"See ID" Instead of Signing the Debit Card
John Burnett, Hussam Al-Abed and Jim Bedsole, BOL Gurus Guru Bio
Question: Customers have asked if it is better to sign the back of their debit card or write "see ID". I have asked our processor and they say that it is something that the bank would need to decide. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
Answer by John Burnett: At least one of the two major card associations includes a rule for merchants requiring them to, when seeing "Check ID" or a blank signature panel, ask the person presenting the card to sign the card, and then proceed with the sale.
Answer by Hussan Al-Abed: Dealing with unsigned cards
If the signature panel is left blank...
Request a signature. Ask the cardholder to sign the card and provide current government identification, such as a driver's license or passport (if local law permits).
Check the signature. Be sure that the cardholder signature on the transaction receipt matches the one on the card and the additional identification.
Complete the transaction. If the signatures appear reasonably the same and the authorization request is approved, continue the transaction. If the cardholder refuses to sign the card, do not accept the card.
If the card has a “See ID” in place of a signature…
Request a signature. Ask the cardholder to sign the card and provide current government identification, such as a driver's license or passport (if local law permits).
Check the signature. Be sure that the signature on the card matches the one on the transaction receipt and the additional identification.
If the signatures appear reasonably the same and the authorization request is approved, go ahead and complete the transaction.
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