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Signatures, Forgery, Government/State ID, Credit Cards, and more!

GeekDrew

GeekDrew

Diamond Member
We've had threads like this in the past, but I feel like creating a new one.

Is your signature legible? Mine is absolutely not legible at all. I've practiced for hours on end, before. I simply cannot reproduce the same signature repeatedly. I can for short periods of time -- if I practice my signature hundreds of times, over and over, it'll look the same, for a while. But give it a few days, and it's drastically different.

My penmanship is horrible, and no amount of practicing seems to make it better, so I've pretty much given up on that.

My sister and my mother, however, can sign my signature accurately enough that it looks the same as the signature on my State ID, to the untrained eye. That bothers the hell out of me.

The reliance on signatures in the nation is astounding... I fail to understand it. My office processes a lot of paperwork, and much of the paperwork has to have multiple signatures on each page. It's amazing the amount that a single person's signature will vary, given a short amount of time. It's more common than many would think.

I've signed some of my credit/debit cards, and have no signed some of them. If I use one that is signed, and they happen to actually compare signatures, then I get asked to show my ID, because the signature will not match. If I use one that is unsigned, I get asked to show ID every time, of course. Then again, *many* establishments around here now ask for ID, no matter what. I believe that it's in violation of some credit card company policies, but I really couldn't care less. I think that it should be a policy that ID *must* be presented for all credit/debit card purchases.

I know of a couple of bank officers that even refuse to sign their credit/debit cards, and write "See ID" on them, so that they are required to show ID. They prefer that to John Q. Merchant trusting any random scrawl on the signature panel. Nonetheless, the card says "Not Valid Unless Signed". Do you sign yours?

</rambling>
 
I don't think I've ever been asked for an ID when paying via credit card nor have I ever signed my real signature for any purchase made on one... usually two scribbles.

Illusion of security...

That said, I watch my bank accounts and credit statements closely and I keep track of what I purchase with them.
 
Originally posted by: Platypus
That said, I watch my bank accounts and credit statements closely and I keep track of what I purchase with them.
Click to expand...

That's another helpful hint to some people that don't think they need to (ahem, my sister).

I personally check my accounts every night (eh, I might skip one or two nights a week). 😱
 
Mine first name is legible, but the last name is not because my e's, i's, and u's look pretty similar when handwritten fast.
 
My signature is not legible. It's scribble that resembles the letters MMl (first initial is M, last initial is M, and last name ends with L). It is consistent though.

I always sign the signature panel. If you don't sign the signature panel, you have not agreed to the terms of the cardholder agreement. You must sign the signature panel, or stores should not accept the card.

I know of no one who can forge my signature.

I would love it if ID was required for all credit card transactions. Of course it doesn't hurt me directly if someone steals my credit card, it costs us all with higher prices.

I think the current reliance on signatures for identity verification is useless, because nobody even looks at your signature. I sometimes draw a sailboat instead of signing my name and have never been questioned on it.

I've only ever been asked for ID in Hawaii. You can refuse and they still have to take your card. I don't refuse.
 
I can forge any signature by scribbling anything I want onto the "signature" line of almost any document, and it'll be fine. No one compares those to anything. Maybe if you're withdrawing $100,000 from a bank or something, but in 99% of everyday situations, as long as there's some kind of marking on the line, it's fine.

I actually tried this with a friend of mine. We started signing restaurant receipts by drawing pictures on them. Neither of us were ever questioned by either the restaurants or our banks. Everything went through just fine.
 
1) No, and it changes/varies. Looks different every single time.
2) Yes. But I do it for sheds and giggles.
3) No. It's impossible. Even I can't forge my own signature.
4) Yes. I want the cashier to check my ID every single time when I use my CC.
5) Other. It's sheddy, especially for online purchases where the merchant can't verify the CC w/ your ID.
 
Gas station I buy slurpees has a very efficient way of weeding out the suspicious folk. They take your card and then go "what's your name?"

If you don't come up with an answer reasonably fast, they check ID. If you do, then there 'ya go.
 
the electronic signature capture devices that a lot of retail stores are switching over to are absolutely worthless as far as capturing accurate signatures. hopefully, we'll start moving away from signatures as any form of identification.
 
Yeah, those eelectronic signature things are trash. The equipment they use isn't very sophisticated, and usually the angle you have to write at is strange so you get the weirdest looking signature...

I get asked for ID when I buy various things with a credit card. The electronic swiping method is pretty good, because you have to be in possession of the card to use it. An electronic signature is a silly idea, though. If you lose your card or it gets stolen, you should immediately get a hold placed on the card so that no charges can be made to it.

If you lose your credit card and don't cancel it, that's your own fault. Otherwise, I don't see what your concern is. Are you worried about strangers getting your credit cards and then using them? Take measures to not lose your credit cards, or call your credit company right away if they do become lost. Most credit companies will refund you if purchases are made on a stolen card before you are able to call and have it cancelled.
 
My signature is generelly the same. If I had to show ID for every CC transactio I made, i'd stop using debit and credit and start to carry cash. It would make the whole process take to long.
 
I never pay with my credit cards.
95% of the people here pay with their bank debit card, swiping it and using a PIN number.

I only paid with my CC in the USA but since I have a foreign Visa card A COW so they always asked for an ID
 
Originally posted by: mattocs
My signature is generelly the same. If I had to show ID for every CC transactio I made, i'd stop using debit and credit and start to carry cash. It would make the whole process take to long.
Click to expand...

Ok, how about for credit transactions only, while leaving current validatin rules somewhat similar.

Example: You go to Best Buy, and buy a TV. You must present ID. Cashier checks to make sure that the name on your ID matches your card, and that you look similar to your ID, and processes the transaction. That might take all of two-three extra seconds. Paying with cash, however, would take longer, since change would have to be counted -- and checks would be MUCH longer. I know of several stores in my area that *always* check ID, regardless of merchant/card network agreements. For some reason unknown to me, some members here at Anandtech apparently don't believe me, but I'm 100% certain. When I have a choice, I frequent those places more often than those that do not check ID.

At Wendy's, McDonald's, BK, etc., where you currently do not have to sign a receipt or pad, ID shouldn't have to be verified.
 
I'd say for anything under $25 then no signature should be required, for anything above then signature and ID should be required and there's actually a lot of places already doing this already, Walgreens comes to mind.

 
Am I the only person who realizes that signatures are not being used as a "form of identification" with credit cards?

When you get your statement, if something was charged that you didn't approve of, you contest it and it's gone. Your supposed signature has nothing to do with it.

Having a good signature is only important in a very select few situations... The only one that comes to mind where it's close to being vital is check writing...

Anyone who thinks they can sign consistantly should try doing a real-estate settlement... let's see how legible your sig is after 200 or 300 signings in an hour...
 
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