Customer Service ????

To start I'm ashamed I have to admit my stupidity of leaving my billfold in my car. I have a habit of removing my billfold when I'm driving.

Anyway my wife and I was helping decorate the church for the holidays. We were in the church for about 3 hours, when we returned I realized that I failed to lock the car and had left my billfold on the front seat. A friend who was parked across the street from me yelled to me that he picked up a billfold that was laying on the ground next to his car and it was mine.

I only have two credit cards, an American Xpress, which is my Costco card and has my picture on the back.I have a Visa which I only use for on line shopping and I keep it next to my computer. I set it up with a 500.00 max limit. Figured if anyone ever hacked the number I would only get hit for 500.00.

Well anyway when I saw that my AX card was missing I went home and called AX to report it missing and found that there had already been 3,700.00
charged on my card at Walmart, Kmart and Safeway Grocery store.Than it donned on me that these three stores have a card machine facing the customer and the clerk NEVER asks for or sees your card, you just swipe your card. So much for the picture on the back.

I went to Walmart and Kmart and received this explanation. " With the volume of business we have, especially this time of the year, it would be impossible for us to check and verify everyone's credit card. It is really not our responsibility, If we did this it would jeopardize the customer service." Both stores had basically the same answer.

Fortunately I have a protection policy on my card, and they say I am covered once the signatures are verified.

I think from this point on, other than Costco and gas pumps, I will pay cash or check. And yes, I will refrain from leaving my billfold in the car. Please don't ask why I have the habit of removing my billfold when I get in the car. I just spent an hour trying to explain it to my wife and now we're not talking. Maybe it's because I got mad and told her to shut-up and to forget it. Now I have to go look and the new front load washers and dyers she wants.
 
Don't feel bad Jiggs. I've had my CC numbers hacked before and the card was in my wallet the whole time. My CC Holder even called me once and could see the criminals in hong kong ringing up the charges while they were on the phone with me..

I don't like having my wallet in my back pocket with I drive either. It's just not comfortable.

I used to write "Ask for ID" on the signature strip of my cards. I forget where, but some jerk clerk made me sign my name over it at someplace. Really ticked me off. I really think they NEED to ask for a picture id when you pay with a credit card or check. Just seems stupid not too...
 
Don't feel bad Jiggs. I've had my CC numbers hacked before and the card was in my wallet the whole time. My CC Holder even called me once and could see the criminals in hong kong ringing up the charges while they were on the phone with me..

I don't like having my wallet in my back pocket with I drive either. It's just not comfortable.

I used to write "Ask for ID" on the signature strip of my cards. I forget where, but some jerk clerk made me sign my name over it at someplace. Really ticked me off. I really think they NEED to ask for a picture id when you pay with a credit card or check. Just seems stupid not too...

The reason why they don't is because it's against the TOC of the credit card companies.
 
The reason why they don't is because it's against the TOC of the credit card companies.

I didn't know that, and hadn't seen anything along those lines from my merchant bank. Several of the local places where I shop regularly ask for ID when I use a credit card. :huh:
 
If you write "See ID" on the back, merchants are supposed to do just that, however, there was an article on Yahoo News a few months back that talked about that procedure.... according to the article, the card is not valid unless signed... even if you have "see ID" on the back, I think it has to be signed to be a valid card.
 
I didn't know that, and hadn't seen anything along those lines from my merchant bank. Several of the local places where I shop regularly ask for ID when I use a credit card. :huh:

Yeah, it's policy per Visa and mastercard in their merchant agreements. The penalty is supposedly revoking processing privileges.

I don't see what the point of having you sign in front of them. Its going to match what the receipt says.
 
By federal law,you can only be held responsible for $50 of credit card purchases from a lost or stolen credit (not debit) card, provided you report the loss in a reasonable time. See here. Most companies will not even charge you the $50 because it's too small.

If the number is stolen, but not your card, you have no liability. So insurance on a credit card is not of much value.

And just as a comment, people worry that a waiter will scan their credit card and steal the numbers. However, it would become clear to the credit card company that a number of stolen cards (numbers) all had charges at one restaurant. The credit card company will then cut off that restaurant. Losing the ability to process credit cards severely hurts a restaurant so they find out fast where the leak is.

Mike
 
Yeah, it's policy per Visa and mastercard in their merchant agreements. The penalty is supposedly revoking processing privileges.

I don't see what the point of having you sign in front of them. Its going to match what the receipt says.

Not mentioned in the merchant agreements I've entered into (ProPay and Square). Granted, I'm a small retailer and I'm not dealing directly with Visa and MasterCard, I'm dealing with merchant banks. I don't know if a big retailer like Albertson's is dealing directly with Visa and MasterCard, but at least where I live, they are asking everyone for ID.

I agree with you about having someone sign in front of them. Makes no sense at all. :rolleyes:
 
I once had a clerk tell me I needed to sign my card to make it valid. So, I signed the card. After I signed the receipt, she held it up next to the card to make sure the signatures were the same.
 
Not mentioned in the merchant agreements I've entered into (ProPay and Square). Granted, I'm a small retailer and I'm not dealing directly with Visa and MasterCard, I'm dealing with merchant banks. I don't know if a big retailer like Albertson's is dealing directly with Visa and MasterCard, but at least where I live, they are asking everyone for ID.

I agree with you about having someone sign in front of them. Makes no sense at all. :rolleyes:

Visa must have changed their tune since I was in sales, as they now require ID when the card is unsigned per their agreement.

http://www.consumerbell.com/2010/05...u-need-to-show-id-or-make-a-minimum-purchase/
 
I sympathize with you Jiggs. I used to travel a great deal to the east. Struck a deal with my card company back then to replace the card automatically after my call to say i am back. Place like Hong Kong you just tender your card and it hits the black lists in no time. I would get calls from my credit card company pretty quick to check on the fraudulent purchases.
 
Sorry Ned my error. This is what happens when you forget what east means to others.

No i was meaning far east asia and should have typed that out in full. Old habits thinking i was back in the old country there the only place east was well asia.;):wave:

actually you were quite clear... I only zinged it for slapstick... While in college (university) I spent several years first in Erie Co (Buffalo area) and then St Lawrence Co, just below Ontario AND Quebec, but most of our 'Canadian' news was from Ontario. I also live and grew up in Central NY, where a significant amount of our northern Neighbors visit and travel. I have a slight bias I suppose as a result. :thumb::rolleyes:
 
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