A Not So Funny Credit Card Story
What One Credit Card Prank Revealed
I was recently at a website called Zug.com that explained, in detail, how someone was fed up with the way merchants don't really check the signatures on the credit card receipts adequately. They decided to take matters into their own hands and pull a credit card prank. However, in addition to making me giggle a bit, the prank also made me wonder what in the world the cashiers taking credit card payments are thinking.
Always Wanted To Be A Star
To make a long story short, the gentleman writing the story at Zug.com had used his credit card to make purchases, but signed his receipts using totally different names (and sometimes even just drew pictures) and, unfortunately, not a single merchant noticed.
If anyone had bothered to look at the receipts, they would have noticed that everyone from Mariah Carey to Zeus had been using this guy's card. No one bothered and no one noticed.
You Want Me To Sign What
The first thing I have to say is that the receipt/credit card signature matching issue isn't just the fault of merchants. It's the fault of the credit card companies too.
Why?
Have you seen the size of the signature boxes on the back of credit cards? There is no way to naturally sign your name in that small of a box unless you're a pixie. If you can't sign your credit card properly, how can anyone expect your credit card signature to match the signatures on your receipts?
Don't Bother Checking At All?
If the signature on your credit card can't really match the one on your receipts, should merchants check at all? Absolutely. Why? Because even if it's not an exact match, at least it has similarities.
Make A Statement
If you use your credit card and you notice the clerk isn't checking your signature, make a statement and say something. The only way to promote credit card safety is to do your part in enforcing it.