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Signatures on Credit Card Receipts? No longer needed say MasterCard, Discover.
Old 12-09-2017, 08:18 AM   #1
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Signatures on Credit Card Receipts? No longer needed say MasterCard, Discover.

Not yet announced by VISA, but MasterCard and Discover say signatures no longer required on receipts after April 2018.

https://newsroom.mastercard.com/2017...e-dotted-line/
https://investorrelations.discover.c...t/default.aspx
https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/7/1...ure-april-2018

So - all this switch to Chip and Signature, but then they decide signatures are useless anyway?

Well, we all knew signatures were ignored. But sure took them long enough to admit it.

This is a novel solution to the overseas Chip and Signature versus Chip and PIN. No signatures required - then no double printing of receipts overseas and person looking for a pen.
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Old 12-09-2017, 08:27 AM   #2
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For many years, almost since they first started having you "sign" an electronic screen with a plastic stylus, I have neatly written "Elvis A. Presley" in the signature block.

I have never been questioned about it.
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Old 12-09-2017, 08:33 AM   #3
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Yeah, everyone knew it had become a joke.

A few retail places people ask for ID. Far more effective than signatures ever were.
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Old 12-09-2017, 08:36 AM   #4
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Yesterday a clerk presented me my receipt to sign it was upside down. I can't tell my own signature on a stylus either.
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Old 12-09-2017, 08:36 AM   #5
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The signature is nit there for the seller to verify. It is for you, in the case of fraud, to be able to say "That is not my signature". So if you regularly sign "Elvis A. Presley" or "Alfred E. Newman", and the CC company asks if you made this or that charge, you would recognize that the scribble is not your "signature".

It probably isn't worth the sum of added time as cash registers, I guess most fraud is obvious with or w/o that signature.

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Old 12-09-2017, 09:12 AM   #6
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Even when I tried to sign those little machine screens, it was so bad it didnt look like my signature, so some years ago I gave up and just did a wiggly line.
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Old 12-09-2017, 09:15 AM   #7
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I sign some semblance of the first letter of my first name and a straight line in about 1 second. I can't imagine taking the time to sign a legible name. Glad they are finally fixing this archaic procedure.
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Old 12-09-2017, 09:18 AM   #8
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Earlier this year my local supermarket stopped asking for signatures for purchases less than $50, which I liked because most of my purchases are under $50. Before they made that change, I recall the little screen was not working well so most of the signature ended up blank, not that he clerk cared.
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Old 12-09-2017, 09:22 AM   #9
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I recently signed with one of those attached "pens" that never give a good signature. Was asked by the cashier to sign again. Guess I don't have a trustworthy face .
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Old 12-09-2017, 12:53 PM   #10
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There are very few places over here where I even need to enter a PIN when I pay by credit card. If the transaction is under £30 then contactless works just about everywhere and the vast majority of stores, even the smallest cafes, have Apple/Android pay which only requires a fingerprint.

Last year we were in Belgium for 2 weeks where I used my USA Chip and Signature card a lot but not a single merchant asked for a signature and none of the transactions were denied or questioned.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:07 PM   #11
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What? MC does not check and verify my signature when I purchase a sandwich @ subway?


Then next thing I'll be hearing is that the bank does not check my signature on the many checks that I carefully write out each month.


Getting tired of this fake news.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:07 PM   #12
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I can’t remember the last time I had to sign a credit card receipt. It was probably in the US.

I do recall, back in the day, forgetting to sign one of those receipts and calling the store to apologize. They said it was no big deal, the signature was just for show.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:14 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by mickeyd View Post
What? MC does not check and verify my signature when I purchase a sandwich @ subway?


Then next thing I'll be hearing is that the bank does not check my signature on the many checks that I carefully write out each month.


Getting tired of this fake news.
What was fake?

Sure many stores have adopted no signature required for sales under some limit like $50, but now MasterCard and Discover are saying signatures never required.

If you meant to say this was no big deal, understood. But that is not what “fake news” means which is that something reported is not true or a lie.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:14 PM   #14
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I never sign my credit card either. Instead I write "See I.D." on the back. The cashier then needs to ask to see my I.D., which proves I'm who I am by photo. Most retail stores look for the sig on the card, but I've yet to use a credit card at a restaurant and been asked to show I D., so it's not failsafe.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:20 PM   #15
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I never sign my credit card either. Instead I write "See I.D." on the back.
Technically, you can't do that (although many people do)

There is a big sign on the counter at local post offices around here saying they refuse to accept a credit card without a signature on the back because it violates the terms and conditions of their agreement with the credit card companies.

Sign your credit card, don't write 'See ID'
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:30 PM   #16
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Technically, you can't do that (although many people do)

There is a big sign on the counter at local post offices around here saying they refuse to accept a credit card without a signature on the back because it violates the terms and conditions of their agreement with the credit card companies.

Sign your credit card, don't write 'See ID'
So someone can sign their name Elvis P. Presley and no problem but signing See I.D. is? How so if that's how I choose to sign my name on the credit card?

BTW, the "See I.D." works for me. Seems if I'm looking especially 'retired', AKA grungy, they ask to see my ID, but if I look presentable, they don't. I suspect many cashiers look suspiciously at people and if something doesn't seem right, they look at the back of the card.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:30 PM   #17
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About time they got rid of these silly signatures, IMO. As others said, I just put a squiggle in the box and carry on.

OTOH, I once had a young waiter chase me out of a restaurant because I signed the "customer copy" and kept the "merchant copy." Inexperience, probably, but funny!

I just wish Apple Pay would become more usual in my area. On Amtrak earlier this week, I used it on the outbound train's cafe car, but on the return trip the bartender refused to take it, saying it "doesn't work." They then admitted they didn't know, but as the line behind me was growing I just used plastic. I'm told the trick is to tell them you'll be using a card, and at the last minute to put the phone up to the NFC reader (if there is one). Lack of training, surely.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:45 PM   #18
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At some places they have you sign the screen with your finger, which is impossible and stupid. I was always proud of my signature and hate seeing it mangled, so I'd just as soon not have to sign at all.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:46 PM   #19
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Seems if I'm looking especially 'retired', AKA grungy, they ask to see my ID, but if I look presentable, they don't.
Heck, I have to show ID to make a deposit at the bank. Withdrawal requests are met with mix of incredulity and laughter. And that's the teller that knows me.

As I understand it, the signature is to "prove" you authorized the purchase. Now so many places use cameras, if you challenge an item on the credit card bill, if it's large enough an amount to be worth the effort they can go to the videotape.
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Old 12-09-2017, 02:36 PM   #20
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When we moved back to England last year we went into the bank we had maintained an account with for 31 years to give a change of address and after the expected proof of id and proof of new address the teller looked at our signatures and told me that mine was unrecognizable from the one on file when we had opened the account in 1985. She then had me fill in and sign a new signature card so they could update their records.
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