Illinois Lawyer Referrals and Legal Guidance
Credit/Debit Card Numbers on Receipts
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When you go to a store and pay with a credit or debit card, check your receipt. If too much of your card’s information is printed on the receipt, you could be susceptible to identity theft – and the business that printed the receipt may have broken the law.
Because it is possible for someone to take information off of a receipt and steal your identity, the Fair Credit Reporting Act limits what businesses can print on customer receipts. They can’t print more than the last five digits of your credit or debit card number, and they cannot print the expiration date. If they do either one, they are violating the law.
As always, there are exceptions to the rule. The law does not apply to businesses that take your credit or debit card information by hand or by imprinting the card. The full card numbers and expiration dates are allowed on non-electronic receipts.
Not only does this law prevent identity theft in the first place, it also allows you to sue a business if it prints the prohibited information on your receipt. Let’s say you buy a pair of shoes at a large department store and your receipt shows the expiration date of your debit card. After you throw the receipt away, someone takes it out of your trash and uses it to steal your identity, perhaps costing you thousands of dollars. You can sue the department store to recover the money that was stolen.
In some cases, you do not even need to prove identity theft or loss of money. If you receive a receipt with the expiration date or more than the last five digits of your card, you may be automatically entitled to some money – anywhere from $100 to $1000.
If you have a receipt that includes the expiration date of your card or more than the last five digits of the card number, or if you think your identity was stolen as a result of a business violating this law, we recommend that you talk to an attorney. A lawyer or firm with experience in consumer law will help you decide if you have a case. Every attorney that we know of who handles these cases works on a contingency basis which means there is no fee unless they make a recovery for you.
We know experienced attorneys across Illinois, each with a history of success in fighting for consumers. We can help you find the best one to represent your interests. If you would like our help please contact us – it’s free and confidential.