Dear unsigned credit card users,

I work retail.  I get unsigned cards all the time.  I had one yesterday.  "I need your ID, please," I said to the young man.  "I don't have it with me."  "Sam's Club, university ID-- anything works."  "I don't have one, but I don't sign my card on purpose." 

Really?

"Kind of bit you in the butt this time." 

I cannot understand for the life of me why people CHOOSE to NOT sign the credit card.  Here is something for the non-signers to think about:

1.  You lose your purse or wallet or worse, it gets stolen.
2.  None of your cards are signed because your thought is that someone is going to ID that person.
3.  Most places let you self slide your card now, making some of my point pointless.
4.  Person who stole your wallet or purse looks and your cards aren't signed.  Hot diggity!  When they sign your card, THE SIGNATURES WILL NOW MATCH BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO SIGNED IT AND NOT YOU! 

Common sense, people!  If you really want the cashier to ID you to make sure it is you, do what Discover Card suggested that we do.  We sign our signature line, but small and write very large and in fine point Sharpie, "PLEASE ID."  Works like a charm.  Even drive thru people ID me.

Please, for the love of Pete and Pete's brother Pete, SIGN YOUR CREDIT CARD!  Y'all are driving the retail establishments crazy with either being ticked that we ID or being all miffy because you have come unprepared.  Not. My. Fault.

What did I do for the IDless young man?  I took his personal information as he was buying a gift for his mother for Mother's Day, she was in from out of town on a surprise trip and he was purchasing the gift from himself and his sibs.  "Thanks for letting that go through," he said.  "I didn't have much of a choice," I said as I contemplated begging him to sign the freakin' card.

Sign.  Please.  If you don't believe me, call your credit card company and get their advice.  Just don't get mad if your items are lost or stolen and signed in someone else's handwriting.  At least I warned you.