If they ask for your ID when making a card payment, this is what the Bank of Spain recommends
For a long time, the practice of the shops of Asking for ID when paying with a card was quite frequent. However, now the rare thing is that the customer has to show the identity document when making a purchase with a card.
Even so, however few there are, establishments still exist in which they still request the DNI to make the payment. For this, the Bank of Spain has clarified in its official blog what we have to do if we find ourselves in this situation, and if it is obligatory to teach it in that case or not.
Is it mandatory to show the ID when paying by card?
The first thing established by the Bank of Spain is that there is no “clear answer” to this question, due to the fact that “there are no laws that establish its obligatory nature”. The decision depends on each establishment and they remember from the institution that the only reason to request the DNI in this type of payment is to “avoid fraud and that purchases are made by people who were not the legitimate holder of that card”.
Why is the DNI not usually requested anymore?
Before, bank cards were not as sophisticated as now in their security measures. Now we have features like contactless, chip or four-digit PIN, so proving that you are the cardholder nowadays is not so essential. Before, in addition to delivering the DNI, it was also necessary to signature on the printed receipt of the dataphone.
Today, it is both possible and safe to carry out transactions “quickly and efficiently”. For this reason, the practice of requesting the DNI is practically extinct.
What to do if they ask for your ID when paying with a card
If you come across one of these establishments that continue to ask for identification as an extra security measure, and you do not have your ID for any reason, you can Prove your identity with your passport or driving license. In this way, “the establishment could not refuse to accept payment by card.”
From the Bank of Spain they correctly consider that “what we all generally want is to pay at full speed”. Given this, the entity recommends to customers take your time and remember that asking for ID “only increases the security of the operation” and that we have the right to request a copy of the receipt. Finally, they encourage you to check “that the amount entered in the dataphone is correct.”