Lydia wrote:
Have any of you solved the problem of getting a credit card in a different name (and gender)? Applications for a new account or even a new name on an existing account require a social security number and other personal data.
There was discussion about having to sign the credit card, or the slip, and showing your ID.
Zippy pointed out that you could get duplicate cards without much hassle.Dee Dee wrote:
Also, just read an article in our newspaper concerning putting "see ID" on your card. Thats not kosher, the clerk can demand that you sign it and is justified in refusing it if you don't. The little print on the card agreement says you MUST sign it. Just repeating what I read just last week or so.
Zippy wrote:
MBNA sends reminders every few months that "you can add another family member to your account". Two years ago I took them up on it. Kathy is now the second cardholder on Keith's account. She just happens to have the same birthday and SSN, and her signature looks almost exactly like Keith's. The only time Kathy uses her card is for girl things and noone's ever given Keith a second look when presenting Kathy's card for things.
So long as you're not attempting to defraud anyone, there's absolutely no legal or financial problem having a second card in your femme name, IMHO.
I went to my bank and applied for duplicate debit cards, and got them for both my business and my personal account. The debit card has the advantage of no signature required, and there is usually no ID to bother with. My bank has "Anita McVey" (my mother's maiden name) as a second cardholder, authorized by the primary card holder. So, no new SSN, and no new birthday information. I do have to sign the card on the back, but for pin-number transactions there's no comparing signatures.
I've also applied for a new savings card at Safeway, the grocery chain where I shop. With the savings card and the debit card, only my femme name will appear anywhere on the bill.
This is to put the checkers at ease, and put me at ease. By store policy, they're required to say, "Thank you, Mr./ Ms._________." Most of the clerks are not happy with remaining silent during this ritual, and they usually choose to say, "Mr.," so that it matches the name on the card. This will take care of that particular awkwardness.
It's not like I have to pass; it's just that I don't like standing there and having the whole line behind me hear this mis-match of gender. It trivializes what I'm doing, is my feeling, and I don't need that. I want the name to match the appearance. The checkers and the line behind me can think whatever they want about how I look---I don't care about that. But I want my presentation to be consistent.
Besides, I like having cards for both of my names! My banker also assured me that there is no problem with this being interpreted as fraud.
The business ATM has my business name, and then my femme name underneath.
