Complaint Review: Macy's - El Cajon California

Macy's West requires ID for all Debit Card purchases and it IS for your protection you ding-a-ling!  And just how do you know without a doubt the person in front of you was using a debit card?  Get a life.

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You know, the one where Stewie kills Cleveland and St Peter asks Cleveland for a credit card?   The guy before him didn't need one, Cleveland protests.  "Its a new policy, brand new." says St Peter.  But all Cleveland has is a Sears card.

So really this is great stuff, but not very original.

You know, the one where Stewie kills Cleveland and St Peter asks Cleveland for a credit card?   The guy before him didn't need one, Cleveland protests.  "Its a new policy, brand new." says St Peter.  But all Cleveland has is a Sears card.

So really this is great stuff, but not very original.

By asking for ID I'm protected fom having to waste time to sort out a charge that wasn't made by me or even from the $50 then I'm better off. My wife lost her debit card which was used 3 times before she noticed it gone and called the bank. We did get all the money back but it took about a week. If the store clerks had asked for an ID we wouldn't have been unable to use our money for that week. Thankfully it didn't lead to any overdrafts. So asking for an ID does indeed help protect the cardholder and does not violate the merchant agreement.

OMG - If the clerk asked you for some form of ID - you should have just pulled out some form of ID.  Get over it for pete's sake - it isn't right but this is just the way it is - get over it and move on.  Who knows - maybe if you hadn't made such an issue of showing your ID the clerk might have offered you the 20% discount - get over it.  Oh yea - you are really teaching them a lesson by never shopping their again.  The only person you are teaching a lesson to is yourself.  Now you will have to go through the trouble of going elsewhere when they might have exactly what you need - you are really teaching them a lesson.

Debit cards do NOT have fraud protection if you use them with a PIN.  Don't believe me? Look at your contract.  Fraud protection only applies if you use them with a signature.  If someone steals your PIN and clones your card, they can totally clean out your bank account and you won't be able to do anything about it.  Not to mention, it's entirely understandable why stores would ask for ID -- if a fraudulent transaction does occur, it's the store who will be out the money.

Also, I'm not sure why it's racist to be asked for ID, or why you have to be black.  I routinely get asked for ID when using a credit card, and I am not black.  I don't have any sort of problem with it -- it helps prevent fraud, and it's a good idea in general.  Granted, stores in bad neighborhoods tend to check ID more often, but that has more to do with the crime rate than the race of the customers.

What the hell kind of credit card do you have that doesn't have liability protection?

99% of them have zero liability, and the rest have no more than $50.

Actually the Visa agreement doesn't prevent the merchant from requesting ID.It only says that if the customer refuses to show ID that the merchant can't use that as the sole reason to refuse the transaction. It states that stores should not routinely ask for ID but it does not say the store can't ask for ID. Personally I don't have a problem if it's a large purchase for the store to request ID, it helps protect me from theft.

I am a 63-year-old white male and I have no doubt that the OP was asked for ID only because he is a black male.

Many years ago I learned from listening to the police scanner that stolen checks and stolen credit cards are most often passed by black men or white women accompanied by black men. Given that information, should the clerk have demanded the man's ID?  Not under the circumstances described.  The clerk did not even try to process the card.  She just assumed it was not his and demanded that he prove her wrong.  Since she had no way of knowing whether the transaction would have gone through, the sales person was very very wrong to have demanded ID. 

There used to be a Home Base store near my home.  I hated shopping there because any time I presented my credit card or debit card, they wanted ID.  Even if the sale was less than ten bucks.  They treated everyone that way and -- no surprise -- are no longer in business.

I swear I had so much fun reading your report.  I laughed so hard. I have a hard time believing this is a true story.  Thank you so much for the stomach-cramping laughs.

I had a very similar event happen to me at Macys. If you were wearing pink, you were offered a 10% discount. In front of me was a white male, not wearing pink. The clerk laughed "ha ha, lets just say that the blue coat you are wearing is pink, hee, hee, hee". Furthermore, he paid for his purchase with a credit card and was not required to show id.

I then went to pay for my purchase, was not wearing pink and not offered a discount (earlier in the day, my wife, who also was not wearing pink was given the discount as well) I asked why other people were given the discount and was told that they would never do that, even though I witnessed it with my own eyes, and my wife was also a recipient of an undeserved discount.

I was also required to show ID for my AMEX Platinum card, when I refused, they said I would have to leave their store. So I refused and they told me to leave the store or they would call security. The credit card companies forbid a photo ID check as a condition of the transaction. They are free to ask, but the merchant can't refuse it as they have signed a merchant agreement.

