I've been accepted to my SECOND juried show!

Deb is right on with all her info!

I don't use a knuckle buster, the same reason Deb pointed out. You need the following for each transaction, which is the same that I do at my shows:

Write down the complete number/Customers Name as on the card/Phone numbers/Double check ID that it is the same person offering the CC and finally create a receipt that also include the verbage that they met you at that Festival and did purchase the particular item from you (This will verify the charge should they respond it being fraud). When you return to your computer, put in all the info I just stated, except ProPay only asks for you to verify the last four digits of the card number and they offer the name (with my swipe, anyway). No biggie, really!

Lisa,

Since you're posting, I'm guessing that you're okay from the earthquake and tsunami?

The security chief told us that the best way to use plastic is to use all cards as if they are credit because in most cases, you must sign the receipt. That gives you and the merchant a little extra protection, especially if the merchant does "due dilligence" (an IRS phrase) and verifies the ID.

We changed banks a year ago because our business account got hacked TWICE in less than 6 months. Once was something like 4 car stereos that had been ordered from Europe and were to have been delivered to the store - the address was changed just before they were shipped. The second time was a real mess - it was one of those Nigerian scams. Wound up being thousands of dollars of UPS overnight charges because they set up a UPS account in Los Angeles with OUR information. We had phone calls from all over the country and even visits from the local PD and sheriff because of it. It was crazy!

Sometimes the best way to protect yourself from credit card fraud is to watch your account CAREFULLY and question ANYTHING that looks odd. Mike checks our bank information every morning and if anything looks odd, he asks me and if I don't know, he's on it to find out what it is. Most of the time, it is legitimate, but his vigilance has caught the bad ones before they became disasters.

If someone has written CID on their card and hasn't signed it, I use my judgement. I usually give them my "I got a 15 minute lecture from the Post Office because all I had on my card was CID". Sometimes, it's because the signature's worn off and other times, they are acting on the old information of "don't sign your card". Usually, they will sign the card then - which I'll match with the signature on their ID. Sometimes they'll say "I'm not signing my card anyway. If that happens, I'll usually give their ID a VERY careful check while telling them that if the card isn't signed, they don't have any protection if it is stolen.

I haven't turned a card down, but I'll usually tell them, "If you bounce a charge on me, I'll have you blacklisted on every bead store in the country". They usually look horrified and say something like, "I'd rather go to jail!" <LOL>

MY POS (point of sale) program has a function to accept debit or credit cards. If it's a credit card, I would have to input the number and have them sign the receipt. Since I've already swiped the card on my card reader and I don't want to have the card information on my computer, I use the debit function, which doesn't require a number to complete the transaction. I don't want any information on anything that can be hacked.

My advice would be to go with your gut feelings. If you get a "hinky" feeling about a transaction - don't do it - or do everything possible to protect yourself. You can always ask to see a second ID. I would make a joke about it - "gee - this card doesn't look like you. Do you have one that does?" Anything to lighten it up. Most people understand - I've had very few people get huffy because I asked them for ID. IF you are worried about the card being fake or stolen - VERY ELABORATELY and DELIBERATELY - look at EVERYTHING ON THE CARD and comment about it. "Oh, my sister lives a couple of blocks from you" or "When did you get your hair dyed?" It lets a crook know that you are paying attention to details and CAN identify them if you had to. If you ask with a smile and a joke a non-crook will just think you're crazy! <LOL> ("Crazy" is my trademark!)

Deb

beadsbeadingbeaded:

Deb is right on with all her info!

I don't use a knuckle buster, the same reason Deb pointed out. You need the following for each transaction, which is the same that I do at my shows:

Write down the complete number/Customers Name as on the card/Phone numbers/Double check ID that it is the same person offering the CC and finally create a receipt that also include the verbage that they met you at that Festival and did purchase the particular item from you (This will verify the charge should they respond it being fraud). When you return to your computer, put in all the info I just stated, except ProPay only asks for you to verify the last four digits of the card number and they offer the name (with my swipe, anyway). No biggie, really!

For a show, I would definitely do the same thing. These are customers that you may never see again, so caution is called for. That's one reason to use a receipt book. There are lines for all of that information on the receipts. If they say "You don't need all that", you can say something like, "I have to have it for my accountant".

I don't do that in the store - I hate going to Radio Shack or someplace and having them ask for my phone number so they can find my info on their computer, so I don't do that to my customers. Maybe I'll change my mind IF I ever decide to do a punch card thing.

