Way OT credit fraud countermeasures 663

I've seen them check the signatures in many places, but the thought that keeps occurring to me is, do they even know what they're looking for? My signature on my card was done more carefully than the rush-job I do on receipts in the store, but no one's ever said anything. And would the cashier have the nerve to say something if they thought it didn't match?

Here's one for the idiot file: A friend of mine used to own a hardware store. I was there one day, chatting with him, when a woman in her mid-thirties came in, wearing a cap with the logo of a local county police department.

She paid for her purchase with a credit card. My friend checked the signatures, and said to her, "the credit card doesn't have a signature on it. I'll have to see some ID."

With a little triumphant smile, the woman said, "See? That's a police trick. Don't sign your credit cards. If someone steals 'em, they'll have to show ID before they can use 'em."

Me: "Well, no. They'll just sign the back of the credit cards. That way, the signatures will match and they won't be caught."

She: "They can't do that!"

Me: "Of course they can. They have your credit card in their hands. They can do whatever they want to it."

The look on her face was comical.

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