Is it illegal for a merchant to ask for a driver's license when making a credit card purchase?

Question

Yesterday I had my vehicle serviced at a local transmission shop (I live in Dallas, Texas) I paid my bill with a Master Card, they ask for my driver license. I found this to be redundant, because a credit card is a form of ID. Then they proceeded to make a photo copy of both, my DL and my credit card. When I questioned this, I got the popular, “It is company policy” response. Is this illegal, or at the very least does it violate Master Card policy?

Answer 1

Long answer but.....
As others have said it is perfectly legal to ask for an ID. Some places don't bother but many do and they ave that right. Actually it is disirable that they do in case someone steals, clones or finds your card. Many people, including myself take a marker and write "see ID" over the signature on the back...... for the same purpose.

Now the one answer you got about photocopying a license is thought provoking. Though they have the right to SEE an ID I seriously doubt that they are doing the right thing regarding photocopying both.

The credit card info is sent and recorded electronically and the merchant can retrieve this information anytime..... so there is no need to photocopy it. Plus copying it would also show what bank or company issued it (say Capital One or Citibank) making it so much easier to know who to call and say they are you or clone the card.

Reciepts and service records usually show only that it was a Mastercard, expiration date and only the last 4 digits of your account number with the rest of the digits shown as an "X". This is because anybody viewing a record or reciept would have all that they need. If the merchant needed this info they have to call in with a merchant # and such........ which only those in authority have the final #. What? Your info is in a paper file that anybody can get to or what if someone broke in?

As an aside if they copied the back of the card as well I would go to town. With the 3 or 4 digit number on the back and an account number anybody could order stuff off of the net. In your complaints to whomever you could say "how do I know that they did not copy the back?".

Now copying the license and this is the same paper file? No way. You legally showed ID and that is supposed to be enough. License and card info in one place? That is a ready made do-it-yourself idenity theft kit. Address, birthdate, license number, etc........ shoot, anybody with $15.00 could figure out your mothers maiden name on the net.

You have every reason to get angry (but leave out a card is ID thing). If you are irritated enough or just to cover your butt....... call Mastercard and speak with someone. Not the first person you get but get to something like a "senior resolution" person. That person will have to look into things. If you have to change your info all the better as it is an inconvience..... all the better.

If the place is part of a chain or franchised (like Goodyear)contact the main company. Inall that you do get names, times, case numbers, what was said etc.

You could just go down there and demand the copies since why would they need them once the charge has cleared? If they refuse again all the better.

If you really want to get to it call some local TV station. In this day and age of theft and post 9-11 stuff they would hop on this in a heartbeat. Though this may not be your aim I am betting that regardless of what you do you will get some or all of your money back. Is this wrong..... no as you spent time dealing with it. And they will have to change things and maybe even one person will not have to spend years repairing their credit.

Answer 2

A credit card can be stolen, so they ask for other ID to check that the names are the same, and also to compare signatures, as your DL will have your signature on it and your credit card should have your signature on the back.
Some people do not sign their credit cards for the purpose of being sure they will be asked for other ID. This is a way to ensure if their card gets stolen, it can't be used. If you are shopping at a lot of places with your card where they do not ask for your DL, you should be worried. These are places where a theif could take a stolen card and use them without being challenged.

As for the transmission shop making a copy of your DL, you do have the right to ask that they black out certain information such as social security numbers (hardly used anymore on DLs) or other personal information that they don't really need.

Answer 3

None of this has anything to do with "Master Card's" policy...a credit card is just that, not a valid form of ID.

It would depend on where you live and the laws that govern that State or country.

They vendor absolutely have the right to ask to see your state issued ID (driver's license) and many instances, write down the DL # and state in a discreet place (most use the back of the check just above the signature; however, making a photocopy of the the license could be a violation and lead to identity theft.

In general, let them write you DL# above your signature to prove you are who you say you are, but not broadcast it to the world (most companies only keep photostats of the front of checks, and only resort to getting copies of the backs or checks through their bank if the check is returned NSF)...if they want to make a photocopy, tell them NO and ask to speak the manager and explain your concerns.

Answer 4

In Alberta, Canada we will get asked for drivers licence for confirmation of ID on credit card purchases for any large amount. Each business set's their own limit, but I've been checked for as little as $100.00 purchases. It is nice that they are checking because I have had my credit card stolen, and the gas station it was used at never even compared signatures on the card and the slip, and they bought about $300.00 worth of gas and cigarettes and magazines and munchies. The gas station was eventually the one that was out the money because they never checked the person's ID.

Answer 5

credit cards are not legal ID.

any merchant may ask for ID to validate that the person they have in front of them is in fact the credit card holder. Xeroxing the ID and card is a reasonable and prudent defensive step against later claims that the charge wasn't authorized.

MasterCard rather likes such anti-fraud efforts by merchants.

Answer 6

It isn't illegal. It is common practice to verify that the person presenting the CC is the CC-holder by cross-checking it with a form of identification (a Driver's License, for example).

Photocopying is the companies' way of protecting themselves from "fraudulent charge" claims by being able to show that the charge was legit.

You should be happy that the shop is taking steps to insure that CC fraud doesn't occur there -- I love it when they ask me for ID at any store.

P.S. Your CC is not a form of identification.

Answer 7

Credit cards are not a legitemate form Id. And, it is my policy to ask for a picture ID on any customer that I do not know personally when dealing with credit cards.

Answer 8

having had on 3 seperate times in my life my purse stolen and my credite cards used by people (even men used them) and the cashier never asking for id to see if the man should be using a womens credit card I LOVE IT when they ask for license becuase it means they are protecting me and the store from credit card fraud..if another woman is using my credit card but her license is of another name them shes using a stolen card

Answer 9

What are you concerned about?

A credit card is NOT a form of ID.

Answer 10

This has happened to me frequently. The manager of the store said this was just a preventitive measure to prevent credit card fraud (unauthorized use of credit cards). He just wanted to make sure that I was the person to whom the credit card was issued.