Does Your Credit Card Receipt Include FACTA Violations?

Federal FACTA rules were introduced back in 2003 to help protect consumers and their card information from fraud and identity theft by regulating what information can be printed on a credit card receipt. But how can you tell if your credit card receipt is FACTA compliant, or whether you should report it and potentially claim compensation?

FACTA rules are basic and violations are easy to spot. Knowing these rules can help protect you and other consumers from identity theft.

Basics of FACTA

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) is a set of credit card receipt laws put in place to protect consumers’ accounts from fraud and identity theft.

Though FACTA credit card receipt laws are actually fairly simple and easy to remember, most consumers do not know the specifics of credit card receipt laws, and so cannot help enforce these laws to protect their own information.

FACTA was initially passed back in 2003, and these credit card receipt laws have been in full effect since 2006. However, some businesses may be failing to comply with these rules. Whenever you get a credit card receipt, check the card information printed on it to ensure it complies with FACTA rules.

FACTA Credit Card Receipt Laws

FACTA includes two significant sets of rules for what can be printed on your credit card receipt. Understanding these protective measures can keep consumers identities safe.

According to FACTA credit card receipt laws, only the last five digits of a consumer’s credit or debit card number may be displayed on receipts, and the rest of the digits must be censored. Fewer than five digits may be displayed, as long as those digits are in the last five spaces. Given these rules, a receipt cannot display digits from elsewhere in the card number, even if it’s five or fewer.

FACTA compliant examples:

**** **** ***5 4321

**** **** **** 1234

FACTA non-compliant examples:

5432 1*** **** ****

1234 **** **** ****

**** **** **12 3456

Furthermore, FACTA requires that no portion of a card’s expiration date be printed on a credit card receipt – all of the numbers in a card’s expiration date must be censored.

Any machine-printed receipts are subject to these FACTA identity protection rules. This applies to most receipts, as very few businesses still use hand-written receipts or mechanical imprints of the card.

Some businesses may print their receipts with FACTA violations—that is, displaying credit card receipt information that they should have censored. If you see a FACTA violation, you may be able to receive compensation.

FACTA penalties can quickly add up for businesses, since one machine that does not comply with FACTA regulations can affect hundreds or even thousands of customers at one time. Large businesses that have printed thousands of FACTA non-compliant receipts may be subject to large fines or litigation leading to millions in settlement awards.

As FACTA violations put consumers at risk for identity theft, reporting a violation of credit card receipt laws can help not just you, but many other consumers as well.

Extreme Measures to Avoid Fraud

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers have two additional measures to help protect a consumer’s identity and both are free of charge.

A seven-year-long extended fraud alert ensures every business that issues new credit to you must verify your identity. The extended fraud alert is only available to consumers who have already been victims of identity theft.

As long as you have created an Identity Theft Report, you can receive an extended fraud alert on your credit file. The three nationwide credit bureaus are required to take your name off marketing lists for pre-screened credit offers for five years or until you request your name be returned to the marketing list. The extended alert lasts the full seven years.

The second measure is a credit freeze. A credit freeze stops all businesses from accessing your credit report. Any consumer can request a credit freeze even without prior identity theft.

Some consumers may wish to place a credit freeze in addition to establishing the extended fraud alert. Without the credit freeze but with the credit fraud alert, a business can still access your credit report as long as the business takes the extra precautions to positively identify you.

When you place a credit freeze on your credit file, your credit score is not affected. You are allowed to lift the freeze on your credit report temporarily if you want a business, lender or employer to be able to see your credit report. Again, there’s no charge to place or lift a freeze on your credit file, but if the request is made over the phone or online, the credit bureaus have one business day to enact the freeze and one hour to lift the freeze.

Filing a FACTA Lawsuit

Proving that a business violated FACTA credit card receipt rules is fairly simple. Take note of whether or not your receipts follow regulations for both card numbers and expiration dates, and keep receipts for proof. If they do not, then you may file a FACTA lawsuit against the business at fault.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

Free FACTA Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you made one or more purchases and the retailer provided you with a receipt that contained more than the last five digits of your credit or debit card number or the expiration date, you may be eligible for a free class action lawsuit investigation and to pursue compensation for these FACTA violations.

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