What would you have done?

Poppie68

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Yes, they do. Just a month ago I was at an event that had a merchandise stall which accepted card payments using the old swipe/print machine as there was no live terminal facility. Anyone accepting card payments should have one as a backup device. They always used to.

Not seen one for years, thought they were resigned to the relic cabinet... Had many happy days in the 80's fighting with those machines when I worked for Woolies, they always used to stick...

JReacher1

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Yes, they do. Just a month ago I was at an event that had a merchandise stall which accepted card payments using the old swipe/print machine as there was no live terminal facility. Anyone accepting card payments should have one as a backup device. They always used to.

Doesn't this just take a copy of the card? Is there much difference between allowing your card to be swiped like this and writing the number down? In both occasions the Retailer can abuse the card number (if they wish).

hollydays

JReacher1 wrote: »

The OP has said that the pub was in the "wilds" that sounds very rural. They therefore may not have the opportunity to go to a bank very often to cash the cheque.

It depends how much cash they take.

That's just tough..

marcarm

JReacher1 wrote: »

Doesn't this just take a copy of the card? Is there much difference between allowing your card to be swiped like this and writing the number down? In both occasions the Retailer can abuse the card number (if they wish).

Takes a copy of the front, but not of the 3 digit number on the back.

happyandcontented

JReacher1 wrote: »

Doesn't this just take a copy of the card? Is there much difference between allowing your card to be swiped like this and writing the number down? In both occasions the Retailer can abuse the card number (if they wish).

You have to sign it, and it does not have the imprint of the security number on it as far as I recall.

They are part of a brewery chain, so not a small family run village pub.

JReacher1

marcarm wrote: »

Takes a copy of the front, but not of the 3 digit number on the back.

Yes but they don't need to be moriaty to remember those three digits

JReacher1

happyandcontented wrote: »

You have to sign it, and it does not have the imprint of the security number on it as far as I recall.

They are part of a brewery chain, so not a small family run village pub.

But they've still got your card number. The fact you've signed it won't stop them using your card number for fraudulent activities if they so wish.

If it's a brewery chain then it won't be their policy whether to take cheques or not. Also if they are a big brewery chain I see less reason to be coy about paying over the phone.

daytona0

1. Pre-paid credit card?

2. Ring up and give the details of a card you hardly ever use. Make sure the account is empty, apart from the cost, and then make the payment. Then declare the card lost a week later and get a new card.

Simple solutions

duchy

JReacher1 wrote: »

There is no difference between giving your card number over the phone to the pub than giving it to any other retailer. I must give out my card number to hotels, event bookings, restaurant deposit bookings at least 5/6 times a month.

In the very unlucky scenario that they do something fraudulent you know who has committed the offence.

I .

If you give your card number to five or six different companies in a month how exactly would you know which one had stolen your card details and used the card fraudulently ?

happyandcontented

JReacher1 wrote: »

But they've still got your card number. The fact you've signed it won't stop them using your card number for fraudulent activities if they so wish.

If it's a brewery chain then it won't be their policy whether to take cheques or not. Also if they are a big brewery chain I see less reason to be coy about paying over the phone.

They would need the three digits to use it either online or over the phone..

Not a big chain, but a small locally based chain of three or four pubs from the business cards I saw.

I am just not comfortable with how it was handled and why they thought it acceptable to put such details on a list behind the bar.

I could kick myself for not just leaving the cheque and saying "cash it or not, it is up to you"