Do you really need to sign your credit card? What is the law on this?

Answer 1

No, but if you do it may help protect you. A merchant is supposed to check your signature against the sales slip signature and make sure they are similar. If you don't sign the card, they are supposed to ask for ID. Nowadays, where you swipe your own card, this is a lot less relevant. Since a lot of store employees never bothered to check, I'm not sure it ever really was.

Answer 2

You need to sign the card to protect yourself. Supposedly, all retailers should be verifying the signature on the back of your card against the credit slip you sign. If the two don't match, it's possible that the card may have been stolen. If you don't sign the card, some thief could come along, sign your name in her handwriting, and charge away. The reality here, though, is that few vendors ever check for signature.

Anyway, legally you don't have to sign, but it's foolish if you don't.

Answer 3

Ok... So EVERYONE is right that there is no LAW stating that you have to sign a credit card, but a lot of people answered that you don't have to anyway. This is NOT TRUE.

Check your credit card company terms of service agreement. Or even the back of your credit card (it's stated there on mine). According the company policy issuing the card you are REQUIRED to sign the card. Not doing so, which you may choose to do, means that businesses are not required to accept it as payment if they don't want to. Why?

Credit card companies require you to sign the card for THEIR protection, NOT yours. You see, if you sign the card then any receipts you signed with that signature you are liable to pay for. It's up to the business to check for this, which they often don't, but if the signature on the back of YOUR card and that on the receipt DO NOT match, you don't have to pay the credit card company for that stuff. They want you to sign it to prove you DID purchase the items.

Obviously this might make you think, "well then, why wouldn't I then just sign one way on the card, and sign another way on the receipts?" Well, because that's stealing and IS against the law. And believe me, you WILL get caught if you try to play that game.

Now, if you want to go the "SEE ID" route, you're absolutely allowed to do so. But you still have to sign it as well. SEE ID is NOT a valid replacement for your signature. Don't expect every business to check, though. I think maybe 50% of those that I submit mine to asks.

So there's the REAL answer. No law on this, but you ARE required to as stated in the agreement you signed with the credit card company.

Answer 4

I have never understood it either.

1 Merchents almost never match up the signatures.

2. The signature the back of a credit card gets so worn out and sloppy that it would take a hand writing forensics expert to prove for sure if the signature is not yours.

I think its an archiac type of rule that was implied back in the day and really is not that important anymore. If someone steals your card all they have to do is sign the back or get the signature to be even remotly close to yours.. yeah real hard lol.

Answer 5

If this were an ideal world, the signature on the back of your credit card would be checked against the signature on the receipt each time you make a purchase.

Most businesses don't do this, since they have the swipe with the electronic signature.

And the few that don't have the above, the cashiers don't look at the signatures.

Answer 6

There is no law that a person has to sign the back of their credit/check cards. . The reason that they ask for a signature is so when you make a large purchase and they check for verification they see a signature and they are suppose to match it with the signature on the pad/paper; however, it's up to the business if they want to follow procedures.

I do not sign my card at all. I put on the the signature strip Please CID. So when I make a purchase and they look at the back they have to ask for my ID. I find that safer and it protects me if I misplace my card or it's stolen. I was told by my mother never to sign my cards and always put Please CID on it.

I find that because I do it more people ask for my ID, then my boyfriend who signs the back of his cards. I feel more secure and protected when they ask for my ID. I'm always thankful and I make sure to say, "Thank for asking."

Answer 7

As it was shown to me when I tried to use my unsigned card at the post office, Master Card & Visa had issued statements to places (such as the post office) instructing them to deny any card that is NOT signed by the legal owner of the card. You may still write things like "check ID" on the back, but it has to be accompanied by a signature.

Answer 8

You don't have to sign the back of your credit card. I wouldn't sign any of mine. If you were to loose your cards and they are signed, that would just be easier for the thief to use it. Most places will ask to see your ID now, so you don't have to sign it.

Answer 9

you are not required to, and my advice is instead of signing it (because if it is stolen, then they also have your signiture) is to write "CHECK ID" boldly where you have space to sign it. This will show the people checking the credit card that no matter the store's policy, they need to check your ID. this will add to helping you from getting ripped off.
good luck!

Answer 10

no...But you should because if you lost it unsigned someone can sign there own signature and when they go make a purchase, the seller will ask for a i.d. and the buyer could just say you can do a signature comparison for the purchase...so in other word it is good to sign it...