To Sign or Not to Sign Card

[Anonymous]

Do all of you sign your card? All my cards have "SEE ID" where the signature goes. Never have any problems. In fact I purposely hand them the card backside up and most never even ask me for my ID. They just swipe it and say thank you.

[gibeon]

I think Signatures are just a holdover from when all credit cards were run through impression machines and were not electronically verified.

Sometimes I forget to sign them until someone reminds me to do so, or actually asks for my ID - which is very rare.

What I've always found really odd, is that they check ID if not signed... Why wouldn't a fraudster just sign the card with your name and use it? The signatures would match and the cashier wouldn't ask for ID...

[Open123]

If you believe in adhering to the Issuer's T&C, then sign it.  If you believe on adhering *only* to the portion of the T&C that makes "sense" to you, then don't sign it.

[Callandra]

I personally think you should sign the card if that is what the issuer requires. I agree that the signature is out-of-date and all that but if that's what is in the T&Cs, then you should adhere to it. (I am a rule follower if you can't tell!)

[thom02099]

Some merchants will require that the card is signed. The US Postal Service (at least in this area, anecdotally elsewhere as well) will not accept an unsigned card or card marked "see ID", and they have signs up stating that cards must be signed in order to be accepted.  As stated, it part of the T&C from issuers to sign the card.  Most of my cards specifically state "Not Valid Unless Signed".   Your choice as to whether you want to comply with the T&C of a specific card.

Also, if you use the search feature here, you will find a vast number of threads on this same question.  It comes up rather frequently.

[alkaline]

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@thom02099 wrote:

Some merchants will require that the card is signed. The US Postal Service (at least in this area, anecdotally elsewhere as well) will not accept an unsigned card or card marked "see ID", and they have signs up stating that cards must be signed in order to be accepted.  As stated, it part of the T&C from issuers to sign the card.  Most of my cards specifically state "Not Valid Unless Signed".   Your choice as to whether you want to comply with the T&C of a specific card.

Also, if you use the search feature here, you will find a vast number of threads on this same question.  It comes up rather frequently.

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My post office made me sign my BCE or use an already-signed card.. ended up signing the BCE in front of them.

[youdontkillmoney]

I live in Los Angeles, CA and travelled throughout the U.S. and never had a problem with not having the card signed, not even at the post offices here. So no I don't bother signing, I just use it until someone has a problem with the card not being signed and for 20+ years so far, not a problem.

[Anonymous]

I haven't signed any of my cards. I don't have any specific stance for or against it. I don't sign them because my handwriting is sometimes terrible and I don't want to have a sloppy signature on the card. I have not had a problem with an unsigned card being refused. Even at the post office, they have the swipe-it-youself machines, so they never actually handle my card.

[Anonymous]

Two of my three credit cards say "Not Valid Unless Signed"

[Anonymous]

Also don't have any problems with not signing.
In LA, CA and also in usps stores.