Deb

Deb, yes, we're fine, thanks for asking!  In case you're interested, it turns out that a tsunami requires a gradual up-slope of the ocean floor to form.  The Marshall Islands are all coral atolls, which are formed when an old extinct volcano slowly sinks into the ocean floor, eventually leaving only the rim of the crater, around which coral grows.  Some of the islands out here are still mountainous, but the Marshalls are all completely flat, max of about 7' above sea level!  If you were to swim out ocean side of the island for about 100 yards, you'd be in water around a mile deep.  A wall (which is great for diving) drops off very close to the islands and there's none of the gradual up-slope of the ocean floor that a tsunami needs.  I haven't heard the exact data, but I'll bet we got a surge of about an inch yesterday.  We're very fortunate!  OK, enough with the geography lesson...

I love your humorous approach to a situation that could be tense!  I think I'll borrow that technique in my little shop.  Isn't it a major pain when your account is compromised?  Fortunately <knocking on wood> mine hasn't been, but my 17-year old daughter's account had a charge from an internet company based in Italy about 6 months ago.  She checks her account pretty regularly, and let me know right away when she saw the charge.  Our bank was great about handling it, credited her account right away then launched an investigation.  I check my account routinely, but not every day -- I think that's good advice, to check it every morning.  That way, problems are caught before they grow out of control.

When you check the ID, do you write its number down anywhere, maybe on your copy of the charge receipt?  Or is a visual check sufficient?

Honestly, I don't expect a lot of problems -- Kwaj isn't exactly the crime capital of the world!  In fact, we have just about zero crime here, one of the biggest reasons we've raised our kids here.  But I'd much prefer to be safe than sorry.  In fact, when I'm in a store and use my credit card for the purchase, I always thank the clerk for comparing my signature with the card and/or asking for my ID.  Maybe I'll make a discreet little sign at the register that has the Visa/MC/Disc/AmEx logos plus a note that I'll ask to see a photo ID for the customer's protection.

Deb, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your sharing all this valuable info with us!  It's so much easier to learn from your experience instead of having to learn all this the "hard way"!!!  

Megan, how do you obtain the customer's signature?  Do you use the same sort of receipt that's used with a knuckle-buster, but instead hand-write the card number and other info?  Or do you use that sheet that ProPay provides to record the info?

Lisa,

I'm glad to hear that you are okay. I knew that the Marshalls are atolls, but didn't know if they had the geology required for atolls. I guess that deep drop 100 yds out probably gives you a good buffer zone from the big waves. Mike's hometown in Delaware is just barely above sea level, too.

I don't write anything down after checking the ID, but because I always try to ask a question or comment about the address, DOB or something, it sticks with me. It's helped me on a couple of occasions - that's why I *like* credit cards better than debit or cash - because you have a signature and name to go back to. Once, I forgot to put some silver wire in a customer's package. Because he'd paid with a credit card, I had his name and because I remembered talking to him about his hometown in MN, I was able to find his telephone number online and called him to find out whether he wanted me to hold the wire or ship it to him.

Also, we have a video camera pointed at the cashier counter and the POS prints a time stamp on the invoice, so I don't have to worry too much about writing details down. The camera has been a big help - one of these days I'll have to tell our CSI: LBS tale.

I also always thank a clerk that asks for my ID, even the ones that know me because I shop there regularly. About half my customers thank me for asking them.

We have many stores in town that have signs at the cash register that say, "ID required with credit/debit card purchase."

Maybe Mike and I will go to visit the Marshall Islands - on my worldwide bead, fossil and having a good time retirement tour! <LOL> Sounds like a great place to raise kids!

Deb

Lisa:

Megan, how do you obtain the customer's signature?  Do you use the same sort of receipt that's used with a knuckle-buster, but instead hand-write the card number and other info?  Or do you use that sheet that ProPay provides to record the info?

 Lisa the bead show I went to early this year, I made a purchase and the couple running the booth had a knucklebuster. They had me sign the slip they imprinted my card info on with the knucklebuster.

Deb, you are always welcome here!  Since Kwajalein is a US military base, you need a resident to sponsor you, which I can do.  Takes a minimum of 2 weeks to process the paperwork, kind of a pain, but it's the military, what more can I say?  The little-known islands out here are fabulous -- Pohnpei is one of my favorites, and Kosrae is awesome, too.  If you like any sort of water sports -- diving, snorkeling, fishing, wind surfing, kayaking, etc. -- it's paradise out here.

I ended up setting up an account with ProPay -- THANK YOU, Megan, for the hot tip!  I'm ordering one of those knuckle-busters for now, can always upgrade to electronic later if I need to.  The super-low up front cost is what made my decision in the long run.  Plus, I have a phone in the shop (finally, just installed last week), can phone in credit card approvals, but don't have a laptop or other computer system yet.  I'm anxious for the knucke-buster and credit card slips to get here so I can start accepting credit cards!

