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

nytimes.com

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

#231

Post by uiri »

zodiakzz wrote: post #175
amyjess wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's DocuSign, they actually let you pick your own font from a list, so you can claim it's "your" handwriting because you chose it. And it's been a while, but I think they let you mouse a signature and initials if you don't like any of the fonts. The funny thing is that for the last few years, I've been trying to make my own handwriting resemble an italic serif font as much as possible, so I actually do write like…

>I never sign anything the same way twice, and my signature is always just a random scribble. Is that legal? o.O

Yes. If you say it is your signature, even if someone else physically signed on your behalf, then it is your signature.

The hairy part is if you say it isn't your signature.

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

#232

Post by spike021 »

post_break wrote: post #141

Can we also standardize the noise the machine makes when the transaction is a success? You know that sound "ENGHH ENGHH ENGHH" that is somehow a positive sound? It's like an alarm clock sound. Why is it not a positive "Ding!" And some will say well it's to remember your card. Well if that's the case, how about force the POS system not to print the receipt until the card is pulled? Or better yet, why does the card hav…

While I agree, most people don't take their receipts so that idea would probably never work.

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

#233

Post by alkonaut »

gambiting wrote: post #218
paul7986 wrote: post #11

Also please make handing me a receipt extinct too or only if requested. Especially at drive thru(s) where the receipts become trash I later have to do work .. aka clean up this annoying trash in my car.

As a business owner - nope, handing receipts should be mandatory by law with heavy fines for not doing so(as it is where I'm from - Poland). I've had so many employees stealing by just not registering the order and pocketing the money - but fortunately, the law that requires that a receipt is produced fixed most of that.

Whether you give the receipt to the customer doesn't really matter for that?

The reason business here have to offer a receipt (but the customer can reject it) is because the customer is supposed to be certain that the transaction is taxed. Typical small businesses with easily hidden turnover (such as restaurants) some times register only e.g. 1/2 purchases, thereby dodging a lot of the taxes. Having to offer a receipt on every purchase makes that harder.

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

#234

Post by mrarjen »

Every time I'm in Germany I'm baffled that they use signatures quite often in order to pay... basically copying the signature that's on their cards. It's quite silly as when you'd steal someones card you'd pretty much just be able to use it to pay for things, given you can copy a signature.

It's quite the contract with the Netherlands, but then again about 10 or so years ago I wasn't able to identically copy my signature and was unable to get a new bank card... luckily I didn't have this issue online filling out a form.

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

#235

Post by bradknowles »

adventured wrote: post #163
brandon272 wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Canada I have not signed for a credit card transaction in years. Everything is tap to pay and chip-and-pin for larger amounts. Extremely convenient. When I go to the U.S. I usually have to produce ID when using my credit card. Is this because I am from out of country or do they do this with everyone paying by credit card?

It's because you're from out of country. You'll almost never be asked to produce ID with a standard credit card purchase in the US, unless it's unusual in amount. I'm in my late 30s and have never once been asked to produce proof of ID in relation to a standard credit card purchase. Whether at a grocery store, restaurant, etc. I've never seen anyone else have to show ID either, maybe once in the 1980s.

I write “please check ID” on the back of all my cards.

I’m astonished when someone actually does check my ID.

It happens maybe once or twice a year.

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

#236

Post by ubernostrum »

coldcode wrote: post #67

I took my new chip enabled CC to Germany 3 yrs ago and paid for a train ticket with it. The clerk said "ugh an American card" and had me sign some random piece of paper. I felt like an antique.

There are a few cards available in the US that do chip + PIN. Debit cards also work.

I have one credit card that I mostly don't use anymore, and keep the account open only because it does chip + PIN so I can use it at train-station kiosks in Europe.

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

#237

Post by dullgiulio »

alkonaut wrote: post #233
gambiting wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a business owner - nope, handing receipts should be mandatory by law with heavy fines for not doing so(as it is where I'm from - Poland). I've had so many employees stealing by just not registering the order and pocketing the money - but fortunately, the law that requires that a receipt is produced fixed most of that.

Whether you give the receipt to the customer doesn't really matter for that? The reason business here have to offer a receipt (but the customer can reject it) is because the customer is supposed to be certain that the transaction is taxed. Typical small businesses with easily hidden turnover (such as restaurants) some times register only e.g. 1/2 purchases, thereby dodging a lot of the taxes. Having to offer a receip…

Of course when they get the payment electronically, it's hard to dodge taxes. Where I live I am usually asked whether I want the receipt or not, which is printed in any case.

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

#238

Post by bradknowles »

kibwen wrote: post #76
vaughanb wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ... chip in Unintentional pun. The US public seems to have a huge reluctance to use the chips in the cards too. It's swipe and sign. (I'm also from Australia and signing for a credit card purchase went away decades ago. PayWave is really popular, my 89 yo mother loves it.)

US here, got issued a chipped card about a year ago and noticed quickly that any attempt to swipe with my card would be greeted with an error message and instructions to insert the chip. For all systems I've seen, it seems that if the merchant accepts chips and if the card has a chip, the chip must be used, regardless of any user reluctance.

If it’s a chip card and the vendor doesn’t use the chip, then they are responsible for all fraudulent transactions.

If they do use the chip, then the card issuing bank is responsible for all fraudulent transactions.

This rule was supposed to go into place over a year ago. But most places couldn’t be bothered to update their equipment, so it had to be postponed.

Even now, many places still can’t be bothered. Makes me care about them just that much less.

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

#239

Post by dullgiulio »

com2kid wrote: post #28
lettergram wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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. Your right, can we also remove that stupid bag tax in SF. It easily takes 20 - 30 seconds per transaction. "Do you want a bag?" "Ugh, yeah I do" "Alright that's 50 cents" "wait, could I get three bags, not two - I don't want my…

Around Washington state they ask you at the end how many bags you got. Makes a lot more sense. :) I have also seen stores that put a barcode on the bag and the bag gets scanned just like any other item. That, IMHO, is the best way to go.

Barcode is how it works in Europe. Recently, also smaller bags for groceries are being taxed in many countries as there are compulsory reduction quotas to be fulfilled.

It's really important for the environment and frankly, the majority of groceries don't need any bag as they have skin.

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

#240

Post by jimnotgym »

In the UK cards moved to 'chip and pin' in 2006! Fraud in a 'customer present' scenario is very low at our stores. The last fraud in fact was a foreign card that didn't support chip and pin. I can't believe Visa and MasterCard have not made it mandatory world wide...

...except card fraud lossed are recharged to the merchant so perhaps they don't care?

Out of interest there is a special exception for disabled people who cannot use a pin pad btw...

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