Can a merchant refuse a credit card that is not signed and therefore invalid?

All of my credit cards clearly state, "not valid unless signed", so I sign them and indicate that I also show ID with every transaction.



As a college business office, can I refuse to accept a credit card that isn't signed by the customer and is therefore invalid? Can any merchant refuse to accept an unsigned credit card for payment?|||signature block, and I very rarely even get asked to see my ID. The only place that has refused to take my credit card that was was some anal old biddy at the post office, even though all the other clecrks are fine with checking my signature against a government issues ID card. It seems to me that if the credit card comes back "approved" and you check the signature of the customer against a government ID you should be covered.|||None of my cards are signed.


This will just make it easier for someone to know what my signature looks like and make purchases.





As an office, keep in mind that even if that card is STOLEN, you will receive payment.


Under no circumstances do you even need to give a thought to any card being stolen.


Why would a merchant refuse a card - when payment is 100% guaranteed?


It simply is not a merchants job to accuse a customer of a stolen card.





As a customer, if your card is refused you should immediately contact the number on the back.


Visa will contact management and assure them that they will not be out any funds.|||Technically - SEE ID would suffice if they have their signature on their ID, but it is up to the merchant. The merchant has a right to turn down anything they feel is suspicious because of 'chargebacks.' One thing that is NOT allowed is the 'minimums' to use a credit card. Other than that - you have the right to refuse - but checking ID should be mandatory either way.|||Refuse a credit card because they are not signed? I do not sign my credit cards. I prefer the sales people to ask for my picture id.



Now if someone did not have a picture ID with that name, I would not take the credit card from someone.



I imagine a merchant can do whatever they want. But in this time, I would think that would be rather silly since there goes a customer when you reject their credit card. Although you working at a college business office, I would guess it would not be the same. But I am sure there would be many very unhappy students if you refused their credit card.



Wouldn't it be easier to just ask for their ID?|||I have "see photo ID" on all of my cards, only once in all the years I've had them was I refused to use one card unless it was signed. So I signed it small under "see photo ID" and the clerk accepted it.. I'm not sure if it's a law or he was busting chops or what, but he said I can not accept it unless it's signed. Which made little sense since I was offering my ID... But it is what it is. I still put see photo ID on all of them.. Although it rarely matters these days with the swipe machines, anyone could use it if they knew my pin.


So, I'm not sure if it's mandatory or not (I know having something on the card is, see ID or a signature) but I hear so many different things on various sites I'm not sure which is true.. I'll stick with "see photo ID" though..|||I don't think it is appropriate for you to refuse an unsigned credit card, but you can feel free to ask for an ID and compare it to the name on the card. You should check with your employer and your merchant services account support center before you start implementing a policy of refusing payments.|||I'm not entirely sure, but I know that I have never been told that my card is not valid because I have never signed any of mine. If the back of the card isn't signed, you just have to sign on a receipt, so I don't think you can actually refuse it.|||Yes. Credit cards are not suppose to be accepted without a proper signature on the back of the card. If not signed, it's not a valid credit card.|||Yes, they can. In fact, they're supposed to, at least according to this article:





http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-n鈥?/a>|||Yes - unless of course you kow the person as a regular customer in which case you would simply suggest the person sign it there and then|||And at the same time, we're told to not sign the thing, lest our signature be stolen with the card and forged. Go figure.