Using My Credit Card - Pen or PIN

Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with supporting ID)
for credit card transactions or do you need to use a PIN?

xCo wrote on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:00:57 GMT:

Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with
supporting ID) for credit card transactions or do you need to use a
PIN?

For normal payments the credit card is valid. No ID seems ever asked
for. The mysterious numbers on the back are sometimes needed for online
transactions.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"xCo" wrote in message
...
Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with supporting ID)
for credit card transactions or do you need to use a PIN?


I'm from the UK and therefore my card is chip and pin. I spent 10 days in
California in March and not once was I asked for my PIN. On check-in to
hotels I was asked for ID and I think once in a shop. Quite often the card
was swiped, returned to me and then I was asked to sign meaning that the
retailer had no chance to verify the signature.

On Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:11:02 GMT, "James Silverton"
wrote:

xCo wrote on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:00:57 GMT:

Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with
supporting ID) for credit card transactions or do you need to use a
PIN?

For normal payments the credit card is valid.


I agree.


No ID seems ever asked for.


But I occasionally (not often, but occasionally) get asked for a
photo-ID.


The mysterious numbers on the back are sometimes needed for online
transactions.


Yes. More and more often, it seems.


--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

In message "xCo"
was claimed to have wrote:

Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with supporting ID)
for credit card transactions or do you need to use a PIN?

In the US they normally use a signature, but I was in Phoenix a couple
days ago and one place needed the PIN for a chip+PIN enabled Canadian
Visa card.

You don't usually need ID unless buying electronics, or at another
high-fraud location, some airports shops and similar.

In message "James Silverton"
was claimed to have wrote:

The mysterious numbers on the back are sometimes needed for online
transactions.

Nothing mysterious, these numbers exist on the card physically but not
electronically on the magnetic strip, smartcard or RFID chip as
applicable. Each of those will have their own similar ID.

The point is that these additional codes make it possible to determine
what method is being used to access a card.

On Apr 30, 2:00*pm, "xCo" wrote:
Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with supporting ID)
for credit card transactions or do you need to use a PIN?

No one ever ask for a PIN for credit card use.

"DevilsPGD" wrote in message
...
In message "xCo"
was claimed to have wrote:

Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with supporting ID)
for credit card transactions or do you need to use a PIN?

In the US they normally use a signature, but I was in Phoenix a couple
days ago and one place needed the PIN for a chip+PIN enabled Canadian
Visa card.

You don't usually need ID unless buying electronics, or at another
high-fraud location, some airports shops and similar.

Interesting point. Never had that happen in the US but I have had it
happen in Canada (Quebec City). One retailer had no idea what to do. She
swiped the card and the machine told her to insert the card. She had no
idea what to do and I had to walk her through the rest of the process. At
least she didn't then ask me to sign the slip as well (which is what
happened to me in Hong Kong back in January this year).

In message "Graham Harrison"
was claimed to have wrote:

Interesting point. Never had that happen in the US but I have had it
happen in Canada (Quebec City). One retailer had no idea what to do. She
swiped the card and the machine told her to insert the card. She had no
idea what to do and I had to walk her through the rest of the process. At
least she didn't then ask me to sign the slip as well (which is what
happened to me in Hong Kong back in January this year).

Chip+PIN is being rolled out in Canada across the board right now,
merchants have all been sent instructions on how to operate their
terminals and stickers and stuff to help employees out.

On Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:00:57 GMT, xCo wrote:
Do retailers across USA still accept a signature only (with supporting ID)
for credit card transactions or do you need to use a PIN?


It is the difference of running it as a credit card (signature) or a
debit card (pin). It's strange the businesses give the choice as
running it as a credit card costs them more.