btw, I was buying 3 PP reload cards at 7/11 during the Chase 5% gas cat. (I maxed out 3 Freeedom card in 2 weeks) Did this on 3 different trips to max out.The Pakistanis that run the shop photocopied my DL and studied each CC (3) but let all the sales go thru. My pic must be hanging in their office as a "Homeland Security" in reverse

I would never have a allowed anyone to photocopy my DL. Period. Race or no race. Irish or Pakastani or Chinese.

I would encourage them to call the cops or do anything they wish to verify my identity but no photocopying anything I have. I might go as far as to file a lawsuit if I am pressured to do something I feel could invite identity theft.

While I agree in principe, and I think copying a license is totally unnecessary in this setting and would probably object if someone tried to copy my license, I can think of a number of settings where copying a license would be fairly routine. The one that jumps to mind is test driving a car - they always make a copy of your license if you take a car out. I think suggesting police or lawsuits is totally unnecessary - if you don't like a store's policies go someplace else.

Also, I imagine that the owners that have absurd policies like this were probably burnt by fraud and/or a chargeback on a card. I can only imagine how much that sucks if you are a small business owner - basically being stolen from. I can see how they get paranoid.

Thanks for pointing it out, I didn't realize it. I'll sleep much better tonight now that I've been educated.

A private business with doors opened to the public is bound by different rules than two private individuals and a private contract.

I would ask the auto dealer to write down my DL info but I would not allow photocopying. In lieu of this I would invite someone on staff to accompany my test drive.

And if they insisted, you would call the police and threaten to sue?

My bigger point is that there's no point getting so heated about these things. Don't like it? Walk out.

We photo copy your ID, if we rent to you.

If you can not comply with our rules go some place else.

When in doubt, move on.

It is a business decision, nothing personal.

I've been told by a cashier recently that I was one of the most patient person she's ever met in "her life." I stood for 30-45 minutes to resolve a simple issue. She must have been a new hire. Everyone else in line was cursing under their breaths.

But I've also sued attorneys and won.

I have not and would never call the police and threaten to sue for something civil. I enjoy clarifying issues and offering my time to avoid future constraints vs. walking out on something I know and believe is wrong.

To the other poster, I've never had a car rental agency make copies of my drivers license.

I can't claim that my actions are right for everyone. Each of us can sing the same song and people will hear differently.

Perhaps this is our miscommunication? I totally agree with being patient and trying to resolve things (as you suggest in the last post), but suggesting police and lawsuits in such a setting (as you do in the first post) is absurd.

If you cannot resolve things through patience and understanding - the transaction is their loss, not yours. Move on. The more you fight the more they will probably believe you are "up to something" and the more red flags you raise the more likely a store will go cash only or place other restrictions on these transactions.

Remember, MS is certainly not a right. It is totally within a store's right to deny a sale by CC, and that doesn't do any good.

Swung by a CVS when I was out and about where I have gotten my VRs before and I was surprised when I saw that they had a sign in the GC section that said the VRs are at the front counter. So I went to ask them for 4 VRs and the cashier then proceeded to get the VRs and say it was cash or debit card only. Of course I told the cashier "no thanks" but I think its ridiculous that they impose both issues. Oh well 1 time to scratch this CVS off my list.

This is one sentence. It simply means I would encourage the person standing in front of me to call the police to validate my identity in their system or anyone else they prefer to instill confidence in transacting with me. I would even open myself up to discussing with the store manager and provide any necessary information including my business card to avoid problems and future misunderstanding. However, to minimize any possibility of ID theft I would ask the person or manager to not make any photo copies of any personal information.

I've been doing this at all the merchants I go to and all the cashier I come across are happy to see me everytime. In fact, over the weekend the new hire lady from last week was on shift greeted me as I entered her store. She said, "OH there he is...we had a meeting about you this week."

I replied, "A meeting about me? Was it good?" Her response was, "You were so helpful last week with the problem we had. Thank you."

I immediately took the opportunity to handout my businesscards to her and the other two staff on duty and offered to come in free of charge if I could help to clarify or identify how potential abuses of the GCs and Reload products.


This is another full sentence. It means that if I am required to provide copies of my personal information to make a simple purchase I will contact corporate to inquire and confirm specifics. And I would request something in writing from corporate to provide to the store manager and his/her staff to ensure confidence in transacting with me. I would also offer to cooperate with corporate to comply with their KYC ( know your customer ) policy so that we can continue to do business together. If they refuse to work with me ( no problem yet ) I may take it to the next level where legal remedy may be needed.

I am not one to threaten people with lawsuits. I am one to offer my help to clarify obfuscations that could create problems between a merchant and customer.

Again my personality and how I respond might differ from yours.

I am often asked how I will be paying for the purchase. My response is always CHARGE CARD.

Somehow people tend to value a charge card as cash vs. credit card. At one CVS location I went to the store mgr told me all GCs and Reload cards were cash only. I asked him if he was sure and he said it was changed a couple months ago to cash only. THIS WAS WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT MSING AND DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER.

A couple days later went back to the same CVS and picked up 4 One Vanilla cards and paid with my charge card.

Of course my charge card has revolving line just like credit cards. :)

Why are you sure they are Pakiis and not desi ?

I have taken this game as far as becoming a "partner" with one of the prepaid providers. Not going to say whom, don't bother pm'img. Working on the details of how. It is in part legit spending/users and obviously a part for me to MS. All I can say... MS is a blip on their radar. The vast majority of the buyers are actually their target demographics.

The demand for prepaid products is going through the roof, with more and more companies announcing products regularly.

Seen plenty of empty VR spaces, but never empty Vanilla GC. Wow.
Every CVS around here has at least 2 or 3 gift card racks now. Business is that big.

+1111111111

Most people I know don't even know the difference between a Charge Card vs. Credit Card.