Credit card receipt

[Bill]

I'm asking here because people here know everything, and an online search hasn't produced a clear answer.

My wife paid by credit card in a small local shop.

She looked at the receipt when she got home and noticed that it said Merchant Copy and had the full credit card number, plus start and end date. I don't believe it had the security number from the back or, of course, her Pin number. She became alarmed (nothing new) and expected me to know whether the business could be trusted not to spend all her money using phone payments. She says the owner is a nice man.

It looks as though this may be fairly normal to allow businesses to make refunds, provided the receipts are held securely under lock and key and destroyed securely after a certain, unspecified, time.

Does anyone know whether the law in the UK is specific about holding the unencrypted, printed data locally, and whether there is any financial danger.

[Stephen Early]

This is normal. The error is that the shop have given her the copy they were supposed to keep (and presumably they have kept the customer copy with the redacted information that they were supposed to give to her). The merchant copy won't have the CCV2 number from the back of the card or the PIN.

The shop are supposed to keep hold of the merchant copies of card receipts securely for three years, and produce them on demand if asked to do so by their acquiring bank - for example if your wife disputes the transaction.

It's not law as such, it's "PCI-DSS" - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Keeping things on paper under lock and key is a perfectly good way of meeting it. Handing out the merchant copies of receipts isn't, but is relatively harmless: it's not telling your wife anything she doesn't already know!

Stephen Early

[Brian Reay]

It isn't that long ago that credit card (and debit card) transactions were done by an 'imprint' machine and the shop kept a 'carbon copy' of your receipt which had all the embossed bits of your card on it.

I've not seen one in some time but then nor have I signed a credit card bill in the UK for years, yet I was asked to in the US a year or so back (ie no PIN) so there could still be imprint machines out there.

Also, you give the same details - plus the three digits from the back- when you do a phone transaction or online transaction.

[Davey]

Now many years ago, but I once paid a speeding fine sitting in a police car like that. Back in the days of '55', the offence was 'Energy Speed', meaning that it was safe, but the State had to comply with the National Speed Limit if it wanted to receive Federal Funding.

[damduck-egg]

I think it was about 18 months to two years ago that I last used that method , first time for years . Was at a show of some kind and the merchant could no get a cellular signal for his electronic terminal so brought the old machine out. I didn't realise they could still do this and judging by in similar circumstances the number of traders who put up a "Sorry Cash" only notice a lot of traders either don't either or there are hoops and risks to go through to retain it which many don't want to be involved with.

G.Harman

[Brian Gaff]

This sort of receipt used to be the norm when the shops used those embossed numbers on a mechanical machine and carbon paper to make the receipt of course. that is why the security code is not embossed. Brian

[Brian Reay]

Mine was for petrol ('gas') on remote road between Yosemite and Death Valley. It was like a town from a 1950s film. People we very friendly etc (as always in the US) but just a huge contrast to places like LA, San Diego etc. Not long before a huge brown bear had run across the road in front of the car.

[Bill]

In message , Stephen Early writes

Thanks, Stephen, that's very clear and reassuring.

As for telling my wife nothing she doesn't already know, I wish there was a device that would tell her where she has put her glasses, keys, gloves and all the other things I'm expected to know on a daily basis.

[Nightjar]

More likely, they forgot they could, or where they put the machine. Traders automatically get one as a backup when they get their terminal, but I couldn't say, offhand, where mine is.

[Jethro_uk]

PCI-DSS is your bible on this ....

Something I do, and can't recommend enough, is to *obliterate* (soldering iron may be needed, so this is on topic :) ) the CV2 on the back of the card. After remembering them, of course.

That's the extra 3 digits you have to enter when buying online, which are

*only* ever needed online, and not in person. In fact, if anyone notices the numbers are missing, it's a sign they're up to no good.

In theory, you should never let your card out of your hand. But there are some smaller retailers where it's "arranged" that the cashier has to take your card to put in the machine.

[Chris B]

I've heard this advice many times but its not only "smaller retailers" it is "every" restaurant chain in the US that disappears with your card for 5 minutes when making up the final payments slip.

[spuorgelgoog]

If a transaction is chip and pin verified the trader has almost no risk the trasaction will be reversed. For manual imprint transactions the trader ca rries a large risk and is also supposed to obtain telephone authorisation f or anything over the 'floor limit'.

Owain

[fred]

But surely they still need your pin?

When processing a transaction once the customer hs entered the pin tha card and pin are checked and if ok a clearance code given.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In the same way as nicking land from your neighbour? ;-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

A local pub/restaurant takes your card from you when you arrive. Seems that is getting common.

[Chris B]

In the states PINs don't come into it - they still use signatures on paper. (I think PINs might be slowly coming in but when I was last there in 2016 I never used the PIN once).

They disappear with your card. Come back with a chit for basic cost of the meal. You add the tip and sign. (usually 2 copies one for them and one for you). They collect the chit with the final amount you have authorised. You walk out.

[Robin]

Do you mean to "pre-authorize" - in the same way that most hotels do when you book in? If so, I can't recall when it was last done otherwise than in front of me - usually with a wireless card terminal.

[charles]

Has been for many years if you want to run a tab.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They take your card and put it in a locker. And give you the (a) key. When you wish to pay the bill you present the key and they get your card for you. This was when having a meal outside in the garden. The pub is very close to Wandsworth prison, so perhaps they get some dodgy people in there. ;-)

[charles]

we're some miles from that particular prison, but the same applies. At the end the usual question is "do you wish to use this card to pay your bill?"