Can someone settle this for good? Am I supposed to sign the back of my credit card or not? What are the liabilities if I do/don't? Can I just write "See Photo ID" and not sign? What happens if I have that on there and the clerk never checks - and it's fraud. Who's liable? HELP!

The question that I always ask is why would you not want to sign your credit card? Usually, the answer that I receive is so that someone who steals your card can not forge your signature. But there are a few things...

First, I looked through my wallet and noticed that all of my credit and debit cards indicate not valid unless signed. So, if you don't sign (even if you write "SEE PHOTO ID") then the card is not valid. - So yes.

Second, if you leave it blank, the person doesn't need to forge your name, they simply write your name in their handwriting!

Finally, it is very easy to forge some sort of photo ID. How about making your own "work id's".

If the card is not signed, the clerk should not accept it. A credit card company could argue that the card was not valid. However, they would have to prove that the card is not signed. If the credit card company or merchant can prove that the signatures match, then you would assume the loss. If they can not prove that it was your signature, then they would assume the loss.

So - the signature spot on the card is blank, and I hand it to the clerk. He (or she) looks at the back, sees it's not signed, and says, "I need you to sign it." So - you do. Now it's a valid, signed card. Since they never ask for ID, you're home free. Oh - it was a stolen card. And - like noctrl02 said - now it has YOUR signature on it.

Here is a link from the Visa website addressing the issue of signing the card:


http://www.usa.visa.com/business/accepti...ml|Card-Present

I personally put "See Photo ID" on the back of my cards as usually it has the desired effect of prompting the cashier to check my ID. I've never been prompted to erase this language and sign it. Visa requests that this not be done and for the cashier to ask the patron to sign the card. I don't understand why they would ask people not to refer to photo ID, but I guess it makes sense to someone.

The US Post Office will not accept cards with See Photo ID or See ID on the back. Theoretically, it is for basic signature comparison, although trying to sign those cards is difficult.

Neither will the Indiana Department of Motor Vehicles. My sister had a big run-in with them several years ago.

I sign mine and then write next to it.."please see ID" it usually works.

The website provides a lot of good stuff - if the clerks would ever follow any of it.

While I understand that the credit card companies require/prefer the signature on the back of the card, I would just like to present this scenario and ask that anyone supply me with feedback as to why this would be a bad idea:

I write on the back of my card "Please see ID". The clerk then has me sign the receipt and holds onto my card and merchandise until I have signed it. Then the clerk looks at the back of my card to verify the signature matches. The clerk then reads "Please see ID" and asks to see my ID. Then the clerk verifys the signature that is on my ID matches the signature on the receipt...as well as the photo on the ID matches my face. If something there is suspicous, the clerk can stop the transaction right there.

Now, 1 out of 100 clerks would actually do this...as most today don't even look at the back of the card. But to me this is very logical. Any thoughts as to why the credit card companies would not want to do it this way? Thanks.