Identity & damage pay via credit card???

[mjwalsh]

Awhile back I was renting come equipment from a rental shop & the rental guy was telling me how they like it when a customer uses a credit card. He said the reason is if the equipment is messed up such as a painter using their personnel lift etc. --- ruining its appearance etc. ---- or requiring major cleanup etc. He said they have used credit card leverage from time to time to force the individual to pay the added cost.

By having credit card acceptance in our bays ---- it seems between the camera time stamp & the credit card time stamp ---- it seems like if the person did a hit & run such as hooking onto the boom or whatever we might be able to firm up their identity & have their credit card pay or their insurance pay rather than ours. Is this a possible option besides license plates & a visual of the person's face etc. Overhead doors & their rails are another vulnerable hit & run potential. Would it be just a little too convenient to be able to just add the cost to that same credit card that they used.

Any thoughts on the difficulty of getting the identity of the person by using his credit card info? I am not advocating this ---- it is just something I was wondering about how it would work considering all the strict compliance rules of not seeing or keeping their specific card numbers etc. It definitely could not be used too loosely of course.

I know our local Sam's Club requires people to use a credit card at their self service pumps ---- could that be part of their reasoning?

MJ

 

[pitzerwm]

The issue probably boils down to the fact that the rental shop has you sign a contract which says that if you screw something up, that they have the right to charge your card for that damage. In the carwash, you don't have that "contract".

Yes, you could charge their card, but you would probably get a protest and end up spending more time justifying it, than its worth.

 

[mjwalsh]

Hoops to out the ID from the card swipe???

The issue probably boils down to the fact that the rental shop has you sign a contract which says that if you screw something up, that they have the right to charge your card for that damage. In the carwash, you don't have that "contract".

Yes, you could charge their card, but you would probably get a protest and end up spending more time justifying it, than its worth.

Car Wash Credit Card Acceptors,

I may have hit a sensitive note for a wide open discussion area --- maybe this is better addressed through private messages etc. It is also hypthetical --- but the occassional need to ID through a specific time recorded card swipe ---- seems plausible in limited circumstances.

Bill P makes sense as to what the reality could be in terms of a protest ---depending on how much the card user was clearly in the wrong --- although leaving the scene would not help the card user one bit. Would the car wash owner or the processor be in a postion to see the identity of the person so the person could be alerted that you have their name ---- at that point they may volunteer to pay or turn it over to their insurance & that insurance adjustor would (based on the specific facts) may want to take care of it as quickly as possible. On some occasions law inforcement could possibly be kept out of it.

How about someone after using his card is stupid enough to throw a vicious temper tantrum? When we had our recent glass front vendor broken --- the guy was stupid enough to think that all he had to do is bend the cameras' brackets so supposedly we could not see him --- if we could only watch in real time & not record --- like we did.

I am not familiar with what the different car wash card & loyalty system processors would say if you asked them for the name & address based on the time stamp. We just got our brand new ATM a little over a week ago --- but it seems like we are not allowed to see the card numbers --- but card number protection could be more strict for ATMs --- I am not sure. I would think a court could use a subpoena depending on the severity of the situation. It seems like a court would really get involved if a demented (out of control) card user (extra horny or whatever) committed a rape or murder --- & that card swipe info piece of evidence was required. It seems a minimum threshold would be necessary for a court subpoena situation though. It seems like the reality show "Americas Most Wanted" John Walsh with law enforcement used card swipe info from time to time in their heavy duty tracking.

MJ

 

[pitzerwm]

If they did enough damage you can just call the police, give them the video and the CC info. They can get the name. If its not enough for a criminal charge, I'd say your ideal while reasonable wouldn't be worth the hassle. I'm thinking that without a subpoena, the CC card company isn't going to give you anything.