Clerks who hold onto your credit card

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tjhatchit

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Clerks. Good movie. I'm referring more to the clerks who hold onto your credit card after swiping it. Waiting, Waiting, Waiting... Tapping it on the desk, reading it over front and back, wiping it on their clothes as if there's dirt on it. Then they put the hand holding the card over the receipt printer in anticipation of the receipt printing. After an eternity the receipt prints and they hand you your card and receipt.

Had they just handed the card back after swiping it I could have put away my card, bagged my groceries, taken my sub sandwich, gotten my soda cup or any of the other million things that one can do besides artificially being held up by clerks holding your card and waiting...

Grrr....

Is there a good reason for holding onto the card until the bitter end?
 
There is no good reason really. the only thing I can think of is that just in case their reader doesn't take the swipe they don't want to have to ask for your card again. Still not a good practice, but I've know folks to do this. As a cashier I used to always swipe, then immediately hand the card back. If the swipe didn't take, I would show you on the slip where it didn't take and ask for the card again.

Now I work for a credit card processor and it's all about security, the longer someone else has your card the more likely you are to get ripped off, simple as that.

Clerks, give the card back immediately
 
because they have the power & they want you to know. the ones that tick me off the the 6 packs on their side to scan the bar code and then leave them that way & then walk away after you pay. thanks for stirring up the bottle conditioned beer, a-hole! I know it's not really important. I'm gonna drive the beer home & let it sit for hours before I get to it. but for the love of all things dipped in cheese & deep fried: don't flop a 6er around like pizza dough!
 
That begs the question. Is it within my rights to ask 'May I have my card back.' after they swipe it?

I mean, it feels like asking a cop for your drivers license back.

It really shouldn't be that big a deal.
 
I was under the impression that the machine could come back with a message indicating the card has been stolen, in which case the store/clerk is obligated to destroy it, or at least NOT give it back to the thief using it. They hold onto it to ensure the card is "clean" and allowed to be returned to the customer who presented it.
 
I was under the impression that the machine could come back with a message indicating the card has been stolen, in which case the store/clerk is obligated to destroy it, or at least NOT give it back to the thief using it. They hold onto it to ensure the card is "clean" and allowed to be returned to the customer who presented it.

<strike>I'm not aware of any system that does this. In fact, I can guarantee that there are absolutely no systems that do this.</strike>

<strike>If the card is stolen it just comes back as approved or declined (if the card was reported stolen) and the clerk hands the card back to the customer. The clerk has no knowledge of the card being stolen.</strike>

The scenario you describe would put the clerk in a 'law enforcement' position, which is definitely *not* the position a clerk is in.

'Give me my card back!' - 'No, the computer says it's stolen!' - Yea, that would go over really well.

There really is no good reason for clerks to hold onto cards.
 
I'm not aware of any system that does this. In fact, I can guarantee that there are absolutely no systems that do this.

If the card is stolen it just comes back as approved or declined (if the card was reported stolen) and the clerk hands the card back to the customer. The clerk has no knowledge of the card being stolen.

The scenario you describe would put the clerk in a 'law enforcement' position, which is definitely *not* the position a clerk is in.

'Give me my card back!' - 'No, the computer says it's stolen!' - Yea, that would go over really well.

There really is no good reason for clerks to hold onto cards.

Yes, but he's canadian. /debate
 
Is Canada on the EMV chip? We still have the mag stripes here, unfortunately. I don't think that would make a difference in this case, I'm just curious
 
Yes, we're pretty much universally switched over to the chip-cards now. In fact, my debit and credit cards are now the same card. I just tell the clerk whether I want him/her to run it through as a debit or Visa transaction.
 
I work in retail. The reason I hold onto the card is because it seems like 9/10 times I hand the card back it errors, nothing wrong just the machine doesn't pick it up right. I don't tap the card or clean it( infact I have never seen anyone do either of those things) I just hold onto it right next to the printer and when the slip prints off I hand you your card back with a pen and the slip for you to sign.
 
Yes, we're pretty much universally switched over to the chip-cards now. In fact, my debit and credit cards are now the same card. I just tell the clerk whether I want him/her to run it through as a debit or Visa transaction.

In Quebec it is usually the card holder that puts the card (chipped) into the reader which, for example, in a restaurant, can be wireless and brought to the table - very handy.

