From: The Deviant <deviant@pooh-corner.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Dec 1996 16:31:12 -0800 (PST)
To: Michael Gurski <mgursk1@umbc.edu>
Subject: Re: Legality of requiring credit cards?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.OS2.3.95.961222151556.7261A-100000@klinzhai.nanticoke.net>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.95.961223002651.1469B-100000@batcave.intrex.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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On Sun, 22 Dec 1996, Michael Gurski wrote:

> It's that wonderful season again, when all the assholes are out in
> force, and people feel obligated to purchase merchandise to give to
> each other.  For various reasons, I don't believe in credit cards, and
> yet, trying to pay for something by personal check at the local
> Hecht's, they either *require* a credit card, or go through the Nazi
> check-warranty company Equifax.  However, it doesn't stop there...only
> SOME departments seem to have this requirement (Electronics/Luggage
> not requiring).  Is it legal to require credit cards?

The only real legality of requiring some form of payment is that if they
take one form of federal reserve currency (eg the one dollar bill) they
have to take any form of federal reserve currency (eg the penny).  This
means that when your parking ticket says you can't pay in change, you can
still pay in change.  Legally (according to CNN anyway, i've never
bothered to actually go look it up) if you ofer to pay something in
change, and they decline, you can give them one warning, and _assuming a
debt is previously incurred (eg parking ticket, not new pants) you don't
have to pay.

Unfortunatly, they can decline cash/change completely, or decline checks,
or decline credit cards.  But if they take one dollar bills, go by the
bank first and get it in pennies.  Pay with that.

 --Deviant
   PGP KeyID = E820F015 Fingerprint = 3D6AAB628E3DFAA9 F7D35736ABC56D39

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for
 the good of its victims may be the most oppressive."
		-- C. S. Lewis


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