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Credit Card details

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Pine Man
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Posted June 20, 2011 at 8:49AM

During the last week I went to a very well known London restaurant three times. Each time I used a credit card and the last time I went the hand held machine ran out of paper just after it had printed the 'Merchants' copy and before it could print the customers copy. I was given the Merchants copy and told they would print themselves another copy for their records. No problem so far.

When I got home I noticed that both of the first two customer copies of CC bills from that restaurant had just the last four numbers of my CC on it BUT the Merchants copy had the full number. Given that the receipt always has the expiry date on it all that is necessary is for the waiter to appear to drop your card and then spot the security number on the back as he picks it up and he is well away!

Why on earth should the merchant need your full CC number on printed paper when the whole transaction is authorised and actioned electronically?

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spuds

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 1:59PM

Perhaps you should take up the issue with your credit card provider, and post their explanation back to the forum. Should or would be very interesting?.

Personally I would suspect that this is to confirm and provide written evidence that the actual sale was provided at sales point. Your (customer) copy would be disguised to cover protection through loss of voucher?.

Handing over a credit or debit card at restaurants and filling stations always have an element of risk (or at least that's often suggested especially if it vanishes out of your sight for awhile)?.

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st-clares

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 3:09PM

I aggree with spuds comment. Could be very interesting?. Maybe in the meantime someone in the credit card businness or with a banking backgroud would like to comment.

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BT

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 5:04PM

Also your CC bill sent to you through the post almost invariably has the full number printed on it. Not necessarily usable without the CCV code but probably not the most secure thing for the CC company to be doing.

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Pine Man

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 5:15PM

Thanks for your responses.

I did some research on this and found that some people in the US actually called for the merchant copy and obliterated all but the last four numbers of their CC number shown on it. Most places accepted this but some refused the transaction.

I will see what my card company says and post back with the response - if I get one.

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Forum Editor

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 5:31PM

This is interesting.

I've been in touch with the VISA Press Office, and they've promised me an official response. I doubt that we'll hear anything today, but I'll update you as and when I hear from them.

I assume it was a VISA card?

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BT

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 5:56PM

Forum Editor

"I assume it was a VISA card?"

Why?

I have 4 Credit Cards and they are ALL MasterCards. Not through choice, but it seems that that is what I'm offered, but there is no advantage in either - unless you want some Olympic Games tickets. The last Visa card I had was my original Barclaycard which I was sent when they first introduced them in the '60s, with an amazing credit limit of a whole £100! I sent that back when they tried to introduce Annual Fees at one point.

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Pine Man

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 6:49PM

FE

I actually used a Mastercard and have sent a secure message to my credit card company who usually answer within 48 hours.

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Forum Editor

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 7:24PM

Pine Man

Oops!

Never mind - I imagine the VISA system is much the same. We can compare notes when we both have a response.

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Pine Man

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 7:26PM

I doubt it has anything to do with the company more likely the 'approved' manufacturers of the card reading devices.

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Forum Editor

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Posted June 20, 2011 at 7:32PM

BT

Why?

I don't know really - I just did. All my cards are VISA for some reason.

Maybe it's because Visa outclasses all other cards when it comes to the number of cards in use and volume of transactions. VISA has a worldwide market share of 63%. MasterCard has about 31%.

Anyway, I was wrong in this instance.

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