Square beware!

[#1]

Wondering if anyone else has had this problem...a customer wanted to buy a bracelet but only if I could take a credit card...I excitedly answered yes! She purchased an $80 piece and the sale was approved by square..she signed and walked away smiling wearing my beautiful creation. About 15 minutes later I checked my email for confirmation as I always do and found out the woman had cancelled her payment to me! I contacted square and they said there was nothing they could do...they were only a go between customer and bank...no address, no phone and only a scribbled signature...I lost $80 to this scam artist...lesson learned the hard way...always get some sort of Id phone name etc...beware of square!

[AshleysRoots]

I would also like to know the outcome of this!

[Former_Member]

help@help-messaging.squareup.com

I have been conversing with the tech team of Square for two weeks............I just cannot decide which company to run with.

But they've been very helpful and answer every question I have had.
Square recommends that we ask for a driver license too.

[Former_Member]

For those who have mentioned they get other info (DL number) is there a spot in square to store that, or do you just copy it down somewhere and let the customer know why?

[Former_Member]

You can capture her id as a picture and just show that item as a no charge. Even when I used a intuit I got their drivers license and address and a phone number. By checking id you know its really theirs.

[SandraRusticBoutique]

OMG !! That's terrible......

[TigersandDragons]

Wow, Christina, that is horrible!
I'm still processing cards with the knucklebuster/manual imprinter, but I always check signatures. Lately I've had to ask more and more people for ID since they are used to putting in PIN numbers and no longer bother to sign their cards.
I was scammed once by a woman who was using her own card and knew it was at it's limit, she manged to rip off many crafters at the show, those that did not have the capacity or time to check her card. The police investigated but claimed they couldn't charge her since it was her own card.

[Mulchandmore]

How do you capture her id as a picture? Haven't gotten as far as entering pictures of each item I sell although I do have the major categories listed.
That is terrible that that happened to you, thanks for the warning.

[BitOfSugar]

I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you :( Yes, it does sound like it was a stolen card that was being used.

I think it's a good idea for vendors to ask for an ID for transactions over a certain dollar amount. However, I would be very offended if someone wanted to take a picture of my ID. You don't need to know where I live, how much I weigh, what my driver's license number is, etc. If a vendor needs to contact me, they should ask for a business card, email address, phone number, or something much less personal.

[Mulchandmore]

Bit of Sugar, I really agree with the invasive part of a picture, and thinking writing their name and maybe a phone number on the written receipt would be enough.

[Former_Member]

I dont believe you are legally (this may be different depending on where you live) allowed to write down someone's DL # let alone take a photo.

[TigersandDragons]

And honestly how much help is it to have someone's driver license number? Maybe it's different in the US, but in Canada, only certain government employees or law enforcement would be able to access information about you, using that number.

[ElaineBrunoDesigns]

The point of asking to see the DL isn't to necessarily write down addy, etc. but to prove the cc is really the person's making the purchase.

[CarolBradley]

Also, the DL # will be useful in reporting a crime to the police. It verifies who the person is/was. Then the police know who to look for, etc.

[Former_Member]

I know a lot of people have to show their DL to use a check at a store so I don't know why it would be different to take their DL # also. I wouldn't take a pic personally I don't think tho. Like Carol mentioned, it gives a way for police to find them in case of something going wrong. I could give anyone a phone number but doesn't mean its mine or that I would answer it, is the way I see it. Hate that this happened to you! Best of luck getting it fixed!

[Former_Member]

Not so much the "need" for the D.L. # but to compare the name with the debit or credit card.

I wouldn't take a card if the names don't match up. At T. J. Max, they always ask for an I.D. when I produce my debit card.

[Former_Member]

Well that is scary... who knew you could do this.. thanks for the heads up.

[khmetalwork]

Thanks! I will ask to see ID and match the card & ID from this point forward.

[SangriaSilverDesigns]

I plan on using Square next weekend and I'm thankful I saw this thread! I don't want to offend customers, but I can't afford to be ripped off either. So should I just politely as to see photo i.d? Should I try to get a contact phone # too? They could give any phone # they wanted though.

[BohemianHollow]

I'm -very- skeptical about this, to the point that I just don't believe it actually happened. Once the card is approved it goes through to their bank automatically, I highly doubt that there's a way to cancel the transaction that quickly without them having access to your own square account. You can't cancel transactions from the bank side of things that quickly. At least I don't think you can...

I'm sorry if it really did happen to you, but I've never heard of such a thing happening and I'm pretty sure Square, being a large upstanding company, wouldn't allow anything like that to happen. They'd have covered their bases with scams like that.

I'm telling you, it's not that easy to cancel a transaction on your own without at least an hour of communication with your bank (or a quick conversation with the person/company you purchased from if you're looking to return, which obviously she wasn't).

I'm sorry, this just doesn't make sense to me and I feel that there's nothing to worry about. If it happens to me or one of my close friends I'll eat my words and change my mind. But I don't see this happening ever. *shrug*

[janeeroberti]

Stolen card? Woman who used it was not the owner and possibly was running up a bunch of transactions.

Makes me want to take card imprints again, require ID, and write down DL and phone numbers. BTW it is not criminal to ask for or write down the info on someone's driver's license.

[SugarMamaFragrances]

I have heard of this happening as well and some food trucks will not use Square. PayPal now has a reader and they may be a better system

[Former_Member]

Before you make a statement like that Jane, you should check out your local state/provincial laws on what information from a DL you are allowed to write down and HOW you are suppose to store it. It varies from place to place, especially country to country.

Personally, if someone asked to write down my DL info, or take a photo of it, I would 1) refuse to allow it of course and 2) report them to the organizer if they were rude about me refusing to allow the photo to be taken because no matter how nice that person might be otherwise..that's sketchy.

For sales over a certain point, I believe it's $50 or more where I am, you are required to collect their information and that I understand. But it goes into the machine and if I wanted, I could give a PO box address (if I had one or give them my mom's business PO Box) instead of my personal home address; it's not taking a photo of my DL which has a lot of personal information on it you don't need.

/two cents

[Former_Member]

I have no problem with someone LOOKING at my DL to check that I am in fact the card holder. I have a problem with people taking a photo or copying down information that isn't needed to complete a transaction of under $50.

I would LOVE it if more people asked for photo ID when paying with my credit card in fact. It's just what they do with it that could be an issue for me.

[aRecurringDream]

that really scares me! thanks for sharing! i was just about to sign up for square!!!!

[Former_Member]

There is no recourse thru square...I found this out with many many emails with square customer service....it was approved and then minutes later the sale was cancelled by the customer....there r only two options with square...declined or approved...this comes from the customers bank ....square can,t do anything after that...they have no record of the card number, name address etc. this becomes a problem between u and your customer...now i get a phone # and sometimes an address....and write down the customers name so I can read it!