Credit Card ID Requirement

[golddigger14s]

I have conferenced called on this subject with VISA General Counsel's office and they confirmed that the VISA policy is the same as Mastercard's - merchants cannot require ID to use signed cards provided the signature card holder passes the reasonmable likness test with her signature.

But just for you, see also http://www.emscard.com/uploads/Documents/rules_for_visa_merchants.pdf at p. 29:

SNIP

"Although Visa rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID, merchants cannot make an ID a condition of acceptance. Therefore, merchants cannot refuse to complete a purchase transaction because a cardholder refuses to provide ID . Visa believes merchants should not ask for ID as part of their regular card acceptance procedures. Laws in several states also make it illegal for merchants to write a cardholder's personal information, such as an address or phone number, on a sales receipt."

Is there another link to this PDF document? I'm not having any luck with this one, thanks.

 

[since9]

Is there another link to this PDF document? I'm not having any luck with this one, thanks.

Visa has recently adopted the same customer-privacy protects as Mastercard did years ago.

Patience...

 

[Jack House]

Wal-Mart cashiers are taught to always ask for ID when prompted by the register, this is typically for purchases over $100 or so. Sometimes it'll happen for any purchase, just randomly.

If the cashier fails to do so they can be fired on the spot, this is especially true if it comes back that the card was stolen. There are a few exceptions, such as if the cashier knows the customer, for instance if the customer is a regular, they don't have to ask for ID. Though this is largely at the discretion of management. If a customer fails to comply for any reason, a member of management must be called over.

Bitching and moaning at the cashier for Wal-Mart's violations of the merchant agreement with Visa/MasterCard(they're the same company now) is not going to help, and you're only giving someone **** whom has no control over it. If they do not ask for your ID and they get fired, how are they going to feed themselves? It's not like it takes a college education to run a register and cashiers aren't exactly in high demand. Even the best of the best are easily replaced.

 

[Venator]

Wal-Mart cashiers are taught to always ask for ID when prompted by the register, this is typically for purchases over $100 or so. Sometimes it'll happen for any purchase, just randomly.

If the cashier fails to do so they can be fired on the spot, this is especially true if it comes back that the card was stolen. There are a few exceptions, such as if the cashier knows the customer, for instance if the customer is a regular, they don't have to ask for ID. Though this is largely at the discretion of management. If a customer fails to comply for any reason, a member of management must be called over.

Bitching and moaning at the cashier for Wal-Mart's violations of the merchant agreement with Visa/MasterCard(they're the same company now) is not going to help, and you're only giving someone **** whom has no control over it. If they do not ask for your ID and they get fired, how are they going to feed themselves? It's not like it takes a college education to run a register and cashiers aren't exactly in high demand. Even the best of the best are easily replaced.

They can ask, but you don't have to show it correct?

 

[Jack House]

If you don't show it, then they have to call a manager. I do not know what happens after that.

 

[DrMark]

Great thread.

I've reported merchants who have required ID.

I know someone who wrote "see ID" on his card instead of signing it. I always razzed him for it. One day he came back from the Post Office all ticked off. Seems they wouldn't accept his invalid card until he validated it with his signature. LOL

 

[golddigger14s]

Signature

Great thread.

I've reported merchants who have required ID.

I know someone who wrote "see ID" on his card instead of signing it. I always razzed him for it. One day he came back from the Post Office all ticked off. Seems they wouldn't accept his invalid card until he validated it with his signature. LOL

Yes Visa/MC states in their manual that they must sign the card, but producing an ID is NOT a condition of acceptance.

 

[DrMark]

Yes Visa/MC states in their manual that they must sign the card, but producing an ID is NOT a condition of acceptance.

Oh, I know. That's why I've reported merchants who have required ID.

 

[sultan62]

If you don't show it, then they have to call a manager. I do not know what happens after that.

I can tell you exactly what happens. You deal with two different levels of management, walk out, and buy your stuff elsewhere. See OP.

 

[mark-in-texas]

If you don't show it, then they have to call a manager. I do not know what happens after that.

I do....Manager asks "why??" I say "I don't want too." She says "ok" and enters something on register for cashier to procede. I take stuff that is now mine and go home.

 

[Jack House]

I do....Manager asks "why??" I say "I don't want too." She says "ok" and enters something on register for cashier to procede. I take stuff that is now mine and go home.

The clear key, something the cashier can do but is not supposed to.

 

[REALteach4u]

Tonight, I went to do some grocery shopping for my Mom. When I tried to use her credit card to make the purchase at Walmart, I was asked to show ID. I refused, stating that according to Visa, they could not require ID. I was told it was store policy to do so. I then spoke with a Customer Service Representative and then the Shift Manager after that, telling them both the same thing. I told the Shift Manager that I would be filing a complaint with Walmart Corporate and/or Visa, and then left my groceries sitting there.

I then went to the local IGA where I had the same problem. At that point, I needed to get the groceries and get home for dinner, so I just paid cash and left.

I know this has been discussed elsewhere, but I did a search and couldn't find a thread about it. I know that Visa (Mastercard too IIRC) does not allow a merchant to require ID when making a purchase. However, the links I have found to the merchant manual were broken. Furthermore, I couldn't find out how to contact Visa concerning this problem.

This is little more than fraud prevention. If it were out of the control of the responsible parties, particularly you or your mother, wouldn't you want someone to ask for ID to help catch someone who isn't authorized to have or use the card?

When I worked in the food service industry years ago, I made sure to ask folks for ID with every piece of plastic that was ran. Of course one patron, just one mind you, ever presented the same argument you have. After I explained why I requested his ID it made sense and he promptly presented his ID claiming he would every time without question from that point on.

Why one might ask? I actually wrote a terrorism paper illustrating this as part of a potential terrorism link with card skimming.

BG's with your card have the card number
They have the spelling of your name
They have the Security code on the back
They have your "official" signature on the back
They have the contact number, usually, on the card for customer service
With a skimmer and card in hand they can simply scan it and innocently return the card to you
If they have the means, they can obtain your birthdate


Of course the other argument to be made on this angle is that by asking for your ID, said BG can obtain your DOB, your address, DL#, spelling of your full name, plus all of the above mentioned items. Everything you'd need for identity theft scams.

How can this cause other problems? Certain banks will not simply allow you to reset your password via phone. Some will require you to re-register the card. If you've got everything above you can do just that. All you'd need to then is to log in, attempt to make a payment, google the bank's routing number and pull the drawing account number from your web portal account info and the BG can then have your personal bank account info as well. Thankfully many banks have become wise to this issue and never display the full account number (usually the last few digits).

 

[since9]

If you don't show it, then they have to call a manager. I do not know what happens after that.

I do. I pull out the copy of MasterCard's policy and show it to the manager, after which point they approve the sale without seeing my ID.

It's happened twice at Wal-Mart, now, once a couple of months ago, and again just a few days ago. Over at Goodwill, I received an incredulous "I've worked here thirteen years, and this is the first I've ever heard that one!" So we went over to her computer and looked it up: http://www.mastercard.us/support/merchant-violations.html

She was flabberghasted.

 

[Jack House]

Sounds like a lot of hassle to make someone take your money.