Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Credit Card question

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Credit Card question

    not really a SC situation but I have had this type of situation come up with a few variations in the last 2 weeks or so.

    I get dispatched on an order that is paid for using a CC. When I get to the customers location (either a business or a home) the person whose CC it is is NOT around or unavailable but "tells" someone else they can "sign" the CC slip (which usually means the kiss of death concerning a tip with the "OH it is not my CC so I am sorry I can not tip you" line").

    I do understand situations where a long distance order is placed (say for a locations Christmas party and person ordering/paying is at a corp office in another city and the ordering party is 1000 miles away). Yes, there is no way to actaully have the cardholder physically sign the slip and a "representative" has to sign.

    My philosphy, in general, is usually to have the cardholder sign the slip for this reason: if the customer, for some reason, disputes the CC charge, the signature on the CC slip will, obviously, not match. The customer is then "free" to dispute the charge and, in essence, can get free stuff.

    Now, this has not yet happened to me, but I see the potential especially when children sign a CC slip. yes I do have a few houses where the parents will send a child to the door and the child will "sign" the CC slip.

    Any thoughts on the legality of someone other than the cardholder signing the slip especially a minor??? and what possible defences (for us) are there???
    Last edited by Racket_Man; 12-02-2011, 07:52 AM.
    I'm lost without a paddle and headed up SH*T creek.
    -- Life Sucks Then You Die.


    "I'll believe corp. are people when Texas executes one."

  • #2
    My gut feeling would be to refuse to accept any payment involving a signature that you know is not made by the cardholder. Check the signature against the one on the card - that's what it's for. The card should not be used 1000 miles away from it's owner, ever, so the card should be present if you are taking a payment that requires a signature.

    If the signature is simply acknowledging delivery of service, however, that is another matter. Anyone can accept delivery (unless otherwise specified), as long as you have a reasonable chance of finding them again if a dispute happens. So a young child might not be appropriate for that reason, but a teenager would have a good enough memory to be acceptable for that reason.

    Comment


    • #3
      When I as a child I on my parent's credit card. As a tween and teen I was allowed to go shopping for clothes using their cards. Every once and a while a merchant would call them to double check I was allowed to use the card. They took my parents' ok over the phone.

      Comment


      • #4
        It's tough. My friend's mom would be working and order food for us from the hospital. Usually it was a semi-local pizza chain and they'd deliver it. However, I have refused people when I worked at Wally World. A woman came in and thanked us for refusing the purchase even though she gave him permission. The son was going to buy an Ipod touch (199 back then), 50 dollar Itunes card, headphones, service plan, and I think a case.

        Comment


        • #5
          You are correct that getting the actual cardholder to sign the slip is a protection against a disputed claim, but part of the reason many merchants don't care about the signature (have you seen what comes out from some of those electronic terminals?) is because they have either written credit card disputes into their losses just like shoplifting, or they use other methods to deny disputes.

          When you are delivering goods to a card-holder's home address, just the fact that the merchandise was delivered there can be enough to deny the dispute. Not sure about business addresses though since I haven't personally seen disputes denied for that reason.

          You may want to just ask your work what their policy is and abide by that.
          Last edited by bankworking; 12-04-2011, 12:40 AM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Quoth bankworking View Post
            When you are delivering goods to a card-holder's home address, just the fact that the merchandise was delivered there can be enough to deny the dispute. Not sure about business addresses though since I haven't personally seen disputes denied for that reason.

            You may want to just ask your work what their policy is and abide by that.
            I remembered I DID have a problem with a "signed" CC slip almost a year ago.
            This Little Saga of a stupid CC tale

            {summary}
            drunk guy "signs" CC slips and throws me a couple of $1 bills as a tip. Next day DGs wife complains that they paid in "cash" and have no CC slip. store finds our copy of signed slip ---- round and round CC gets refunded I get a very tiny slap on the wrist for ---- you guessed it

            following proper CC transaction procedure.
            {/end summary}

            this is one of the very few reasons I do NOT like dealing with drunks/stoners.
            I'm lost without a paddle and headed up SH*T creek.
            -- Life Sucks Then You Die.


            "I'll believe corp. are people when Texas executes one."

            Comment


            • #7
              Would writing, 'Cardholder not present' on the slip help at all?
              "I can tell her you're all tied up in the projection room." Sunset Boulevard.

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth cinema guy View Post
                Would writing, 'Cardholder not present' on the slip help at all?
                That would probably make it worse; it would be easier for the cardholder to dispute the charges, not harder.

                I'd ask the manager what to do, and find out what store policy is. Odds are, the answer will be to accept the slip. Management won't want to "lose" a customer by insisting on the actual cardholder being present to sign the slip. I doubt they lose much money this way or policies would be stricter.

                I order pizza online using my CC all the time and have never been asked to show it by the driver when he delivers.

                OTOH, I'm a good tipper and order often enough that the drivers are probably familiar with my address to know this
                They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Each store is going to set their own policy. One local chinese place stopped accepting credit cards for delivery orders because of rampant fraud and chargebacks. They let my roomies keep using cards for a little while since they delivered to us fairly often, but they finally went cash only unless it was dine in/carryout.

                  Honestly, how stupid are people that they confess it's not their card or they ask their kids to sign? Um, no thank you. You're not getting a tip anyway, I'd ask (politely of course) for them to bring their lazy ass to the door and sign the slip.
                  A lion however, will only devour your corpse, whereas an SC is not sated until they have destroyed your soul. (Quote per infinitemonkies)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Would it be possible for your business to do a "card not present" transaction that uses the 3-digit Card Verification Number as proof of legitimacy? Then your business could just have the recipient sign for delivery.
                    "Them boys ain't zombies! They're just stupid!"

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Rather than the CVV code, I'd recommend taking an impression of the card. This can be done expediently by placing the receipt on top of the card and rubbing the side of a pen across it. This provides definite proof that the physical card was present.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        not to mention that the 3 digit number on the back of your card is something the manufacturer puts on. It is NOT the verification number for all companies. Some just use it since it is there and convenient.

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X