Thread: Did you know it's illegal to ask for ID?

I bet most people didn't know it's ILLEGAL to ask for ID for Any type of credit card, issued by visa, or mastercard, there poilcy and cardholder agreements state you do not have to show any type of identifying information as long as your card is signed.

Retailers can get fined, and even there rights to accept them taken away..


anyone have problems with this? I can give you the form to report stores..

only exception to this is you buy liquior/beer/cigs and they want to see if you are old enough..

it is against v,mc policy but not illegal. In the past when I've been asked for ID I've told clerks this but they don't understand since their store manager sets their policy.

Good luck getting assistance from cc companies on this. I've tried to complain about merchants charging fees for cc purchases and found it impossible to get through to mc, v with complaint.

V and MC are happy to make the rules but they care little if anything about enforcement, not worth it to them apparently.

On a related note, when merchants ask for your phone number, like I know Container Store does, for instance, just refuse. Sooner or later they'll learn.

Wal Mart also has a store policy to ask for ID despite it being against the rules. The credit cards must have taken up the issue with them but it hasn't changed. It's likely Walmart bulled back and said tough luck to their faces.

I know that it is not against the law here in Australia. When I was at a major retailer and I made a $698 purchase onto my Visa last weekend I got asked for ID. But their EFTPOS machines are not capable of having PIN input so you have to sign to verify transactions. I like the fact that from time to time that I do get asked, so that if my card gets stolen I know that someone might do an ID check. Although if I get my card stolen I am on the phone to the bank immediately.

It`s not against the law in Norway either, as far as I know. But then again, I think we here in Norway have THE most liberal credit card rules on the planet..