oceanskyJul 21, 2025

Would it look suspicious to use someone else’s credit card while out shopping (with their consent, of course)?

https://feddit.org/post/16076916

Would it look suspicious to use someone else’s credit card while out shopping (with their consent, of course)? - feddit.org

Here’s the situation: I just arrived in Japan from Germany to visit my long-distance boyfriend for the first time. He’s working during the day, so while he’s away, I’m on my own. He gave me his credit cards and told me to go out, explore, and enjoy myself if I get bored. I’d like to, but I’m a bit worried. I’m German, he’s Japanese. I’m a woman, he’s a man. So obviously, the name on the cards doesn’t match mine. I don’t want it to look like I stole them or something, it’s more about the optics. Maybe I’m just being overly anxious and overthinking it.

Show threadSpikesOtherDogJul 21, 2025

If you pay with cards in Japan the same way in the USA, nobody even looks at the names and just you just pay.

If you look like you are freaking out you might look suspicious enough for someone to double check.

Show threadgivesomefucksJul 21, 2025

They don’t even see/touch the card…

It’s not like the 80s where you hand them the card to swipe.

Show threadbreadsmasherJul 21, 2025
When I visited USA last year, I was dumbfounded that I had to give my card to whoever and they wandered off to charge it. Rather than UK where they bring a card machine to you
Show threadTranquilTurbulence
I would 100% follow them to see what they’re doing with my card.
Jul 21, 2025 at 11:09amWeb
Show threadbreadsmasherJul 21, 2025
Gonna jump over the bar? Easy way to get kicked out
Show threadbladerunnerspiderJul 21, 2025
After you had your meal? Sounds like a win
Show threadRhynoplazJul 21, 2025
They are putting it in the only credit card machine that they have.
Show threadTranquilTurbulenceJul 21, 2025
Soo… they don’t have these wireless card reader things? Is that because of American capitalism again? Where I live, even random market vendors have them.
Show threadRhynoplazJul 21, 2025
Some do, but many haven’t bothered upgrading the system they installed 30 years ago.
Show threadTranquilTurbulenceJul 21, 2025
Yeah, that’s a classic. If it ain’t broken but just barely limps along, infuriating everyone who uses it, and while a new system would actually work properly but costs money and effort that no one wants to spend, don’t fix it.
Show threadDonjamosJul 21, 2025
I’d just not hand them my card
Show threadUniv3rseJul 21, 2025
I don’t believe you’d enjoy an interaction with our police…
Show threadDonjamosJul 21, 2025
I’m fairly certain that you are allowed to decline letting someone take your card and take it out of your sight. All the card company’s are propably even having something in their contracts that forbids you from doing exactly that.
Show threadUniv3rseJul 21, 2025
Sure, but you need to pay, and if all you have is a card, they’re not going to let you into an employee area because you’re being weird about a very basic interaction. In fact, that’s even more reason to not allow you into an employee area for their safety. When you’re in another country, you have to go with their flow, regardless of what you do at home.
Show threadTranquilTurbulenceJul 21, 2025
Why don’t they just have the machine in an accessible location near the entrance? You know, like all the normal stores do.
Show threadUniv3rseJul 21, 2025
Some places, like diners and cafes, do and you pay there with a cashier. But most bars and sit down restaurants have it inaccessible. As to why, I couldn’t say for sure, but I imagine it is to prevent theft of cash.
Show threadCorizaJul 21, 2025
Then you will “love” to know that they can still charge the card after they have swiped it. I was floored when I noticed it. So you give the card and then they come back with your card and a new bill that has a place for you to write down how much tip you wanna add. You do not give your card again, you just leave the paper in the table and they will add the amount to what they are gonna charge your in your cc. This would not fly in my country, I am actually shocked that cc fraud is not more widespread in the US with how “low security” it all seems. Once I when to buy something and I head forgotten my cc PIN (because now always using contactless pay and such", the person handling the register told me I can skip it, and sure enough, there was an option on the machine to skip entering the PIN. I guess the PIN stuff is new in the US and people are not used to IT so it is not even a red flag to say that you do not know your own PIN and they even have the case built-in in the software. Shocking.
Show threadTranquilTurbulenceJul 21, 2025

Oh wow. Just wow.

A system like that is just begging to be exploited to the point that it begins to smell like a honeypot operation.

Show threadjayboneJul 21, 2025
Restaurants do this. That’s pretty normal in the US. For other point of sale machines, like cash registers at a store, you should just be able to tap the card on a machine located next to the register.
Show threadTranquilTurbulenceJul 21, 2025
But apparently restaurants don’t have a normal point of sale machine at the entrance? Why tuck it away at the back?