'Signing credit and debit cards'

jnights from Watching my back -

Is it really a good idea to sign the back of the card 'ask for ID' to ensure that the teller asks to see an actual ID and they can't forge your signature?

Comment #1 Plums from the thrush tree -

Not sure about this, but I had an experience several years back where a bank employee used my specimen signature on my bank records to forge a check and cash it. The give-away was a little squiggle on the signature that was not intended when I signed the specimen card, and an alert bank official spotted it after I queried the transaction. The police weren't even called in. The employee was fired and my account was immediately credited!

Comment #2 matt from right there!!! -

I have heard that there is a law in place that your signature must match the signature on the back of your card our else the transaction should not go through. I don’t know how true it is though.

Comment #3 Callie from The North -

You know what, half of these 16 year olds who take my credit card don't even look - they don't even care. So, how is that going to stop someone from using a bogus credit card? It drives me nuts!! Especially when once you scan your card it says "leave out for the cashier", 80% of the time they say - "That's okay. I don't need to see it." Yeah, they're really checking for identity theft, aren't they?

Comment #4 Delino from California -

They really don't ask to see your card most of the time. The cashiers don't care for the most part and even when you make a legitimate purchase, half the time your number is sitting around in their records or forms you've filled in so it doesn't help.

Comment #5 Olivia from Online -

Very rarely does anyone even check my signature anymore. When they do, they don't even pay attention. I had my husband's AmEx card on me and inadvertently used it for a transaction. I signed my own name on the receipt and they didn't even question it. See, they don't even care!

Comment #6 Kings from parallel street -

My wife and I have regularly had this happen with debit cards issued by the same bank. No-one seems to have paid the slightest attention to this in the past. In the UK now signatures are completely a thing of the past. One has to enter a pin number only.

Comment #7 Jenna from A highly secure location -

I guess it doesn't really matter then if you do it or not. You're basically not going to have much protection from this and you'll have to rely on your fraud protection coverage.

Comment #8 PATRICK from HOUSTON, TEXAS -

Now that I think about it I don’t think that I’m ever asked for my id when I use my credit cards. That’s just crazy.

Comment #9 Eddie from South America -

In South America they regularly ask to see your id. On a very rare occassion they actually compare the name on your ID with the name on the credit card. I don't think they've ever actually compared the signatures.

Usually when they do ask for ID they don't really look at it.

More often they ask you to write your ID number on the receipt and pay little attention to what you actually write.

For ID, I use a photo copy (laminated) of my U.S. Passport. Only once when buying an airline ticket did the clerk ask if it was a copy of my passport. No one has ever questioned why I use a copy of my passport (obviously as the suggestion of the various U.S. Embassy notices that tell you to carry a copy so the original won't get stolen).

Comment #10 Kings from parallel street -

In the UK the standard driver's license is the best form of ID. You will often be asked to present this when inquiring at a bank counter. Another technique used there is to ask one to sign a blank piece of paper. They presumably take this and compare it to the signature on file in the bank.

Comment #11 peter (72.51.39.197) -

Hi friends, this is peter,

One of the serious concerns is about identity fraud. In order to protect you i can show identity safety tips which can help you out..!

• Identity safety tips

Comment #12 jakspaaro (122.168.22.81) - Sat May 24 04:41:47 2008

I am going to use the sample letter from this site to negotiate my debt with a ca and have the negative listing completely removed from my reports. On my credit report it shows the oc with a "charged off as bad debt" and also shows the ca with a listing of "collection account". Should I be dealing with the ca or oc? If I get the ca to agree to a settlement and delete the negative listing then what about the oc's original negative report? I want to wipe them both clean, any advice? Thank you.

Comment #13 Two trips round the moon (62.163.146.135) - Sat May 31 15:30:43 2008

The link offered by Comment #11 peter (72.51.39.197) is fake/spam.

Comment #14 Two trips round the moon (62.163.146.135) - Sat May 31 15:40:38 2008

In the NL, the credit card is not an important means of payment, most people only carry bank cards (PIN cards) that require PIN identification. I believe the same holds for credit cards. I only use my credit card for online and phone purchases, but in the NL there is already an alternative (iDEAL) that employs direct money transfer through your own bank's online banking system. You can get through life pretty well without ever owning a credit card, unless you travel.

Comment #15 saina (122.168.26.119) - Fri Jun 27 02:16:04 2008

Hi! I want to know that is there any way to keep a systematic documentation of credit holders of the company? As being a senior financer I would like to do it. If anyone knows it please tell me. Thanks in advance.

Comment #16 jiyasha (122.168.23.235) - Sat Jun 28 01:01:15 2008

Hello! I don’t know if that matters to someone that much, but still I would like to tell you that there is a credit management service provider gcs-group.com which will help you in a very assured way.

• Re: Is there any way to keep a systematic documentation of credit holders?

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