Signing Your Credit Card October 14, 1999January 29, 2017 RE: IDIOTS AT WORK Craig Sellers: “Don’t try using an unsigned credit card outside the U.S. If you are lucky, they will simply refuse the unsigned card and request that you use another. If you are NOT lucky, or attempt to sign the card in front of the merchant, they will destroy the card. I first experienced this in Cozumel, Mexico where I was lucky enough to have another signed card to use. I have experienced similar situations and seen others cards destroyed in Europe, including London and Paris. These lessons taught me to always sign my credit cards no matter how ridiculous it seems.” DON’T TRY THIS IN EUROPE David Cook: “The comment from ‘Steve’ today prompted me to write about signing credit cards. I write ‘See Driver’s License’ on the signature line. If my card is stolen, the thief will most likely take off running when a clerk asks to see his/her driver’s license. Of course, only one in ten clerks look at the back of the card and ask for my driver’s license. But it gives me some comfort knowing that, within 10 tries, my stolen card will possibly be recovered. What do you think?” I think it’s brilliant. But based on Craig’s comment, above, I might not try it overseas. Of course, some credit cards now carry your photo — I don’t know why others have been so slow in adopting this — and that should be a good deterrent, too.