Look, assholes.

[ashinae]

Do a search for "visa" + "unsigned and a whole bunch of hits come up. They give you information from Visa themselves and banks. Merchants do not, and in fact should not, accept an unsigned credit card. Visa themselves in an info packet tell you to ask for ID, otherwise, do not accept an unsigned credit card. IT IS NOT VALID. A merchant doesn't fucking have to accept it.

Look at the back of your MasterCard. Damn near every MasterCard I've ever held in my hand says that the card isn't valid unless it's signed.

Technically, your card isn't valid, either, if you put "SEE ID" on it or some variation thereof.

SO FUCK YOU. Fuck you and the fucking horse you fucking rode in on. No, not all establishments follow these rules and try to protect not only themselves, but their customers.

And, y'know, if a card is signed, legibly, and the gender of the person matches the gender on the card, there's not much that can really be done. Credit cards are kind of a lose-lose situation for everyone involved and all you can do is just, y'know, hope you don't get your card stolen ever.

Just as someone can find your card in the parking lot or out of your purse, and study your signature and forge it, they can also take your unsigned card, sign it however they feel comfortable, and go on a shopping spree. There's no easy answer. Sign the card and then put "SEE ID"? I don't know. I don't fucking know.

But I'm just doing my fucking job. And I hate you. I hate you if you don't sign your goddamn card and then freak out and hunt me down in the fucking store to berate me like I'm a six year old idiot. I understand that I'm a cashier and you're a doctor so you're more important than me. I understand that -- I'm an uneducated worthless human being, and you're a doctor. I GET IT. But, bitch, please. Just -- just fuck you.

Comments

[girlingoldboots.livejournal.com]

Ooh I LOATHE people that don't sign the card. Worse are the fuck-tards that SPELL OUT "see ID" as "CID". Fucking phonics.

And checks, don't get me started on people and their god damned checks. In the south (apparently from what I've been able to observe) heaven forbid you do the check electronically. It's fun to watch them pitch a shite-fit, actually. I've seen checks with their full addresses, social security numbers, drivers licence number, phone number, and BLOOD TYPE. Then they pitch a fit about the electronic check and hand me an UNSIGNED CREDIT CARD.

And god damned further forbid you run their bank card as a credit instead of a debit. Then they REALLY flip. It's like watching Linda Blair in the "Exorcist"

Sorry, pet peeve. You were doing your job. Doc was a cunt that will one day have their identity stolen. It'll serve them right. I gave up asking for ID because it just wasn't worth the aggravation.

*wipes up foam from mouth*

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

It's all just so fucking frustrating. We live in such an entitlement culture and it drives me nuts because -- because -- GAH. That's all I can really say.

And god damned further forbid you run their bank card as a credit instead of a debit.

Now, fortunately? This is not something we have to deal with up here in the great white north. THANK GOD.

[zillah975]

Oh geezus, where was your manager? They should SO have been backing you up! That's why the get paid the big (*cough*) bucks! *smites evil customers*

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Managers (including the GM) were on the other side of the store. >.

[esteven]

You have done right and that's the main thing. I'll hope the doctor will have the card stolen soon.

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

I know I did the right thing. My manager told me I did the right thing. It's just I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up, sometimes.

[tokyo-pt.livejournal.com]

I used not to bother signing the cards, until I realized how irresponsible that was. Now I sign my cards religiously as soon as they get out of the envelope, and I would be pleasantly surprised if someone would ask me for an ID.
Nevertheless, to end all that signature mess, the new VISAs being issued in the EU have an obligatory PIN number, which you have to enter. There's no more need for signatures.

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Nevertheless, to end all that signature mess, the new VISAs being issued in the EU have an obligatory PIN number, which you have to enter. There's no more need for signatures.

THIS is awesome, and I hope North America follow suit, soon. Signing the back of your card IS the safest thing to do -- and, I think from personal experience*, having a mostly-legible signature is the safest way to keep yourself safe. I can't see how it's NOT safer than not signing a card.

*In late elementary school (grades 6-8), we used to have to get a lot of tests and papers signed by a parent. I don't know why. Even if you did well. My dad's signature is a scribble; my mum's is very clear. I could not, for the life of me, forge my mum's signature when I forgot to take the work home. My dad's? I could forge.