Businesses Violate FACTA Through Printing of Debit Card Numbers on Receipts

If a business or retailer printed out a sales receipt that included more than the last 5 digits of debit card numbers on receipts or the expiration date, they may have violated the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA).

Congress passed the FACTA in December 2003 requiring businesses and retailers to comply with receipt laws. FACTA was enacted to help protect U.S. consumers from credit card fraud or identity theft. Prior to FACTA, it was much more likely for identity theft to occur and for criminals to run up people’s accounts.

However, consumers still catch merchants printing debit card numbers on receipts or the expiration date and other violations of the FACTA.

Two ways that merchants violate FACTA is by printing any portion of the card’s expiration date on the customer receipt or including any numbers excluding the last 5 digits of the debt card or credit card numbers on receipts.

Debit Card Numbers on Receipts

To curtail the growing problem of identity theft, Congress passed FACTA. FACTA applies to businesses of all sizes across the nation. Business are mandated through FACTA to print no more than the last five digits of debit card numbers on receipts.

This protects the consumer as if they happen to lose the sales receipt, the person who locates it cannot make new purchases by using the consumer’s credit card number.

Another restriction mandated by FACTA is the prohibition of printing any part of a card’s expiration date on sales receipts. Similarly, this restricts someone who may find a lost sales receipt from making fraudulent charges on a consumer’s credit account and ruining their credit. The law not only applies to debit card numbers on sales receipts, but credit card purchases as well.

It is important to note that although FACTA apples to traditional brick and mortar business, FACTA also applies to online businesses as well. Online businesses must also ensure that debit card or credit card expiration dates are not being shown and that credit card or debit card numbers (other than the last 5) are also hidden.

FACTA regulations must be followed even if an online business does not physically print out customer sales receipts. Any receipt even sent electronically must follow FACTA guidelines.

Businesses (traditional or online) that fail to comply with FACTA regulations may find themselves in legal trouble. They can be found to be in even more trouble if they are in willful violation of the law.

Consequences for businesses include statutory damages of up to $100 to $1,000 per violation. Businesses can also be subject to action by the Federal Trade Commission and lose the trust of the customers for failing to comply with FACTA regulations.

Businesses and retailers had until 2006 to meet FACTA regulations and upgrade older cash registers and point-of-sale systems. For businesses with newer point-of-sale systems and cash registers, they had until December 2004 to begin complying with FACTA regulations and refrain from printing debt card numbers on receipts.

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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