Signatures

Ambiguity · Jun 18th, 2006, 01:52 PM

Having the misfortune of working part time in retail, one of my pet peeves is that people still have to sign when they use their credit card.

Like a thief couldn't just forge it...besides, you can sign pretty much anything you want and they take it...

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/

That site is pretty neat, the guy even gets away with signing 'not authorized' as well as drawing pictures for his signature.

So given that signing for things is pretty much useless.

Can anyone give me a reason why it is still useful.

Or does anyone have a guess as to when we will use a different method such as a finger print reader or iris reader?

I'm just curious...seems like a stupid archaic practice to me.

Sentinel · Jun 18th, 2006, 02:13 PM

I like the experiment. But ya, I used to sign as my dad all the time before I had my own card. It's so sad, but this is why credit card fraud is SOOOO EASY!

its-exit · Jun 18th, 2006, 03:00 PM

well i can give you an example of one way its slightly usefull....

the other day i went to charge something at the store and the cashier thought it didnt charge me... and that it was denied.... but it wasnt... so then i went ahead and put it on another card.... so i was basically charged for the same thing TWICE...

Now, when we got the bill we called the credit card company for the first one and told them that it's not valid.. and they have no signature... not even a fake..

So basically noone signed to take the stuff under that credit card.. meaning they cant charge anyone....

travelyogatrance · Jun 18th, 2006, 04:41 PM

Signatures are a royal pain, especially for those of us with long names; my dad shortened his to 3 loops and I sign with my first and middle initial and the first 4 letters of my last name. I agree with you Amb, signatures are archaic (nobody looks at them anyway, as that funny experiment shows) and I think fingerprint signatures will replace writing in the future.

Signed in hieroglyphics

!!

Ambiguity · Jun 18th, 2006, 05:01 PM

My last name is 11 letters long, so I only sign my first...

If they had fingerprint readers, it would be quite harder to forge it, and if someone did, they would have their fingerprint to find out who it was.

PhineasFreak · Jun 19th, 2006, 05:02 AM

i particualrly liked the visa telephone experiments - this site has just got me through a moment of otherwise total boredom at work. nice find!

edit: this is a particularly funny section. definitely to be tried if you have a phone and need entertainment...

DeyC3 · Jun 19th, 2006, 10:07 AM

i did retail for a bit in high school. by checking a contemporaneous sig against the one stamped into their license, i couldnt be really confident. usually, however, their was simply a signature on the back of the CC and of course thats very easy to forge....

i suggest writing "see ID" on the back of your CC. though no one seems to care...

at the retail company i worked for, that was a HUUUGE deal.

Jun 18th, 2006, 01:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ambiguity DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 4,159	Signatures Having the misfortune of working part time in retail, one of my pet peeves is that people still have to sign when they use their credit card. Like a thief couldn't just forge it...besides, you can sign pretty much anything you want and they take it... http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/ That site is pretty neat, the guy even gets away with signing 'not authorized' as well as drawing pictures for his signature. So given that signing for things is pretty much useless. Can anyone give me a reason why it is still useful. Or does anyone have a guess as to when we will use a different method such as a finger print reader or iris reader? I'm just curious...seems like a stupid archaic practice to me.

Jun 18th, 2006, 02:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sentinel DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Urbana, IL USA Posts: 2,189	I like the experiment. But ya, I used to sign as my dad all the time before I had my own card. It's so sad, but this is why credit card fraud is SOOOO EASY! __________________ So... ummmm.... ya.... I'm from the Murder Capital, where we Murder for Capital.

Jun 18th, 2006, 03:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
its-exit DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Miami, FL -USA Posts: 2,952	well i can give you an example of one way its slightly usefull.... the other day i went to charge something at the store and the cashier thought it didnt charge me... and that it was denied.... but it wasnt... so then i went ahead and put it on another card.... so i was basically charged for the same thing TWICE... Now, when we got the bill we called the credit card company for the first one and told them that it's not valid.. and they have no signature... not even a fake.. So basically noone signed to take the stuff under that credit card.. meaning they cant charge anyone.... __________________ “Free will is an illusion. People always choose the perceived path of greatest pleasure.” - Scott Adams

Jun 18th, 2006, 04:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
travelyogatrance Daydreaming Globetrotter Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: a castle in the sky Posts: 9,513	Signatures are a royal pain, especially for those of us with long names; my dad shortened his to 3 loops and I sign with my first and middle initial and the first 4 letters of my last name. I agree with you Amb, signatures are archaic (nobody looks at them anyway, as that funny experiment shows) and I think fingerprint signatures will replace writing in the future. Signed in hieroglyphics !! __________________ Earth radiates her brilliant beauty ~ music is my 1st love ~ edm 4 life All aboard travelling into a trancetastic future -d_o & I Keep the peace flowing, the love growing, the unity going Let the music take control of your body and your soul

Jun 19th, 2006, 05:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
PhineasFreak DI Critical Mass Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Dancing with wolves Posts: 33,185	i particualrly liked the visa telephone experiments - this site has just got me through a moment of otherwise total boredom at work. nice find! edit: this is a particularly funny section. definitely to be tried if you have a phone and need entertainment... __________________ "It sounds like God treading on a lego brick" - Jeremy Clarkson New Psy-Dub remix! http://www.ubetoo.com/psytrance/46349 Last edited by PhineasFreak : Jun 19th, 2006 at 05:14 AM.

Jun 18th, 2006, 05:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ambiguity DI Extreme Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 4,159	My last name is 11 letters long, so I only sign my first... If they had fingerprint readers, it would be quite harder to forge it, and if someone did, they would have their fingerprint to find out who it was.

Jun 19th, 2006, 10:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
DeyC3 G'rilla Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Citra, FL Posts: 2,883	i did retail for a bit in high school. by checking a contemporaneous sig against the one stamped into their license, i couldnt be really confident. usually, however, their was simply a signature on the back of the CC and of course thats very easy to forge.... i suggest writing "see ID" on the back of your CC. though no one seems to care... at the retail company i worked for, that was a HUUUGE deal. __________________ Much has changed.

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