How often are you asked to show ID when you use a credit card?

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Related question: how often is your signature checked against the one on your credit card?

For me, the answer in both cases is close to never.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 6 April 2006 11:34 (twenty years ago)

OK, close to never = maybe if I'm paying a hotel bill or picking up concert tickets purchased online.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 6 April 2006 11:37 (twenty years ago)

I've never been asked to show ID. When I've paid a hotel bill, the card I'm paying with is what I use as my ID.

A shop assisstant did once point out that the back of my debit card was unsigned. She was happy, though, for me to sign it in front of her and then let the sale go through.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 6 April 2006 11:38 (twenty years ago)

I've never been asked for ID. But - and I've noticed this more recently because of Chip and Pin - I do see people checking signatures more.

Maybe I don't look like the sort of person who should be spending the sums of money in the places that I do? ;-)

― Treacle in a Flaming Wheelbarrow (kate), Thursday, 6 April 2006 11:38 (twenty years ago)

why would they ask you for ID when using credit cards?

i've noticed that all the hotel receptionists check my signature.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 6 April 2006 11:40 (twenty years ago)

My signature gets rubbed off my card pretty easily, so my ID is checked every so often. Actually, the place it's most commonly checked is at the indie record store.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 6 April 2006 11:56 (twenty years ago)

ah, i get it now.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:01 (twenty years ago)

I was just asked at the Apple store the other day, but otherwise very rarely. Maybe once in every 40 transactions, just completely guessing.

― phil d. (Phil D.), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:01 (twenty years ago)

almost never in the us. what happened a lot in the uk was that the employee would look back and forth from my signed receipt and credit card about 25 times, stare me hard in the face for a minute, then with a shake of the head hand everything back over to me as if it was clear that i was a fraudster but she couldn't really be bothered to deal with it. that drove me NUTS.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:06 (twenty years ago)

Never in the UK, sometimes in the US.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:22 (twenty years ago)

I think I've been asked three times in my life - always in Germany where owning a credit card is a minority pursuit... and for the better.

However, seeing as I'm already paying the extra hidden charges of credit cards in almost everything I buy in the UK, I'm going to go with the flow as use my creit card for as much as I can, partly becuase I get .5% cashback.

Never been asked for ID in the UK, which is a good thing as nobody carries any anyway (for the time being).

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:55 (twenty years ago)

nobody carries any anyway?

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:56 (twenty years ago)

I never ask for ID when checking out credit cards at work...just the basic "compare the signature on the card with the one on the receipt" business, which I don't even take too seriously. Besides, the only people who seem to use credit cards at my work are cute female Asian students.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Thursday, 6 April 2006 12:59 (twenty years ago)

chip and pin, surely, esteban?

― Real Goths Don't Wear Black (Enrique), Thursday, 6 April 2006 13:17 (twenty years ago)

When I married two years ago, I changed my name on most of my credit cards, but it's a pain in the ass so there are a few with my older, longer, completely different surname. Even if clerks ask for ID, even if they hold the back of the card up next to the signed receipt, they don't really look. The name on my ID is different, I generally sign with my new name - not one has questioned it. I'd say about half of the in-person transactions request ID.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 6 April 2006 13:18 (twenty years ago)

Last time I went abroad I couldn't get cash out on my debit card because the signature was comprised (according to them, I thought it was fine). So I got out my credit card - only to remember it was new, and I hadn't signed it yet. However they were perfectly happy to watch me sign it in front of them, and accept this as ID. MORONS. This was after the introduction of chip and pin.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 6 April 2006 13:23 (twenty years ago)

No, we don't sell chips nor pins.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Thursday, 6 April 2006 13:27 (twenty years ago)

0.8

― Real Goths Don't Wear Black (Enrique), Thursday, 6 April 2006 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Everytime I use it at the liquor store.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 6 April 2006 15:42 (twenty years ago)

Never. and my card isn't even signed! (or Ithink it was but has worn off)

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Thursday, 6 April 2006 15:45 (twenty years ago)

I was in Safeway a couple of years ago, and some American chap tried to pay with an unsigned debit card. This was pre chip-and-pin. He cheerily showed some ID, but then got in a strop when the checkout lady said she couldn't accept it as it wasn't signed.

He kept saying that if he signed it, anyone could use it if it got stolen.

He had to pay cash in the end when everyone in the queue behind him threatened violence.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 6 April 2006 15:51 (twenty years ago)

Mine isn't signed and the only place my id is checked is Borders.

― Jeff. (Jeff), Thursday, 6 April 2006 15:52 (twenty years ago)

In Spain I have to show my passport every time I use my debit card, which means I am carrying it round with me all the time which I don't like doing, I'm scared I'll lose it.

― Cathy (Cathy), Thursday, 6 April 2006 16:07 (twenty years ago)

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