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Post Office will no longer accept unsigned credit cards, even with ID!

V

vetteguy

Diamond Member
I went to mail a package today from a sale and I whipped out my credit card and my drivers license at the same time (I write "See ID" on the back of the cards) and handed them to her. She looks at it and says "we no longer accept unsigned credit cards". I indicated to her my license and she said that it doesn't matter, she would only accept something that was signed. With a line of about 30 people behind me and $3 in the wallet (and a $20 charge) I frantically looked in my wallet to see if I had signed anything. I finally found my Paypal debit card, which I presented to her. She then held it up next to my driver's license, studied them for about a minute, and then proclaimed "They look a little different". Of course they look different...on my license I'm supposed to sign my full name (which is kind of long) in the space of about 3/4 of an inch. She then says to me "well, I GUESS I'll take it...THIS time". Gee, I didn't know they were now training the post office employees to be expert handwriting analysts. Anyway, my point in all of this is merely a heads up for anyone who tries to mail something but doesn't have any cash and doesn't have a signed credit card.
 
Originally posted by: notfred
Why shoudl they accept unsigned credit cards? Should they accept unsigned checks, too?
Click to expand...
Well, if I produce my credit card with my name on it, and a driver's license with my name AND signature on it, what else is there? The other option would be to produce a signed credit card with NO ID, apparently that would be acceptable to them.
 
A few places don't take it if it's not signed. I think they're just strictly following the rules.

Maybe you should sign it in addition to writing "SEE ID."
 
Originally posted by: vetteguy
I went to mail a package today from a sale and I whipped out my credit card and my drivers license at the same time (I write "See ID" on the back of the cards) and handed them to her. She looks at it and says "we no longer accept unsigned credit cards". I indicated to her my license and she said that it doesn't matter, she would only accept something that was signed. With a line of about 30 people behind me and $3 in the wallet (and a $20 charge) I frantically looked in my wallet to see if I had signed anything. I finally found my Paypal debit card, which I presented to her. She then held it up next to my driver's license, studied them for about a minute, and then proclaimed "They look a little different". Of course they look different...on my license I'm supposed to sign my full name (which is kind of long) in the space of about 3/4 of an inch. She then says to me "well, I GUESS I'll take it...THIS time". Gee, I didn't know they were now training the post office employees to be expert handwriting analysts. Anyway, my point in all of this is merely a heads up for anyone who tries to mail something but doesn't have any cash and doesn't have a signed credit card.
Click to expand...

You can still sign your card and have 'check ID' on the back. As it is, if they accept the card w/o a signature the store is liable for the charges if you dispute it. (Of course, you could be shown on camera buying the items, and then arrested for fraud, etc, so I wouldn't make a point of disputing it--- but the point is) a LOT of places won't accept the card w/ no signature. Sign your cards. You aren't liable for any purchases made if it's stolen so you are only screwing yourself.*

*You may be liable, but, in general you are not.





 
Originally posted by: vetteguy
Originally posted by: notfred
Why shoudl they accept unsigned credit cards? Should they accept unsigned checks, too?
Click to expand...
Well, if I produce my credit card with my name on it, and a driver's license with my name AND signature on it, what else is there? The other option would be to produce a signed credit card with NO ID, apparently that would be acceptable to them.
Click to expand...

Look closely at the back of your credit card. Does it say "NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED" on it?
 
Originally posted by: fr
A few places don't take it if it's not signed. I think they're just strictly following the rules.

Maybe you should sign it in addition to writing "SEE ID."
Click to expand...

I tried the "SEE ID" without signature trick and they wouldn't accept that. Must have a signature
 
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Why WOULDN'T you sign your creditcard?
Click to expand...

If someone steals it and sees it's unsigned or the words "See ID" are written on them, the credit card is useless.
Click to expand...
Yep, but in reality I think technically the user agreement of credit cards says you need a signature, so the post office is well within their rights.

I don't see the need for the whole see-id thing anyway. If somebody takes my wallet or I lose it I'm going to cancel everything very quickly, so you better race to the store if you plan on trying to use it before I report it stolen.

 
I should go in and try to use my visa debit card. It's the only "credit" card I use, and has been run through the ATM so many times that the signature strip is all but nonexistent.
 
Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Why WOULDN'T you sign your creditcard?
Click to expand...

Because if someone steals your card, they can copy your sig. from the back of the card. However, if you write SEE LICENSE, it forces cashiers that actually check sigs to ask for your license, which hopefully the guy that stole your card doesn't have.

And vetteguy, I highly doubt this is an official Post Office policy. Probably just another disgruntled Postal worker giving you a hard time. Maybe she got reprimanded last week for taking that $200 bill...



 
they're just following the rules for credit cards. if you have a problem following those rules, then they don't have to accept them. YOU are in the wrong.
 
Originally posted by: mikebb
Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Why WOULDN'T you sign your creditcard?
Click to expand...

Because if someone steals your card, they can copy your sig. from the back of the card. However, if you write SEE LICENSE, it forces cashiers that actually check sigs to ask for your license, which hopefully the guy that stole your card doesn't have.

And vetteguy, I highly doubt this is an official Post Office policy. Probably just another disgruntled Postal worker giving you a hard time. Maybe she got reprimanded last week for taking that $200 bill...
Click to expand...
Actually, she pointed to a little sign they now have up, saying something to the effect of 'We will only accept credit cards if they are signed'
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Why WOULDN'T you sign your creditcard?
Click to expand...

If someone steals it and sees it's unsigned or the words "See ID" are written on them, the credit card is useless.
Click to expand...
Yep, but in reality I think technically the user agreement of credit cards says you need a signature, so the post office is well within their rights.

I don't see the need for the whole see-id thing anyway. If somebody takes my wallet or I lose it I'm going to cancel everything very quickly, so you better race to the store if you plan on trying to use it before I report it stolen.
Click to expand...

I know. I actually got b1tched out by a customer once when I pointed that out to him back at Staples. (I didn't not accept his card, the signature box was empty and I asked for his drivers license)

I personally do it just in case. If the cashier really wants to be a dick about it I'll sign it in front of his face.
 
Man, I should have known better than to post this here. 50,000 other people can complain about everything under the sun, but anytime I do everything is MY freaking fault. Whatever, if it makes everyone feel better, you're right, I'm wrong, I'll go send myself to bed tonight without any dessert.
 
I never sign my cards. I put SEE ID with a nice red fine point sharpie pen.

you should have signed the card infront of her....
 
Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Why WOULDN'T you sign your creditcard?
Click to expand...

I never sign my creit cards with my signature. They all say SEE PHOTO ID. Most places don't even ask to see an id half the time. At least this way, they need to look at a picture along with the signature.
 
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