Do Not Shop at Best Buy (Page 2)

so sorry you got ripped off, and shame on BB.

I have written "ASK FOR ID" in the signature panel of my credit card.  Maybe 1 time in 10 does the clerk even look at it.

I am sorry your credit card was stollen.  that is awful.  

However, by not asking for ID, BB was following the Merchant Agreement (with MC or Visa).   If the card is signed, they are not to ask for ID.   It is against the merchant agreement to do so.    I see all the time that they ask for ID, glance at it, and then never look at the signiture you sign for the purchase.   This is not the SOP perscribed by MC.

https://www.mastercard.com/contactus/contactus_mv.html

There are 4 things where you can register a complaint with MC about a merchant - they require a minimum purchase, they charged you a fee to use it, they asked for ID, and they refused to take your card while having a MC logo displayed.

In fact, it is ILLEGAL in the state of CA (I think a clerk took the address off a woman's driver's license, stalked and then assaulted her).  

I think that the reason ID theft is so easy is that everyone requires all of your information.   Our Social Security numbers are now considered "national ID numbers" by most people.    Remember when they said "for employment purposes only"?  That is all they should be.  

If you want every clerk to ask for your ID, write "check ID" in the signiture line.

I did not know that part....

My sister and I are shadow posting.....

So that's his story and he's stickin' to it?

If a card isn't signed, it's not valid. Even if you wrote CID or whatnot on there. The clerk is supposed to ask everyone for ID every time.

Edit: I was just enlightened by tri-momma's post and the visa pdf. The organic market where  I worked as a cashier had us check IDs. I guess there's nothing wrong with checking IDs, but you can't make it a condition of the sale.

 I guess the OP should be pissed that the signature was not assessed, not that the ID wasn't checked.

The problems with credit card fraud lie in multiple places:

-- Retail locations where clerks are either not properly trained, or have no incentive to take the time to compare signatures on cards to the signatures on the charge slips. I have found this to be MUCH more prevalent in stores with the "self serve" credit card machines, even if it says "keep credit card out for clerk" on the screen, I can't honestly remember a single time I was actually asked for it.

-- The advent of "no signature required" for purchases under $25. No signature, nothing to compare.

-- Even if your card says, "Check ID" there is no requirement for the store to do so - as mentioned before, Visa/MC don't require merchants to ask for additional identification.

-- There are still a lot of online stores that don't require the CID (# on the back of the card), so this is a boon for folks selling stolen numbers/exp dates, but not the physical cards. And even if you do have the CID, no signature required online. (Though hopefully the police can get a delivery address for the purchased goods.)

-- Retailers that have no incentive to worry about fraudulent purchases as Visa/MC will pick up the tab on it. However, this is changing, as both have been indicating that they will start pushing the liability back down to the retailers - this also may be why Visa gave an initial pushback to Best Buy - even if it's not official yet, the OP may have gotten a clerk on the phone who figured since the policy will probably be changing (even though from what I've read, Visa/MC will be the one doing the legwork), why not see if the customer will take care of it?

Personally, I like the idea of pushing the liability for fraud back down to the retailers, but it's hard to say if it's going to go through, given that the SBA and other Small Business groups are saying that it would put too much burden on smaller businesses. (It's not just signature checking they're talking about, but making sure all computer systems are properly secured as well.)

Billabong, I'd still yell at Best Buy for management being rude and totally unhelpful about the entire thing - even if they can't actually do anything, the attitude of the manager isn't right. Yell more at the credit union and Visa, too.

Thanks for the info and links.

I don't understand it, though. It's almost as if the Merchants and CC companies (and consumers) prefer to to be ripped off. 

First, I am sorry your stuff was stolen.  Having had my wallet stolen a decade ago, that is a royal PITA to get everything replaced and your credit report will have "lost/stolen" cards on it FOREVER.

BUT...don't diss Best Buy.  It isn't their fault.  I have had nothing but good experiences with Best Buy.  This would be a stupid reason to never shop there again.  Like many other posters said, your credit card company should cover the fraudulent charges.  If they don't, get another card. No need to give them your business when there are many other cards who WILL cover fraudulent charges. 

yeah, it was funny how this tid bit was left out of the weekly family update....

If you dont sign your card, whenver it IS stolen all they need to do is sign your name on the back and viola! it makes it that much easier....

ok, I was looking for a link I knew I had once posted here.   And Viola!   I was looking for a reference for a friend, and found one of the links outdated.   So, to update everyone,   new links to report Merchants who disregard the agreements with Visa and MC:

https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/consumers/get-support/report-problem-shopping.html

https://usa.visa.com/Forms/merchant-violation-complaint-form.html