Replacement Halifax Clarity Card

jbrassy

I haven't bothered signing any of my cards for years since:
1 - swipe and sign is no longer used - it's all chip and pin or contact less.
2 - even when I did sign the cards, the ink would eventually smudge making the signature ineligible and render the whole thing pointless. 

Whenever I've experienced fraud on my card, the CC company has never asked me if the card was signed. I don't think it's really an issue if you don't sign it. 

[Deleted User]

Fingerbobs said:

Deleted_User said:

katies_mum said:

 Hi, have just received a replacement Clarity card and the signing strip on the reverse of the card is really small and not big enough for a signature. There was nothing in the paperwork to say that the card has to be signed on receipt.  Please might anyone know if the new cards are not meant to be signed.    Many thanks 

I'd be surprised if there wasn't mention in the paperwork, all cards I have received always state you should sign it immediately on receipt as it's not accepted without a signature.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but just to confirm that I have had a couple of new cards from LBG over the last few months, and I can 100% guarantee that there was absolutely nothing enclosed with the cards or attached to them that suggested they needed to be signed. I even commented on the fact on another thread at the time because I found it so surprising.

However, the card carrier letter received with the replacement Halifax Debit Card I received last week had been re-drafted, and now says the new card needs to be signed.

I think it was an oversight on their part which has now been fixed.

Perhaps but my cards say similar things indicating signature is needed

Halifax (old cashback one) says Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
Sainsburys - Authorised Signature - may only be used by the authorised signatory 
NatWest debit - Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
NatWest credit card - Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
Virgin debit - Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
Barclaycard - customer signature

So 2 of them don't say it's required on the card but I don't know what the paperwork said

[Deleted User]

TOP_CAT said:

I havent signed any of my debit cards or credit cards in years 

Good for you but shops are allowed to reject the card if you don't sign it

jbrassy

Deleted_User said:

TOP_CAT said:

I havent signed any of my debit cards or credit cards in years 

Good for you but shops are allowed to reject the card if you don't sign it

When was the last time someone in a shop checked you had signed your card? Most the time the shop assistant doesn't even touch your card or see the back of it.

The shop can technically reject a card if it is not signed, but in reality the signature strip is a relic of a time gone by when we had to swipe and sign for purchases. In practical terms, a shop is highly unlikely to check the card for a signature.

The whole point of a signature is to prevent fraud and chip and pin is far more effective at preventing this. Even with contactless, we now have online banking where you can monitor in real-time your transactions to spot fraud and many banks allow you to freeze or cancel cards within the app.

In sum, don't fret about signing your cards.

NameWithheld

If you use Google Pay you don't even need the card, let alone a signature

ratechaser

Are those old carbon slips and manual imprint machines still a valid backup option if the system 'goes down'? Cant say as I have seen one of them for years, but a signature would definitely be needed in that (admittedly very rare) case...

Fingerbobs

Deleted_User said:

Fingerbobs said:

Deleted_User said:

katies_mum said:

 Hi, have just received a replacement Clarity card and the signing strip on the reverse of the card is really small and not big enough for a signature. There was nothing in the paperwork to say that the card has to be signed on receipt.  Please might anyone know if the new cards are not meant to be signed.    Many thanks 

I'd be surprised if there wasn't mention in the paperwork, all cards I have received always state you should sign it immediately on receipt as it's not accepted without a signature.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but just to confirm that I have had a couple of new cards from LBG over the last few months, and I can 100% guarantee that there was absolutely nothing enclosed with the cards or attached to them that suggested they needed to be signed. I even commented on the fact on another thread at the time because I found it so surprising.

However, the card carrier letter received with the replacement Halifax Debit Card I received last week had been re-drafted, and now says the new card needs to be signed.

I think it was an oversight on their part which has now been fixed.

Perhaps but my cards say similar things indicating signature is needed

Halifax (old cashback one) says Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
Sainsburys - Authorised Signature - may only be used by the authorised signatory 
NatWest debit - Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
NatWest credit card - Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
Virgin debit - Authorised Signature - not valid unless signed
Barclaycard - customer signature

So 2 of them don't say it's required on the card but I don't know what the paperwork said

Indeed, which is why it surprised me that the signature wasn't mentioned anywhere with the previous two LBG cards I've received! Usually it is made very clear in the accompanying documentation that the card should be signed before use.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78089118#Comment_78089118

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78153427#Comment_78153427

eDicky

When I pay at my local Carrefour using a Singapore card which requires signature, the cashier picks up a pen but instead of handing it to me he just signs a squiggle on the slip himself..!

Razoo

I've just received a new Halifax Cashback Credit Card.  The first thing I noticed was the tiny signature strip.  It seems there has been a design for design's sake makeover.

The front of the card is now portrait, rather than landscape orientation.  The rear of the card has the white signature strip and the accompanying letter clearly states "Before you use your card: you'll need to: Sign the back of your card."

The signature strip is unnecessarily small, measuring just 8mm high x 28mm long.  I don't think I can get my usual signature comfortably onto it.

There's plenty of room for the signature strip to be at least 10mm high x 42mm long without affecting any of the existing details on the card (other than the 3-digit security number, which will need to move to the right), or encroaching over the area occupied by the chip.

I think my Greek work colleague, Christos Christodoulopoulos would struggle with this!
______
Razoo

Victor_Delta

Just received my new Clarity Credit Card but there is no mention of signing it in the accompanying paperwork. Indeed the sticky label on the card simply says 'Your card is ready to go'. Perhaps it's not obligatory nowadays?