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From: elric@proper.UUCP (elric)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: using credit card numbers for check id.
Message-ID: <309@proper.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Sep-85 15:37:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: proper.309
Posted: Thu Sep 19 15:37:06 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 05:34:07 EDT
References: <272@decwrl.UUCP> <>
Reply-To: elric@proper.UUCP (Elric of Imrryr)
Organization: Lunatic Laboratories Unltd.
Lines: 37

In article <> ccs009@ucdavis.UUCP (Dennis Michaels) writes:
>> 
>> []
>> 
>> Whenever I use want to use a check at a business establishment, they always
>> ask for drivers liscense and a major credit card. They then proceed to plaster
>> my credit card number all over the back of my check, which makes me very 
>> uncomfortable. Why is it that they need the number for 'identification
>> purposes only" ?? 
>> How many people see the check before you get it
>> back ?? Is it a good idea for all these people to have access to my credit 
>> card number. ??
>
>
>Particularly dishonest people could take your number and maliciously charge
>things -- especially on those tv phone orders, in some cases, mail order
>with a forged signature --from your check-- Furthermore, most companies
>dont care where the order goes, the cardholder's address or some other
>( card holders address not available to merchant ) so nasty people
>who work in store that take visa/mastercard or checks w/credit card id
>can take your number and you get the bill and the shaft.
>

  Stores can get introuble for getting to many bad charges. Because when you
get your bill and find that someone has ordered a combo-onion dicer & milkshake maker on your card, you are going to
tell Visa (or whoever) I did not order
this junk, visa will most likely say
'Ok, we will remove the charge & issue you a new #'.
Now visa may go back to the store and say 'Where was this thing sent?'
Visa gets the address an gives it to the secret service, and they take care of
it...
  Also a store that accepts to many bad cards may lose their privilage to take
visa.
I used to work for a mail-order video store, which did check addresses (I don't know how, as I was not in that dept).
We used to get 1-3 fraud attempts/ month. 
(More during Xmas)
  Elric