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Path: utzoo!dciem!ntt
From: ntt@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Department Store Credit Cards: Why? (paying by check)
Message-ID: <767@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Mar-84 13:01:35 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.767
Posted: Wed Mar  7 13:01:35 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 7-Mar-84 15:57:02 EST
References: <263@houxb.UUCP>
Organization: NTT Systems Inc., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 30

Larry Geary (houxb!lmg) says:
		Checks? Who besides Bob Keeshan can carry a checkbook in his
	pants pocket? Who actually *accepts* checks without also asking for
	a major credit card for ID? Checks are for paying credit card bills.

Some stores have "counter checks", which are like ordinary check forms
except that you fill in the bank information.

And as for ID, many stores here consider a drivers license sufficient (and
here we don't even have pictures on them); in fact, I've even been asked
specifically for my license even when they accept a credit card as ID.

But the other thing you could try is writing a check on a BLANK piece of
paper.  It's perfectly valid (in the US and Canada and Britain, anyway).
Of course, you have to include all the essential information:

						DATE
	BANK NAME AND ADDRESS
	Pay to the order of: PAYEE NAME
	AMOUNT IN NUMBERS AND AGAIN IN WORDS
	Account: NUMBER				YOUR SIGNATURE

Whether you can get them to accept it is another matter, but if you have ID...
During banking hours they could phone the bank and verify your account number.

Me, I never assume a store takes my credit cards, and if I go to a place that
doesn't, I bring my checkbook or I get cash from an ATM first.

Mark Brader
Toronto, Canada