposed to be more convenient than a check. Otherwise why would I pay $100 a year to have it? Your card charges you $100 a year? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/48 "2012-07-20T16:28:47Z")
Do they ask everyone for an ID or just you? If it was just you, perhaps there was a reason for it. If it’s everyone, every time then, yes, they are most likely violating their merchant agreement. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/49 "2012-07-20T16:50:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I don’t show my ID. If someone were to ask, I’d say no. If they insist, I’ll walk and leave what I’m buying at the counter for them to put away. If I have a choice, I would not return. > > I refuse to be treated like a criminal when I walk into a store. This is the attitude I don’t understand. From where I sit, they aren’t treating you like a criminal. They’re treating you like a stranger who is presenting them with something fairly easily stolen. Do you go to jewelry stores where they have to buzz you in? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/50 "2012-07-20T16:52:32Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Do they ask everyone for an ID or just you? If it was just you, perhaps there was a reason for it. If it’s everyone, every time then, yes, they are most likely violating their merchant agreement. Not addressed at you, but this policy is idiotic. You might as well tell merchants they shouldn’t check for counterfeit $50 and $100 bills. Every credit card user pays for credit card fraud, and the banks encourage it to increase their volume. Their only loss is in paying for their sham anti-theft departments which do absolutely nothing. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/51 "2012-07-20T17:25:02Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > If it’s important to you, have your picture put on the card itself. Otherwise, sign your name to spot that says SIGNATURE and let’s all move on. I would but it is not offered, I use a credit union and they have bland debit VISAs. And before you tell me to get some credit card that does offer it, I refuse to have a _credit_ card. If I do not have the money in the account, I obviously do not need whatever impulse purchase it would be. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/52 "2012-07-20T17:36:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You might as well tell merchants they shouldn’t check for counterfeit $50 and $100 bills. Every credit card user pays for credit card fraud, and the banks encourage it to increase their volume. They can check by comparing my signature to the one on the back of the card. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/53 "2012-07-20T17:38:19Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > And before you tell me to get some credit card that does offer it, I refuse to have a _credit_ card. If I do not have the money in the account, I obviously do not need whatever impulse purchase it would be. It’s a protection offered on debit cards as well. If you choose to bank somewhere that forces you to disobey the card agreement by writing See ID on the signature line in order to have financial security, that’s your bag but I have no sympathy for your position. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/54 "2012-07-20T17:39:23Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I would but it is not offered, I use a credit union and they have bland debit VISAs. > > And before you tell me to get some credit card that does offer it, I refuse to have a _credit_ card. If I do not have the money in the account, I obviously do not need whatever impulse purchase it would be. I’m slightly opposite. I refuse to use a debit card. If someone is going to steal, skim or otherwise use one of my cards, I’d rather have them racking up debt them run down my bank account while it’s getting sorted out. I can deal with having my credit cards all screwed up for a few days or weeks, I can’t deal with having no money for that time. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/55 "2012-07-20T17:53:23Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > And before you tell me to get some credit card that does offer it, I refuse to have a _credit_ card. If I do not have the money in the account, I obviously do not need whatever impulse purchase it would be. Okay, but you realize that some of us who have credit cards only use them as a convenient way to pay for things that we already have enough money in the bank to cover—and no more impulsively than any other kind of payment. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/56 "2012-07-20T17:53:49Z")
This is one of those things that I really do not care one little bit about. Of all the things to get annoyed about in my daily life, this does not hit even the bottom rung of my meter. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/57 "2012-07-20T19:23:24Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > From the merchant agreement “Visa rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID” > > Basically, it says, that the merchant can ask for an ID as long as asking for an ID is an exception to the procedure for taking a credit card and not part it. IOW, you can’t ask for an ID for every CC, but you can if you suspect there’s a problem. I interpreted it to mean that can _ask_ anybody, but that they can’t actually do anything if the person they ask says no. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/58 "2012-07-20T19:38:57Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > I interpreted it to mean that can _ask_ anybody, but that they can’t actually do anything if the person they ask says no. Right off the bat, the merchant agreement very clearly states that the merchant MUST ask for ID as part of dealing with an unsigned card and we weren’t talking about that anyways. But I just wanted to put it out there. Moving on… I don’t see anything in the agreement about the cardholder being allowed to decline showing an ID when asked. It doesn’t say much about what to do in the situation when a cardholder doesn’t have or refuses to show an ID. The only advice it really gives in this is that if you’re at all suspicious is that you should call in for a Code 10 Auth. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/59 "2012-07-20T19:54:21Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Okay, but you realize that some of us who have credit cards only use them as a convenient way to pay for things that we already have enough money in the bank to cover—and no more impulsively than any other kind of payment. This is how I use my credit card. I make almost all my purchases with it and I pay it off at the end of each month. As a result, it costs me no interest. In the event that my card is stolen (which it has been a couple times), as **Joey P** says, the impact on me is less than with a debit card which is immediately taken from my account and, though ultimately replaced, could lead to other problems. On the topic of the thread, I don’t see why people make a big deal out of this. I actually at one point performed an experiment where I didn’t write anything on the back of the card and I didn’t get asked about once before it expired. I’ve been asked for ID a few times with my card, but I understand why they did when they did, because the signature on my current card is kind of smeared. I don’t even really see why anyone would think it’s a big deal, I keep both my ID and my credit card in my wallet, so my wallet is already out. Sure, it’d be silly to get carded for a $10 purchase, but I’ve found that most retailers in this area don’t even ask me to sign for anything if it’s under $15 anyway. Sure, neither I nor the business is held directly responsible for fraud, but someone along the way does and that ends up working back to both of us through increased rates and whatnot. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable measure to check for ID in cases where it’s warranted, like with my smeared signature, and even then, that’s very rare because they seldom even look at the signature. In fact, at most retailers, the cashier never even touches my card, I swipe and sign it myself. Either way, this is totally something not worth getting all worked up about. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741/60 "2012-07-20T20:01:53Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Wow, you sure showed them! Do you really believe that being a giant prick over something so utterly inconsequential will have any impact whatsoever on anything other than wasting some people’s time? Wait a freaking second here. The _clerk_ is the jerk. They are wasting _my_ time. The single most important thing to remember is that they are _required_ by their contract to not do this. It is not within my universe of ethics to assist someone else in breaking the rules. Being an ethical person is non-trivial. If it was easy, far few people would have problems being ethical. Paying attention to the “inconsequential” things is how to be a better person. A person obeying the rules cannot conceivably be in the wrong here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-id-when-using-your-credit-card/628741.md?page=4)