However, I don't think this is racism because the clerk was a white male, and I am a white male. I think in my case he just resented the fact that I obviously held a credit card that displayed the fact that I made more money in a week than he did in a year. Most likely he was an angry flunkie who majored in Elizabethan Poetry and Medieval Art at an overpriced Liberal Arts college and is upset that the best job he can get is a part-time clerk job in Mens Socks and Underwear.

I called him a loser, and never went back to that pit again.

.....is the greatest obstacle to the "minorities" gaining the respect and the equal treatment they have sought for the last hundred years.

The person in front of you may have paid with a credit card that had their picture on it. That would eliminate the "need" to ask for an ID to support the use of the card.

If anyone actually reads the terms and conditions of the merchant agreement with VISA and MASTERCARD, it is a violation of the terms of the merchant agreement for ID to be requested. I believe AMEX is the same, and as far as I know, Discovercard is the only one that allows for the ID check.

The burden of account security starts with the accountholder to immediately report a lost or stolen card.

Once that is done, the accountholder is not responsible for fraudulent charges, and many states limit the consumer liability to $50 total.

MY advice to this person is instead of playing the race card, wait until next time they ask you for ID, and politely refuse and ask for the store manager. Then when the store manager arrives, politely ask him to put you on a conference call with their merchant account provider for whichever card you are using so you can file a complaint for the breach of agreement.

The look on his/her face will be priceless. Guaranteed.

Or just leave your stuff on the counter and walk out, and call VISA or MASTERCARD on your own a file a complaint.

Just keep going in to different registers with lots of merchandise, getting it all rung up, then walking out when they violate.

Sometimes you have to be persistent to educate idiots.

I wish I was a minority so I could pull out the race card every time I felt mistreated.  That way, everyone has to treat me like royalty or they're racist.  As it is now, if someone mistreats me, I just think they're a jerk, which doesn't sound nearly as serious as being able to call someone racist. I guess I don't get that crutch.

I'm not sure why you are playing the race card here.  Asking for ID is a good practice whenever someone makes a purchase with anything other than cash.  Debit cards can be skimmed and cloned, and the PIN can be stolen easily.  If more stores did it consistently, fraud would be much less common.  And unlike with credit cards, if your PIN gets stolen, the bank is not going to reverse the charges.  The store probably has a policy of checking IDs for all purchases above $100, or it may be located in a high-fraud area.  In any case, there is no reason to not let them check your ID.

Quit making frivolous accusations of racism.  It doesn't do you, or anyone else, any favors.

It sounds to me like you'd be ok giving your ID if you were going to use the "credit" function, right? Well, let's think about this. Let's say they didn't get your ID. Then they'd set up the credit card machine and then you hit "credit" on the credit card machine instead of "debit". What's to stop you from doing that?

If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't have a problem showing your ID. (as long as your SS# isn't on it.) Granted, I can't answer for the cashier's attitude towards you, but nothing in this report really screams "racism".  

I'm actually kinda confused because this had nothing to do with blatant racism.  Now, if I were you I probably might question myself if this woman had a problem with me, but I think it's a far cry to actually automatically assume that this problem happened with no other reason other than racism.  Judging from your post, there's really no need to assume it was racism over any other reason.

First off with the charity coupon thing. who knows. Maybe there were exclusions, and the things you bought were excluded.  Did you look into that?  Better yet, did you ask?  I'm just a 20-something white girl and i've seen people get promos in front of me before that I was not offered. Know what I did? I ASKED and said "I heard you talking about a 10% off offer. would that apply to my purchase today too?" and either it would, or they didn't offer it to me because my purchase didn't apply. Sometimes retail store clerks just forget to ask every single person. It happens. and it doesn't hurt to ask, instead of standing there and saying nothing and then complaining about it later to a third party.

As far as the debit card thing goes, most purchases in stores do not need your ID over a PIN number, that's right.  I'd be willing to bet that some stores might if you go over a certain dollar amount for security reasons, but your post says that Macy's doesn't. okay.  So the clerk shouldn't have done that.  But you're actions, quite honestly were just as ridiculous.  You'd rather laugh and argue for SEVEN minutes, causing a scene, than to hand over your ID and then talk to a supervisor/manager immediately afterwards.  If I was ringing someone up and they flipped out like that, i would assume that they DID have a stolen card.  Because who else would put up a fight for that long when all they had to do was pull out their ID and deal with it later?

It was indeed the cashier's mistake, but you sure didn't help correct the problem, you turned it into a bigger problem when it didnt have to be.

