Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site sdcrdcf.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sdcrdcf!barryg From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Barry Gold) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: ? signing credit card slip without amount ? Message-ID: <932@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Date: Wed, 21-Mar-84 14:37:16 EST Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.932 Posted: Wed Mar 21 14:37:16 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 23-Mar-84 21:01:47 EST References: <873@cvl.UUCP> <368@ut-ngp.UUCP> <217@opus.UUCP> Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Barry Gold) Organization: System Development Corporation, Santa Monica Lines: 24 Companies that ask you to sign a credit card slip without an amount JUST PLAIN AREN'T DOING IT RIGHT! The right way to use a credit card as a deposit (as done by most hotels) is to take an impression of the credit card on a blank credit slip (which you DON'T sign) and attach the slip to the registration form (which you DO sign). They then have a credit card impression to back up their claim if you skip, but no signature to use for unauthorized charges. If a merchant asks you to sign a blank credit card slip, I suggest you 1) get his merchant number off the slip 2) get the authorization number (they usually get one for purchases large enough to need a credit card deposit) 3) dig out your credit card company's complaint number (you DO carry that, don't you?) 4) Use the merchant's phone (or a public phone if they're being difficult) to call your credit card company and report this practice. I bet Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, etc. would like to stamp out this sort of thing, as it can involve them with endless hassles under the various federal consumer credit laws. -- Barry Gold usenet: {decvax!allegra|ihnp4}!sdcrdcf!barryg Arpanet: barry@BNL