http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:05:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm/comment-page-1#comment-970 Cynthia E Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:32:18 +0000 http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm#comment-970 Hi. I worked tech support for a major CC processor for about 2 years, so I've had to advise many merchants of this very issue. When a credit card machine is out of order for whatever reason, it is not only legal but advisable to get an impression of the card. A photo copy is not good enough, by the way. To cover yourself for liability, you need an actual physical impression of the card as proof that it was handed to you. It's best to have a manual imprinter on hand, but even laying a piece of paper over the card and using the side of a pencil or a crayon to obtain the impression is ok. Also-make sure you are calling your CC processor's voice authorization line to get a valid autho of the card, otherwise you might get a decline later. Have the customer sign a receipt for you, showing the card number, the exp date and the authorization number so there's no mistake down the road that the customer authorized use of the card. Getting the authorization number into a working CC machine differs from machine to machine, sometimes labeled "Offline", or "Post-Auth". Have your CC processor's customer service walk you through that if you are unsure. Hi. I worked tech support for a major CC processor for about 2 years, so I’ve had to advise many merchants of this very issue.
When a credit card machine is out of order for whatever reason, it is not only legal but advisable to get an impression of the card. A photo copy is not good enough, by the way. To cover yourself for liability, you need an actual physical impression of the card as proof that it was handed to you. It’s best to have a manual imprinter on hand, but even laying a piece of paper over the card and using the side of a pencil or a crayon to obtain the impression is ok.
Also-make sure you are calling your CC processor’s voice authorization line to get a valid autho of the card, otherwise you might get a decline later. Have the customer sign a receipt for you, showing the card number, the exp date and the authorization number so there’s no mistake down the road that the customer authorized use of the card.
Getting the authorization number into a working CC machine differs from machine to machine, sometimes labeled "Offline", or "Post-Auth". Have your CC processor’s customer service walk you through that if you are unsure.

]]> http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm/comment-page-1#comment-971 KA Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:32:18 +0000 http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm#comment-971 Don't know but probably not. Nothing on there but the numbers, right? Don’t know but probably not. Nothing on there but the numbers, right?

]]> http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm/comment-page-1#comment-972 Kathy A Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:32:18 +0000 http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm#comment-972 I don't know that it's illegal, but I would have demanded my copy back too...too many thieves these days...bad business practice... I don’t know that it’s illegal, but I would have demanded my copy back too…too many thieves these days…bad business practice…

]]> http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm/comment-page-1#comment-973 RB Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:32:18 +0000 http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm#comment-973 no, that is how they use to do it before we had computers to store the information. Now a days we use the computer to write down all the information for us. When you swipe the card through the computer all of your credit card information is printed out a slip with all you credit card information on it (the merchant copy) and they save it, so it is basically the same thing, except one looks like a card. no, that is how they use to do it before we had computers to store the information. Now a days we use the computer to write down all the information for us. When you swipe the card through the computer all of your credit card information is printed out a slip with all you credit card information on it (the merchant copy) and they save it, so it is basically the same thing, except one looks like a card.

]]> http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm/comment-page-1#comment-974 SG Elite Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:32:18 +0000 http://smallbusinessmerchantaccounts.org/is-it-illegal-to-copy-a-credit-card-on-a-copier.htm#comment-974 It is perfectly alright to photocopy credit cards given your current scenario; breakdown of machine. You may even want to take a step further by having the customers signed on the photocopies of the credit card to confirmed the transaction. This is also to protect you and your company should the customer turned-around and denied the transaction. It is perfectly alright to photocopy credit cards given your current scenario; breakdown of machine. You may even want to take a step further by having the customers signed on the photocopies of the credit card to confirmed the transaction. This is also to protect you and your company should the customer turned-around and denied the transaction.

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