Just thought of one more question...  My account with ProPay is now active, the only reason I can't accept credit cards right this minute is because I don't have either the knuckle-buster or the imprint slips.  Is there a way that I could maybe create my own "imprint slip" in Word, formatted so it looks similar to a real imprint slip, add a piece of carbon so I've got a 2-part form, and write in the credit card info by hand?  Not terribly professional looking, I know, but it'll probably take 2-3 weeks for that knuckle-buster and the forms to get here, maybe longer.  Would be great if there were an interim solution...

 Lisa,

Did you get your knucklebuster at Mr Imprinter on eBay?  When I ordered mine, the only choice for shipping was UPS!  Surely UPS does not deliver on Kwaj?  Maybe there was a USPS option, but I didn't see it when I ordered mine.

I'm still running into kinks trying to sign up with ProPay, but hopefully they will work with me on choosing appropriate documentation to verify my physical address for the account.  I guess I should have waited to order the knucklebuster until after I got this straightened out!  It's so frustrating.......

Lisa:

My account with ProPay is now active, the only reason I can't accept credit cards right this minute is because I don't have either the knuckle-buster or the imprint slips.  Is there a way that I could maybe create my own "imprint slip" in Word, formatted so it looks similar to a real imprint slip, add a piece of carbon so I've got a 2-part form, and write in the credit card info by hand?  Not terribly professional looking, I know, but it'll probably take 2-3 weeks for that knuckle-buster and the forms to get here, maybe longer.  Would be great if there were an interim solution...

They told me that there would be a 24-48 hour delay before my account would be active - but maybe that's after they receive the "exception form" I have to fill out. 

As far as the interim slips, I would wonder if your customers wouldn't want anything that's not official-looking?  I would wait for the slips myself, but I can imagine that you are extremely excited to start accepting the cards!  Geez, 3 weeks to wait?  I'd probably want to do interim receipts as well. 

HEY!  What about using pages from a 2-part receipt book?  Then all of the info will be right there!  I think that would be better than making up your own.

Sherri S.:

Did you get your knucklebuster at Mr Imprinter on eBay?  When I ordered mine, the only choice for shipping was UPS!  Surely UPS does not deliver on Kwaj?  Maybe there was a USPS option, but I didn't see it when I ordered mine.

Sherri, yes, I ordered it from Mr Imprinter.  I was able to choose between USPS and UPS -- I chose USPS because UPS doesn't deliver here.  The only difference, maybe, between your order and mine is I ordered the imprinter/plate/receipts package that was around $18 instead of the one that was around $10.  I preferred the larger size imprinter, especially because I'll be able to store it by hanging it from its handle when I'm not using it.  I also ordered a couple hundred extra receipts from the same company.  It takes so long to ship things here I figured I better stock up.

Hang in there, I know you can get it all worked out! 

Sherri S.:

HEY!  What about using pages from a 2-part receipt book?  Then all of the info will be right there!  I think that would be better than making up your own.

Sherri, you're so funny, where on earth would I buy one?  It's frustrating, believe me.  I definitely live in the world of "make do". 

Cat :

 Lisa the bead show I went to early this year, I made a purchase and the couple running the booth had a knucklebuster. They had me sign the slip they imprinted my card info on with the knucklebuster.

Waaaaal now , that's jest how it uster bee everwhere, 40 years ago...

Hi Lisa - I'm glad you were able to set up your account.  I get 2 part receipts books from Office Depot or Staples.  Most larger office supply stores have them.  I also have the 2 part credit card receipts that I have the customer sign on the spot.  I give them their receipt and put mine into my cash box.  A few times, I've goofed up while sliding the piece back and forth and made a mess of the receipt.  When that happens, I'll usually hand it to the customer so that I don't have any "extra" papers laying around with their credit card info on it.  Not too sure on what to do until you get the knucklebuster.  You probably could do something up in Word, write in the number, exp. date and put a signature line - making sure to put in something about "I agree to pay...." and make a copy for the customer to take for their receipt (just a suggestion - don't know the legalities of that one).  Best of luck and I hope it works out for you!

Megan

MeganH:

Hi Lisa - I'm glad you were able to set up your account.  I get 2 part receipts books from Office Depot or Staples.  Most larger office supply stores have them. 

That's what I was going to say.  But of course there is no such store on Kwaj, but I believe Office Depot has a website - Staples probably does, too.  There's also Office Max.  I don't see any reason why you can't get these from one of these stores.  I'm sure at least one of them has an on-line catalog.

Good luck!  :o)