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Wherein I nearly call a Code 10

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  • Wherein I nearly call a Code 10

    The other day I got stuck on a register for a while, and a guy came through with a $23 purchase that he puts on his American Express. I'd already tried to help this guy in the aisles but he gave me the cold shoulder. He obviously doesn't like speaking to lowly retail peons like myself.

    Now, American Express cards - for those of you who may not be familiar with them - have a 4 digit number printed on the front of the card above the main account number called the Card Identification Digits, or CID. It's similar in concept to the CVV2 numbers found on the back of Visa/MC cards.

    For added security, I am required to punch in the CID on every AmEx transaction. If the numbers don't match, I get an error "Invalid CID Capture."

    Now, every time this had happened to me prior to this, it was because I typed the number in wrong, and every time when I re-entered it it went through.

    Not today.

    After entering the number a second time, I got a message saying "Invalid CID capture, ask for alternate form of payment." I hit cancel, re-swiped the card, and tried again, making damn certain this time that I entered the CID correctly. I did, and again it said "Invalid CID capture."

    Immediate I knew I was dealing with one of two things. Either the data encoded on the card had become corrupted somehow (which is pretty much unheard of), or the card was fraudulent. Now as I entered the number for the fourth time, I was mentally preparing to call in for a Code 10 Authorization Request. This is a code word for calling in to report suspicious cards or transactions without the SC knowing you are doing so.

    To date, I have never had to make a Code 10 call.

    Me: Sir, I'm going to have to call this in, or ask for another form of payment. The number on the card is coming up as invalid.

    SC: TRY IT AGAIN!!!!!!

    Me: I've already tried four times.

    SC: THEN ENTER THE NUMBER ON THE BACK!!!!

    Me: Sir, that's not the number I need. I have to enter the FRONT number and it doesn't---

    SC: JUST - FOR MY OWN GIGGLES - ENTER THE NUMBER ON THE BACK!!!!

    Me: Fine, but I'm telling you now it WON'T WORK. *reswipes card; enters last three digits fromthe back of the card; gets message "CID must be 4 digits."*

    Me: It didn't work, sir. *starts looking for handbook with the COde 10 phone numbers in it*

    SC: NEVER MIND THEN!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WON'T TAKE THIS CARD!!! I USE IT ALL THE TIME WITH NO PROBLEMS!!! THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! YOU NEED TO FIX YOUR SYSTEM!!!! *snatches card back*

    Me: Our system is fine, sir. YOU need to call American Express!!!

    SC: OH I'M SURE THAT'S IT!!! *storms out*


    So no Code 10 call for me. In a way I'm disappointed, but I'd just as soon not have to deal with that douchasaurus again.
    "We guard the souls in heaven; we don't horse-trade them!" Samandrial in Supernatural

    RIP Plaidman.

  • #2
    I've never had a code 10 either (we used the same name for it at IKEA) but whenever I started to feel iffy about a card I would put in underneath the stapler I would keep with me so it was out of the customer's reach if they wanted to snatch it back.
    I know LP would always tell us that if the customer grabs the card back just let them have it, which is why I would try to "hide" it from thm in case I had to call LP, hoping that out of sight out of mind, and the cutomer wouldn't ask for the card back and in that time LP could arrive.

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