Do you bother to sign your debit/credit cards anymore, if you ever did.

No, I just scribble on the line. No one has ever questioned my about my signature.

I wonder if certain states or cities are more or less strict to looking at the thing.

It depends on the government office, but if you’re paying for something, some of them will not accept your card unless you have signed the back. I wonder if it’s a law that’s overlooked at times, or maybe just someone’s pet peeve they’re enforcing.

I get mine looked at ALL the time.

Mine says, “See ID”, and I get carded all the time as they compare the name on the card to my license, so I know they read the back.

I sign mine though my card is only ever used in PIN machines these days.

I customarily run my debit card as credit and scribble my signature. That way I don’t expose my PIN and am protected by the $50 liability limit. I also check my debit/credit card balances every day to be sure there are no fraudulent charges.

@Pachy wrote:

“I also check my debit/credit card balances every day to be sure there are no fraudulent charges”

Depending upon what software services your bank/credit union uses, you can get near real-time alerts whenever your credit card is used (when the physical card hasn’t been used).

For example, when I buy something on Amazon, I’ll get an email within seconds from the bank telling me that X dollars has been used at Amazon. If I use the physical card and swipe it, then I don’t receive notifications.

I have set up many alerts so that I rarely have to logon to my bank anymore. If a payment is posted to my account, I receive a notification. When my payment has been posted to my account or a payment is due, or if my balance exceeds a certain limit (that I’ve set), I receive notifications.

Now, back to the answer the original question. Yes, I immediately sign the credit card otherwise the cashier will ask to see my driver’s license. Cashiers won’t do signature comparisons (they’re not trained) but they do look to see if there’s a signature.

We write “Check ID” on the back of our cards, and the cashiers do often ask to see our photo identification. If you leave it blank and lose your card, anyone can sign it, and voila, their signature matches.

We also have notifications set up from the bank, even if the physical card is swiped. We typically get a notification before the waitress brings the card back to our table for us to sign the slip. This way we know the amount that has been entered immediately, and can correct any errors much more easily than hanging on to the receipts and checking when the statement comes in.

I also write “Check ID” on the back of my cards. However, I can only remember being asked for it once. I actually thanked the clerk for verifying my identity.

I’ve never signed any of mine, nor has my husband. We’ve never encountered a problem with it. Most of the time it’s me swiping my own card and they never even get their hands on it, so I don’t see the point.

I worked at a bank for three years, and not many of our customers signed theirs either.

I have “ask for ID” on the signature line of mine, but rarely do cashiers ask for it. I always thank them when they do. You don’t even have to sign for purchases of less than $50 now.

I haven’t even signed my debit card. In fact, that “remove this before use” sticker is still stuck on it.

I never think of signing them. It’s only when some merchant points out the fact that the thing is unsigned that I bother with it, and have even suggested that the clerk sign it for me.

@VS “I have “ask for ID” on the signature line of mine, but rarely do cashiers ask for it. I always thank them when they do. You don’t even have to sign for purchases of less than $50 now.”

I did that once, and then tried to use that card at the post office. The postmaster refused to accept my card because I hadn’t signed it. Moral of the story is…you just never know!

Totally with @jerv on this one .

I sign mine and write “ask for ID.” That way, if someone does bother to look, my card is valid per the agreement with Visa or Mastercard and the person should ask for my identification.

I used to do what @jerv does. I wrote “ASK FOR ID” on the signature line. Nobody ever did.

Now I just don’t sign. Once in a while someone asks.

Here in Norway you sign on an electronic device when ordering a card, so that your signature is embedded in the card during its creation.

@Staalesen we are not that advanced here in the U.S.

Doesn’t matter if I sign it or not. The genius that designed my card put the signature space too close to the magnetic strip. When the card is swiped, the rubbing has removed most of the white signature area.