I’ve noticed when I travel that shops in some communities never ask for my ID when I make purchases with a credit card. In other areas they demand ID and refuse to process the transaction if ID is not presented. I was surprised to learn that in the merchant guidelines for Visa it is stated that customers cannot be required to show ID as a condition of sale. If a shop owner refuses to process the transaction they are in violation of their agreement with Visa and you can file a complaint. Now, whether it is a good policy is another matter, given the level of fraud occurring with credit cards. However it seems very few people, including merchants, are aware of the policy.
Page 34:
http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/card-acceptance-guidelines-for-visa-merchants.pdf
If that is the case, it’s Visa’s own fault that they are stuck with fraudelent purchases that they have to “eat”. I’m in an area that never asks for ID, and I’ve often wondered about that.
It is likely that most Visa/MC fraud involves just the card numbers. Fraud with actual cards (either stolen or cloned) is probably more likely with self-service vending machines (gasoline stations, train tickets, etc.) than in-person transactions.
They can ask for ID if you haven’t signed the card.
Goodness. I’ve had my Visa card through Citibank for ~35 years, and I can’t recall ever being asked for ID along with the card.
I find that some stores will ask for ID, even for a small purchase, while some others never do.
What Lergmom said. I never sign the back of my cards and I get asked to show ID at most places when I use my CC.
I thought this was a regional thing - on vacation in California I was asked for ID on every purchase - but never get asked back here in the northeast. (this was several years ago - so I don’t know if it has changed)
I am obviously slow to learn, but I am now on round 4 of having my Target Visa replaced. Here is what I was told by the nice young man who handled my stolen card number. To their credit, they actually alerted me that my card was just used to buy $486 worth of groceries in a different state. When we spoke he said what occurs is that the bad guys use one of the stolen numbers or more commonly a computer program to generate numbers. When they find one that works they print a card with your number and their name! The first thing the try is a small purchase typically where they have one of those “square readers”. If that was successful then they try to make a larger purchase.
So in this case, checking an ID would have been useless as the name and signature are that of the crook!
@kiddie, I live in the Northeast so there goes that theory.
the terms of service that you sign when you get your card say that the card is invalid if not signed. If you put “check id” and no signature - technically invalid card.
The cost of fraud is baked into the interest rates and/or any fees on the cards as well as the prices you pay in the store. Charge backs go to either the bank/Visa or the store.
I won’t go to Kohls because they required ID when I wanted to make a purchase using my Visa.
I never, ever get asked for ID in the Northeast. A couple of years ago I got a new card and as an experiment I didn’t sign my card. For the first three months no one said a thing about the card being unsigned. Three salespeople actually flipped the card over and pretended to compare the signature on the back of the card with the signature on the receipt. Finally 3 months in someone noticed the card was unsigned. I signed the card in front of her then handed it back to her. She accepted it and processed the transaction. Amazing.
We sign the card but also write “Please Check ID” waiters that actually notice and ask get a bonus with their tip:-)
After having my purse stolen and seeing a young man on surveillance video freely using my credit card with a clearly female first name one it, I want people to check ID!
My cards are not signed. Sometimes I get asked for an ID, and sometimes not. I live in the northeast too.
Why would you not shop somewhere bc they ask for ID? How is that a problem for you if Kohls asks? It’s a good business practice. And if they are in violation of their terms, that is between them and Visa. Not the cardholder.
I don’t shop at Kohls either…can’t stand the place. Lots of reasons.
I am another one who had never been asked. Recently I was at a Burlington coat factory and I was asked for the first time and it took me by surprise. I asked if there was something wrong with the card, that is how unusual it was to be asked.
When we lived in Venezuela, all transactions with credit cards were verified with the national ID cards. It took me a while to learn to not automatically hand over my driver’s license for a credit card purchase when we moved back.
Interesting that many of you are not routinely asked to show ID. In southern California it is so routine that I always have my ID out when I use the credit cards. Only Target never asks, nor grocery stores or restaurants. I wish I didn’t know that merchants are not supposed to ask for ID with VIsa, because it’s inevitable now that a cashier will perturb me and I’ll decide to take a stance under the “Merchant Agreement” clause.
“I never sign the back of my cards and I get asked to show ID at most places when I use my CC.”
But if your card were stolen, all the thief would have to do would be to sign it - and then their signature would always match the one on the card. (Plus the bit where an unsigned card is technically invalid.)