Stupid Credit Card Trick

[Randy B]

I'd really like to have my signature and ID checked every time the credit card is presented. I've heard that writing "Check ID" on the back of the card in sharpie over your signature will help this happen. Is that true in your experience?

Morning

That is the question that started all this. The answer is no. Some CMs at Diney and many casheers at non Disney locations never look at he back of the card. At Disney there is an apparent rule (per this thread) that unless the total charge is more than $50 (previously $25) a signature check is not required. So many CMs don't even look at the back of the card at all for smaller purchases. And thus wouldn't even see the message. And with the prevalence of "swipe it yourself" locations even large charges at these locations will likely go without the person at the register even seeing the color of the card, much less if there is a note on the back.

Randy

[Morning]

Thanks for your time, Randy, and your answer. I admit, I had forgotten the origins of this thread. I guess I really am a stupid guest!

Morning

[Princess Susi]

I can honestly say that I do not remember a CM that never checked the back of our credit cards. Every single purchase we made at a Disney park, the card was checked. Maybe we just look suspicious.... ;)
susi

[goofyjoe]

I'd really like to have my signature and ID checked every time the credit card is presented. I've heard that writing "Check ID" on the back of the card in sharpie over your signature will help this happen. Is that true in your experience?

Morning

Writing "Check ID" instead of signing the signature strip actually sort of invalidates the card. Most credit cards will say "Not Valid Unless Signed". The merchant associations for the major consortia (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) specifically say that "Check ID" or something similar is not acceptable and does not make the card valid.

In that instance, the merchant has to take your ID and you must sign the card in his or her presence. In my opinion, this is less secure than just signing your card. If you have someone who stole your card without you knowing it, they could have some kind of fake ID and just sign the box their own way, thereby slipping by the merchant.

In summary, I don't think it's necessary to do a "Check ID". If your card is stolen and you report it as such, federal law dictates that you may only be held liable for up to $50.00. In a lot of cases, the card issuing bank just eats that, too (once they take it out of the merchants in the form of chargebacks).

Yet another reason why I don't carry a debit card; if you lose it, it's your money, and they can cause trouble especially if you have rent or utility checks floating. If you lose a credit card, it's not your money, and you have the right to dispute all unauthorized charges.

[Cheshire Figment]

Both my credit and debit cards from Bank of America have a thumbnail photo of me on the front. I the back I have put "See Photo On Front".

And when I am in the ticket booth as most of my sales are in three figures with some even in four, I will always make sure that the card is signed. If the signature block is blank, or says "See ID" I will ask the person for a photo ID and compare the name and the face.

[Morning]

Both my credit and debit cards from Bank of America have a thumbnail photo of me on the front. I the back I have put "See Photo On Front".

And when I am in the ticket booth as most of my sales are in three figures with some even in four, I will always make sure that the card is signed. If the signature block is blank, or says "See ID" I will ask the person for a photo ID and compare the name and the face.

Thanks for being so careful, Cheshire Figment! I will make sure to be in your line when I go to Typhoon Lagoon next summer!

:)

BTW, my bank also has an unauthorized use limit on debit cards. Once you report a stolen card your card is blocked an any transaction that you didn't do is denied and the funds returned to your account. Of course, you have to proove you didn't do the transaction.

Morning

[Alyssa3467]

Both my credit and debit cards from Bank of America have a thumbnail photo of me on the front. I the back I have put "See Photo On Front".

And when I am in the ticket booth as most of my sales are in three figures with some even in four, I will always make sure that the card is signed. If the signature block is blank, or says "See ID" I will ask the person for a photo ID and compare the name and the face.

I HATE those cards, especially when they're unsigned. I ask for a "government issued ID such as a passport or a driver license" (using those exact words, sometimes with emphasis on "government") and they insist that the picture on the front of the card (or the back in some cases) is good enough. Visa regulations stipulate that we need to see a government issued ID if the card is not signed. And of course they throw up the "But nobody here asked me for ID before!" argument. :mad:

[SRT_GB]

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, starting November 12, the limit for requiring a signature on credit card transactions is $50.00. :mad:

Yet another example to confirm my belief that DLR management just wants to grab their ankles and leave themselves wide open to fraud in the name of "efficiency."

I HATE those cards, especially when they're unsigned. I ask for a "government issued ID such as a passport or a driver license" (using those exact words, sometimes with emphasis on "government") and they insist that the picture on the front of the card (or the back in some cases) is good enough. Visa regulations stipulate that we need to see a government issued ID if the card is not signed. And of course they throw up the "But nobody here asked me for ID before!" argument.

The other one that annoyed me was when someone tried using the card embossed with their spouse's name on it and they used the "well both our names are linked to the same account number" argument. Or they used the "we have the same last name" argument when the last name was Smith or Jones. I was more than happy to wait until the spouse whose name actually was on the card got out of the restroom or the front desk line and signed the EDC, or have them pay with cash or come back later. Anyone who gave me crap for doing this was told "This is not Disney's policy, it is Visa/MC/Amex/Discover's policy that they require us to follow; if you have a problem with that, you should take it up with the bank that issued you the card."

[bpgstudios]

Anywhere on my university campus for any cc transaction no matter how small I am always asked for ID. I had to buy a pack of scantrons and a pencil once for an exam since I forgot mine at home along with my cash so I had to use my credit card for a $1.07 total, and was asked for ID. The cashier held up both cards and actually compared them. Now when I bought $100 bucks worth of art supplies from Joanne's I was never asked for ID, but when I bought $25 worth of acrylics at Pearl's I was asked for ID. I don't get it. Maybe lower costing purchases are getting ID checks to catch a fraud when they don't expect it? That's a good idea. But just the little stores checking IDs is bad... most frauds probably won't go to a small business in fear of getting recognized as opposed to a Wal*Mart that's so busy that one credit card user gets lost in the crowd.

[Alyssa3467]

Resurrecting an old thread because I wasn't sure if there was any other approporiate place to put this...

I had a Guest today present me with a hotel charge card with her married name on it. Our hotel charge cards clearly state that photo ID is required, so she dutifully presents me with an ID... that has her maiden name on it. So of course I refuse to accept the card. She claims that she uses her married name for hotel and flight reservations because it's easier to travel with her (elementary school age) daughter when the reservations have the same last name for both of them, and pulls out all these different reciepts from other stores and restaurants saying that nobody else has given her any trouble for mismatching ID. She also made it a point to tell me she was not going to change her driver license when she gets home to New York. How do you go through the day not expecting problems if you do something stupid like that? And why the hell did the TSA let her on the plane if her ID didn't match the name on the boarding pass? Grr... :mad:

When I get married, I'm probably going to keep my last name for everything. No reason to go through all the trouble of changing my name and all the documents to go with it. And new documents that get generated can have the same name.

Had another one of these the other day, this time a Canadian Guest using an actual credit card. She presented her passport as ID, and the name didn't match. She then proceeded to pull out multiple reciepts and other cards with the same name as the card I refused to take, but different from the passport. Her daughter's passport also was presented to me with a last name matching the card, and eventually also her flight confirmation from the airline she took, matching the card and not the passport.

How the hell did she get on the plane, or in this country? :mad: Transportation Security indeed...