Seems to me in the States they are now handing the card back right after swiping which had puzzled me because they always used to wait until the transaction cleared and were instructed to pick up expired or stolen cards. I'm guessing there has been a sea change there as clearly the merchant shouldn't be putting himself at risk. ATMs still do retain bogus cards I believe.
 
I'm not aware of any system that does this. In fact, I can guarantee that there are absolutely no systems that do this.

If the card is stolen it just comes back as approved or declined (if the card was reported stolen) and the clerk hands the card back to the customer. The clerk has no knowledge of the card being stolen.

The scenario you describe would put the clerk in a 'law enforcement' position, which is definitely *not* the position a clerk is in.

'Give me my card back!' - 'No, the computer says it's stolen!' - Yea, that would go over really well.

There really is no good reason for clerks to hold onto cards.

"Pick Up" is a response that shows up on POS machines. It means the "Card issuer wants to recover the card . Do not complete the transaction. Inform the customer that you have been instructed to keep the card, and ask for an alternative form of payment . If you feel uncomfortable, simply return the card to the cardholder."

From VISA directly: http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/card-acceptance-guidelines-for-visa-merchants.pdf
 
I haven't been to a store in a long time where the clerk is the one swiping the card, stores around here now have pads and the customer is the one swiping. The only places that I can think of that still takes your card is a restaurant or a small mom and pop shop, and in those cases the clerks at least look like human beings with knowledge of hygiene.

Hopefully we get with the times here in the states soon and do away with the magnetic strips and get chipped cards.
 
Well they are supposed to verify your signature, which no one actually takes the time to do. At least in the US. Go to New Zealand and every cashier becomes a handwriting expert.
 
"Pick Up" is a response that shows up on POS machines. It means the "Card issuer wants to recover the card . Do not complete the transaction. Inform the customer that you have been instructed to keep the card, and ask for an alternative form of payment . If you feel uncomfortable, simply return the card to the cardholder."

From VISA directly: http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/card-acceptance-guidelines-for-visa-merchants.pdf

Yes, I stand corrected (More generally it seem to depend on the payment processor and the platform they are using).

They do it to prevent fraud liability for their employer. (Giving them, the clerks, the benefit of a doubt and supposing they are educated on what to do in those circumstances.)

*There must be a better way.*
 
Is the US not trying to move towards chip & PIN ? Although last I was over I did notice that I only encountered walmart doing this.

At 24 years old, chip & PIN has been in, in europe that is, since before I ever got a debit/credit card and the idea of paying for things with a signature makes me shudder !
 
Is the US not trying to move towards chip & PIN ? Although last I was over I did notice that I only encountered walmart doing this.

At 24 years old, chip & PIN has been in, in europe that is, since before I ever got a debit/credit card and the idea of paying for things with a signature makes me shudder !

It makes one wonder if the banks here just don't want to invest the money it takes to change, or if there are other reasons?

I don't know and can't estimate the cost of changing to these types of cards.
 
Is the US not trying to move towards chip & PIN ? Although last I was over I did notice that I only encountered walmart doing this.

At 24 years old, chip & PIN has been in, in europe that is, since before I ever got a debit/credit card and the idea of paying for things with a signature makes me shudder !

We are, next year. This this article explains the shifthttp://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/02/06/october-2015-the-end-of-the-swipe-and-sign-credit-card/
 
I'm not aware of any system that does this. In fact, I can guarantee that there are absolutely no systems that do this.

If the card is stolen it just comes back as approved or declined (if the card was reported stolen) and the clerk hands the card back to the customer. The clerk has no knowledge of the card being stolen.

The scenario you describe would put the clerk in a 'law enforcement' position, which is definitely *not* the position a clerk is in.

'Give me my card back!' - 'No, the computer says it's stolen!' - Yea, that would go over really well.

There really is no good reason for clerks to hold onto cards.

I work part-time,like a shift or two a week, at Hyvee and their registers do report back whether or not the card has been lost or stolen. However the current policy is not to keep the card or say anything other than the card has been declined due to the risk someone could pose to the cashiers. So more likely than not, in a bigger store anyway, they know if its been reported stolen.
 
Get yourself a pack of Chewlies gum, then they probably won't hassle you, you'll just have to listen to some dude in a white shirt and tie tell you what a great decision you just made.
 
Get yourself a pack of Chewlies gum, then they probably won't hassle you, you'll just have to listen to some dude in a white shirt and tie tell you what a great decision you just made.

So, how long have you been smoking? By now your lung looks like this...
 
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