ID Theft

May I see some id please?

Last week while I was at work, I was told of the high rate or credit card theft. Wanting to slow it down and prevent it from happening at my register, I asked customers for their id when using a credit card. Of all the people I asked, only one lady got pissed. "Why do I have to show id for a $5 purchase?" My manager went over to apologize to the customer and told me not to ask for id's anymore. About an hour later, I had an older caucasian male in his mid 30's come through with a credit card that had a chhinese/japanese name on it. I truely believe that credit card fraud stops at the registers. If more cashiers asked for id, the rate would truely go down. What's your thoughts on this topic? I'd rather give 5 seconds to show my id, than to have someone taking 5 months plus of my time with me straightening the fraud out. Thanks in advance.

Public Comments

1. If the sales are fraud and you aren't allowed to ask for ID, then it falls on the store manager and/or the company. It is completely out of your hands and yes I agree with you. Apparently, the company has built fraud into their pricing and can afford to lose the merchandise since the thief is hardly ever caught.
2. I think you were practicing due diligence. I would prefer to be asked for an ID msyelf. But it seems that - and I was surpised to find this out as well - it is a violation for a merchant to ask a customer show an ID, at least when paying by MasterCard. I'm not sure about Visa, but it's proabably the same. Really. According to their online form, the following are violations for which you can report the Merchant: In order to make a MasterCard purchase, the merchant/retailer required a minimum or maximum amount. The merchant/retailer is adding a charge for using your MasterCard card. The merchant/retailer required identification. A merchant/retailer displaying the MasterCard decal in their window refused to accept my MasterCard card. see for yourself: http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/contactus/merchantviolations.html Shows how much MC cares about fraud/theft.
3. That's weird, when I was in college I worked at the text book store and WAS NOT allowed to swipe a card unless I had seen a matching ID, regardless of the amount. People would get pissed that they'd have to run to their car to get it but really, they should have brought it anyway. I never get asked for ID when using a credit card (maybe 1 out of 10 times) and I never carry cash so I use my card at least once per day, usually more.
4. It all depends on the transaction & the card, i believed if it's under $25 you don't need ID, also most card companies don't require IDs cause the user is already paying for insurance on the card and it's really not their problem or your store if the transaction is fraud or not