Then again, you could be right and she could have been racist and simply didn't like you.  it's a possibility.  There are better ways to deal with issues though. You should take that into consideration.

Where you wearing a hoodie and dark glasses?

..Do you really think Macys is racist as company policy..or perhaps just the cashier?

And, did you show the cashier your "shop for a cause" ticket which would have prompted him/her to offer you the 20% discount?

You should read up on what consumer #1 wrote, the 20% was not limited to "online" purchases only!

And as to the racist side of things, UMMM...  If it is NOT the policy of the store to ask for ID when a consumer uses their debit card, then why the hell was I, especially as the person in front of me wasn't asked!

Think what you like.  You're d**n right I'm pulling the race card on this.  When a white person in front of me is not asked for ID when using their credit card, A CREDIT CARD, and is offered the 20% off for a $5.00 donation, while I'm humiliated for using a debit card and not offered the 20% discount, its rather difficult to think anything but.

Never again will I shop there! 

   I am asked to show ID when making card purchases quite a lot.  It happens pretty consistently when I make a high dollar purchase.  All this time I thought it was because of the amount of the purchase.  Now I know better.  Thanks.

The big red flag in this report was right in the title. The fact that the OP felt the need to use the word "racist" no less than three times in a row with all capital letters was a big tip-off. Note that there is no substantive evidence of racism in the report. This is a classic case of style over substance.

The 20% discount didn't apply to in-store purchases. From Macy's website:

ONLINE 20% OR 10% OFF TICKET applies to all sale, clearance and select regular-priced items, with exceptions listed. EXCLUDES: 7 For All Mankind, Birkenstock, Born, Coach, Converse, Dooney   Bourke, Ed Hardy, Emporio Armani, FitFlops, Joe's Jeans, Lacoste, Levi's, Nike, O Bracelets, Puma, Skechers Shape-ups, Sperry, Tretorn, Tommy Hilfiger, baby gear, cosmetics   fragrances, gift cards, kids' shoes, toys, sunglasses, watches. FOR HER: bridge   designer handbags, B.Tempt'd, Calvin Klein, DKNY lingerie, Dolce Vita, Donald Pliner, Felina, Impulse, Jezebel, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Le Mystere, Lunaire, MICHAEL Michael Kors, Naturalizer, North Face, Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Sofft, Wacoal. FOR HIM: Armani jeans, Calvin Klein sportswear, Calvin Klein underwear, Calvin Klein hosiery, Calvin Klein sleepwear, Cole Haan, Dockers, Ecco shoes, Hugo Boss, Johnston   Murphy, Kenneth Cole sportswear, North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Rockport Dressports, Tommy Bahama. FOR THE HOME: All-Clad, Barbara Barry, Calvin Klein, Henckels, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Le Creuset, Michael Kors Bedding, Natori Bedding, Tempur-pedic, Tumi, Waterford, Wusthof, electrics   electronics, furniture, mattresses, rugs, regular-priced china, silver   crystal. Savings do not apply to Everyday Values, jewelry specials, Jewelry Super Buys, web busters, purchases in Macy's stores or prior purchases, payments on credit accounts, gift wrap or shipping charges. Cannot be combined with another savings pass or discount offer, except opening a new Macy's account. Valid Saturday October 16, 2010 only.



Now, Macy's should have proceeded with the sale after you refused to show your ID but I doubt that race was a factor. I've been asked to show ID for debit purchases by non-caucasian store employees and I don't think those were incidents based on race either.

As far as I have noticed..Macys hires a mix of races.

Now..if a cashier was looking you up and down...perhaps the cashier was racist..or just checking you out.

As far as the 20% discount..did you already purchase a $5.00 "shop for a cause" ticket? Are you 100% positive this had to do with your race, age, color, religious preference etc?..

Macy's is having its "Shop for a Cause" annual charity event in stores and online today.

The chain has raised $34 million for local charitable causes since it stared the event in 2006. This is a great way to support worthy causes in your community (you get to pick which one) and get some great bargains for yourself at the same time.

Here's how it works: Buy a $5 Shop for a Cause ticket and get a 20-percent savings pass good all day on clothes, accessories, jewelry and home items, valid on all regular, sale and clearance items. (I saw plenty of "additional-50-percent off" signs in the store this week.) In addition, the pass gets you 10 percent off all furniture, mattresses, rugs, electrics and electronics.

In stores, $5 goes to a South Florida non-profit of your choice. Online, the $5 goes to the Family Violence Prevention Fund, Wounded Warrior Project and Feeding America.