Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site dciem.UUCP 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