The State of Alabama Promotes Credit Card Theft

Others states join in

Some of us like to protect ourselves from credit card theft by writing "See photo ID" on the signature space on the backs of our credit cards. We like to make sure that the vendor with whom we are conducting business checks our identification. We do this to know that if our credit cards are stolen or lost or somehow fall into the hands of a malfeasance, we will be protected from theft.

I recently visited ABC Beverages in Semmes, Alabama to purchase a "beverage" and attempted to pay for my purchase with one of my Mastercards™. When I laid my card on the counter, the cashier picked up my card, looked at the back of it and asked for my ID. I showed him my drivers license which he verified and then he proceeded to say, "Sign your card." I was flabbergasted. I asked why I had to sign my card. "Because the manager requires it."

We went around for a while about how my signature is on my drivers license and signing my name on my credit card just gives thieves a signature to practice before making purchases with my card. I have found that even though I have written "See photo ID" on the back of my credit cards, my ID is still only checked about 2 out of 10 purchases.

I did not complete the transaction and went down the road looking for another liquor store. I found another ABC Beverage in Mobile. I thought I would take my chances and try again. This time I ask upon entering the store and found that, yes, my credit card had to be signed. I asked if my ID would be checked if my credit card was signed and The cashier said no. I explained the whole thing about wanting my ID to be checked and why and she said, "The State of Alabama requires it." I asked what statute covers this law. She said it was not a law, but was required in state own liquor stores. It turned out that ABC Beverage was owned by the state of Alabama.

I asked for confirmation that they were not require to check ID if the credit card is signed. She confirmed it. So the State of Alabama promotes credit card theft. They are actually encouraging it by requiring the credit card be sign and then not requiring an identification card check to make sure the purchaser is the legal card holder.

If one were to be unscrupulous and happened to get his hands on another's credit card that happened to have a signature on the back, it would be a very simple matter to practice the signature until it was passable. Then shop to your hearts content in Alabama's liquor stores. Now don't get greedy and go into the store and ask for fifteen bottles of top shelf liquors. That may result in an ID check anyway. If you were to go into one of Alabama's liquor stores and buy three to five bottles of booze, you probably would not raise suspicion. After all, the state employees are not required to check your ID. You could probably go into several stores in one or two nights and stock up. It is helpful to wear a different hat in each location so as to cover your face and not appear like the same person. I different coat or shirt would also be wise.

This might make some of you feel guilty, since you might not mind getting one over on stupid government bureaucrats, but might not like the idea of ripping off the card holder. Most credit card companies only hold card holders responsibly for the first fifty dollars charged on a stolen card.

Now this web sites goal is not to promote credit card theft, but to change ridiculous policy so often set by government. This is especially true when government is involved in activities it has no business being involved in to begin with. Obviously, we have forgotten about what this country was founded on.

Control States

In a free market society, state government neither compete with or own stores through which goods and services are provided to the public. The only reason that states would do this would be to control the activities of adults. As the Montana web site linked below indicates, there are eighteen states that practices control of the sale of distilled spirits. Once again in a free society, the government does not control such things.

In the some states, like Alabama, the state owns the wholesale distributorship of alcohol and also owns retail store that compete against privately owned stores. Of course, with the state controlling the wholesale distribution, it's stores are typically bigger, neater and better stocked than the privately owned stores.

• Alabama
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Maine
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana(wholesale only)
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Utah (controls adults more than any other state)
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

What strikes me as odd about this list is the five states that were on the list of ten states considered by the Free State Project their target state. As a matter of fact, New Hampshire won the vote and it is on this list. Amazing. This was supposed to be a freedom oriented state. I wonder if this will be one of the first items of business for the Porcupines.

Defend Freedom™