I always checked.
If it wasn't signed I just asked them to sign it first
(What else was I gonna do???)
Actually... that's what you're
SUPPOSED to do!
It's pretty crazy what one's "supposed to do" in some related situations.
Case in point:
While working at a hotel desk and checking in a customer he presented his credit card - in advance, which is now common practice - and I checked out the signature on the back while he filled out his registration and signed it.
His signature on the registration looked NOTHING like the one on the back of his card! The name was the same, but the ANGLE was even reversed! (Like it was done with the other hand!) and the styles were COMPLETELY different!
Thinking quickly, when I ran his credit card to imprint its info onto his registration form (common practice, again here) I hooked my leg into the cord for the imprint machine and yanked it out of the wall without him noticing.
"Oh! I'm afraid that your credit card has gotten stuck in our machine! I'm so sorry! The bellman here will show you to your room, and I'll see to it that you get your card as soon as I can get it out of the machine" I lied.
Off he goes, back in goes the plug, out comes the card, which I show around and get 100% agreement "that's not the same signature at all" from other staff members.
So I turn to our CC fraud book and look up the security phone number for that credit firm and give them a ring....
Voila! (Major businesses get those calls answered pretty quickly, BTW!) I'm speaking with the card company's Security guy, and describing my situation to him, and the fact that I have his card in-hand at the moment, while he isn't here.
"Did you confront the gentleman about the difference in signatures?" says the voice on the phone.
"Uhhhh, no. Wouldn't his answer be pretty obvious in any event?" says me.
"I'm sorry, but we can't take any action until he claims that it's his own card, at which point I'd have you put him on the line with me." says Mr. Security Big Whig.
"You're serious?"
"Yes. Please have the customer confirm whether it's his card or not, and if he claims to be its owner call me back." >click!<
"This is completely nuts!" my brain says to the rest of me. "But, hey, they're the experts and I'm just doin' the job, so...."
I call up the gentlemen and explain that I've managed to get his card unstuck and (thankfully!) he's says he'll be right down to pick it up.
Upon his arrival - and before I give him his card back - I show him what's going on. I put his card down (signature-side up) next you his signature on the registration and state "Um, I noticed that your signature upon registration is NOTHING like the one on the back of your card. Pardon me, but this
IS YOUR card, right?" ("Whew! I did it!" sighs brain....)
"Oh yeah, I get that all the time. It's so hard for me to sign in that teeny space they give you it ends up all strange like that. Here, look." He draws a little rectangle on the form and signs somewhat more similarly to the card this time, but still....
He notices my look of concern and says "Just call the credit card people. This happens to me all the time. They'll tell you it's okay."
("WOOT! I'm saved!" screams brain!)
I call (the same security guy via his direct number) back, explain that I've confronted the customer, who claims it's his card, and the security guy wants me to put the man on the phone.
"Yeah, you guys know about this. You get called all the time about me. Check your records, you'll see." <pause> "Unh-hunh." <pause> "Not any time soon! Here, he wants to talk to you." and hands me the phone back.
"It's okay, This happens to him all the time. Give him his card back. Everything's fine. Thank you for calling XYZ card securty." <CLICK!>
I give him his card back, and he says "I mostly do it just to <make them mad> and <mess with them>, so not-to-worry! You did a fine job, by the way! See you." and off he goes!
It was a little bit of time spent watch his back walk away before I realized that I still had the phone in my hand and hung it up.
>Sigh< "Just another story for the book I write someday about my experiences as a Hotel Desk Clerk!" says that chatting brain....
To this day I'm still COMPLETELY AMAZED at how ridiculous a "security system" that was/is! "When in doubt, confront the possible thief?" YA RIGHT!P.S. JANE and I should probably have a "long post/story" thread of our own, ya think?!