topic Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment? in Credit Cards

Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:08:44 GMT

HI all!

If this is not the correct forum section for this question, please move it to the correct section.

If a business displays/advertises that they accept Visa/MC/AMEX/Discover, can they refuse to take said cards as payment and demand cash only at the time of the sale?

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

j_casteel — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:25:21 GMT

Is there a problem with their registers? Phone lines/System? Credit card machines?

I've had businesses say they couldn't accept cards at that time for whatever reason and could only take cash. If I didn't have the cash on me then I'd just go somewhere else. Not that big of a deal.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

SwiftTone — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:41:39 GMT

If its temporary as the system is down, probably.

If they have a minimum for credit cards, then no, they are not alowd to do that

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:49:51 GMT

Businesses can now put minimum purchase limits for cc because of Dodd Frank

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

j_casteel — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:06:27 GMT

I did forget about the minimum most have now....but it seems i'm always over that anyway.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Hightechredneck — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:17:34 GMT

I'm seeing more and more businesses not accepting credit cards. We frequent a local restaurant that only accepts cash and personal checks.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:29:08 GMT

yse they can put minimums, and heres how it breakdown by network:

Visa: Max of 10.00$ minimum on Credit Cards, no minimum on Debit Cards

Mastercard: no Minimums

American Express: Merchant can enact minimums as long as its the same for all networks

Discover: no regulation

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

trumpet-205 — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:47:15 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Businesses can now put minimum purchase limits for cc because of Dodd Frank

That's only $10 max for credit card, no minimum for debit card.

OP to your question, yes a business can refuse to accept your card even when they advertise such. As long as their reason to do so is not in violation of minimum purchase limit.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:49:33 GMT

What I find confusing is when a businesss posts on theier website that they require ID when using a credit card when they are not really suppose to ask for ID

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

compassion101 — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:03:27 GMT

Just to add to the info above about min purchases etc., they can't pick and choose, such as they cannot decide to refuse Visa sig due to a higher swipe fee.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:09:56 GMT

negative, they can demand and ID or refuse to accept the credit card. how else would they prevent stolen cards to be used?

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Exonumist — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:17:41 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
negative, they can demand and ID or refuse to accept the credit card. how else would they prevent stolen cards to be used?

This is only if the back of the card does not have a signature. If there is a signature and they want an id as a term of accepting the card they are in violation of their merchant agreement. If it says see id or has no signature technically they are supposed to ask for an id and then assuming it matches watch you sign the card before they accept it. If the card is not signed it's technically not valid.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:28:52 GMT

The card is not valid unless signed. If that is the case, the merchant may ask for ID. Then require the customer to sign the card and ensure the signature on the ID matches the one on the card.

A merchant is not allowed to ID you if the card is signed. It violates the terms of the agreement with the card processor.

Many merchants ignore this rule and ask for ID. Many times it is the merchant who loses money when there is fraudulent activity on a card, which is why the merchants ask for ID.

As for not accepting CC's. That is entirely up to them. They can pretty much come up with any reason they want to request cash. Unless they are doing so to avoid taxes, nobody is really going to stop them.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 05:10:18 GMT

Thanks for the replies all!

I didnt want to go into great detail about the specifics behind my question, but suffice it to say that the CC/swipe machines were working fine. A co-worker visited a local mechanic and had some work done. When it came time to pay, she attempted to use her VISA(as it was prominently displayed in the front door glass) but was told that she had to pay with cash. I was under the impression that a merchant was required to accept any CC that they advertised they accepted. This was not a matter of minimums either, as this repair cost her about $1100.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:16:40 GMT

@Default4 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
negative, they can demand and ID or refuse to accept the credit card. how else would they prevent stolen cards to be used?
This is only if the back of the card does not have a signature. If there is a signature and they want an id as a term of accepting the card they are in violation of their merchant agreement. If it says see id or has no signature technically they are supposed to ask for an id and then assuming it matches watch you sign the card before they accept it. If the card is not signed it's technically not valid.

I wonder how they get away with it than...

SIx Flags says:

PAYMENT

We gladly accept American Express, MasterCard, VISA and Discover Card for park admission, in gift shops and at most food locations with proper identification. Checks and traveler's checks are not accepted.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Walt_K — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:34:30 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Default4 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
negative, they can demand and ID or refuse to accept the credit card. how else would they prevent stolen cards to be used?
This is only if the back of the card does not have a signature. If there is a signature and they want an id as a term of accepting the card they are in violation of their merchant agreement. If it says see id or has no signature technically they are supposed to ask for an id and then assuming it matches watch you sign the card before they accept it. If the card is not signed it's technically not valid.
I wonder how they get away with it than...

SIx Flags says:
PAYMENT
We gladly accept American Express, MasterCard, VISA and Discover Card for park admission, in gift shops and at most food locations with proper identification. Checks and traveler's checks are not accepted.

IIRC, their merchant agreement says they cannot demand ID as a condition of sale. I don't think it prevents them from asking for it. So there's likely no issue here so long as they don't actually refuse to conclude a purchase if the customer will not provide ID.

Re: Is a Business Required to Accept CC Payment?

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:11:23 GMT

oh ok thanks Walt