Quote:
Originally posted by brooklineu
Just wait until someone steals your card, signs the back, and then gets a fake ID made in your name.
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THANK YOU!! That is EXACTLY why you should sign the card, not write "check ID." Some merchants will refuse to take a card that doesn't have an actual signature on the back because they could lose their jobs (card isn't authorized for use by its owner, ergo merchant is not authorized to accept it). I never bother to ask for ID, my reason being that I HAVE to assume that all the credit cards I see have been stolen (because people can be crooks!). Even if the name on the ID matches the name on the card, I still can't prove the card belongs to the person who gave it to me if it shows no actual signature. If the card is stolen, I can't do anything about it, I am under no obligation to ask for ID. I have to hope that the credit card company catches up to the crook.
Signatures are much harder to copy than most people think. Signing your card is your BEST protection against fraud. If your card should ever be stolen, one of the first questions your creditor will ask you when you call to report it is "Was it signed?" If not, you can be liable for any purchases made by the thief. Not signing your card gives license to ANYONE to use your card.
Sorry to go on so long, but we have to be careful with the holiday season approaching. There's a reason I put this rant as #1.