If you're using a credit card...

Let's state the moral of the story first. If you're using a credit card, have ID. And it's a very good idea to use YOUR credit card.

In 16 months, I've only refused two people use of a credit card. One, last year, when a young guy and his girl were buying a bunch of clothes and the credit card came up for verification. He handed over the card, with a woman's name on it.

"Her card?" I asked, gesturing toward his girl.

"No, my mom's," he said.

When I told him that I couldn't process the card, he was perturbed. "I've been using this all over town all day," he said. "No one has had a problem with it."

Well, just because other store autobots have been letting you get away with using someone else's card without asking for ID all day doesn't change my responsibility. My customer service manager gave him the same spiel, and he eventually only purchased a couple of items with cash. Wonder if he had the card with or without his mother's permission?

Pretty much the same situation the other night. Two young ladies, probably 21 or 22, with a cart full of Valentine stuff in self-check. Stuffed animals, cards, candy, food. The overhead light goes red as they attempt to process a card. "Check ID" situation.

"It's asking me for credit card verification. I need to see the card you used. She hands it over, and I see Nick something and a business name. OK, I have a friend named Michelle who goes by Mike, but her legal records and cards all say Michelle. I would have believed she was a Nicole, Nichol, Nicki, Niki, Nikki, Nickie or any of the millions of ways princesses spell that name, but not Nick.

"I need to see your ID."

"She starts to open a pocketbook with probably 100 cards of various kinds in it, but stops. "I don't have any. She looks at me -- irritated. "It's my company card."

"You don't have any ID? A school ID, even a Costco card with your picture on it?"

"You have a Costco card," her friend says helpfully.

"Nick" glares at her. "Not on me."

I told her I wouldn't be able to process the sale without ID. She keeps pushing. My replacement shows up. I ask her to get a manager, a customer service manager. Fortunately, one of the CSMs who backs her cashiers comes over. She listens and gives the same response. "Nick" ends up re-scanning the entire sale and paying in cash. Credit card fraud is a major issue. My guiding thought -- if it were my card, would I want a cashier erring on the side of caution, or letting it slide?