Live data from Hacker News

Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

nytimes.com

1–10 of 541 posts

Re: Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

#3
Now if we could only eliminate them for everything else.

Buying and selling houses is excruciating thanks to the number of signatures required.

I went to a closing on behalf of my then-wife who didn’t want to deal with it; because it was her house we were selling, I had to sign all the paperwork on her behalf, which involved a signature plus some additional verbiage. My hand was in pain by the time we were finished.

Re: Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

#5
From experience, a signature in the checkout line usually takes about 5-10 seconds. Removing it may seem like a small negligible change for users, but for retailers, it most likely adds up.

Imagine being able to pick up your receipt and leave. What I see being the stalwart of signatures are probably restaurants. They require that extra step with the tip.

Re: Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

#6
post #3

Now if we could only eliminate them for everything else. Buying and selling houses is excruciating thanks to the number of signatures required. I went to a closing on behalf of my then-wife who didn’t want to deal with it; because it was her house we were selling, I had to sign all the paperwork on her behalf, which involved a signature plus some additional verbiage. My hand was in pain by the time we were finished.

Most of the time a signature isn’t for verification but rather for acknowledgment.

I don’t give two shits what you put down as a signature, I just want a record that you consciously were present and signed something, so I don’t get accused of trying to pass off something quietly that you never agreed to.

If I have some scribble you made at a time and place, the onus is on you to prove it wasn’t you who did that.

Re: Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

#8
Signatures haven't been required for credit cards in many other countries for quite some time now.

I have often wondered why the US has historically lagged behind for everyday banking. (e.g. email money transfers, chip enabled cards, pin number verification, tap to pay)

Re: Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

#9
post #4

It would be nice if they would start requiring a PIN.

The kind of fraud prevented by a PIN enabled chip card is supposedly pretty rare. What would be more useful is a standard for browser attached chip card readers to bring the anti-fraud protections of a chip card to everyday Internet transactions.

Re: Credit Card Signatures Are About to Become Extinct in the U.S

#10
post #3

Now if we could only eliminate them for everything else. Buying and selling houses is excruciating thanks to the number of signatures required. I went to a closing on behalf of my then-wife who didn’t want to deal with it; because it was her house we were selling, I had to sign all the paperwork on her behalf, which involved a signature plus some additional verbiage. My hand was in pain by the time we were finished.

Most of the time a signature isn’t for verification but rather for acknowledgment. I don’t give two shits what you put down as a signature, I just want a record that you consciously were present and signed something, so I don’t get accused of trying to pass off something quietly that you never agreed to. If I have some scribble you made at a time and place, the onus is on you to prove it wasn’t you who did that.

Provide an index sheet attached to a stack of papers acknowledging documents included (title, version, date on document, page count). Check by each line, one signature overall.
Post reply on HN