Don't be surprised to be asked to show a photo ID before you swipe your debit card at a local store, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
A bill making its way through the Legislature would not require merchants to check photo ID on debit card purchases, but would encourage it, and would allow them to decline a sale or ask for another form of payment if a photo ID is not presented.
Supporters of the bill like Karen Neeley of the Independent Bankers of Texas says not only would showing a photo ID at the point of purchase help cut down on fraud, it would also stop the growing problem of using debit cards to launder money.
"It was debit cards that were used by the 9-11 terrorists to launder their money and help get it back and forth," she told a State House committee.
But Keith Strama of VISA said putting more human interaction into a debit card transaction would actually make the problem worse. He says VISA's goal is to use technology to make the transaction safer and more secure, and one of the best ways is to eliminate the need for humans to handle the debit cars.
He says much of the fraud originates with clerks.
"To do the ID, the clerk has to take the card," he said. "You wouldn't know their phone was recording, you put the card over the phone, look at it, get the ID, get that, and all of a sudden you have a lot of information that can be used for fraud against the person who has the card. That is of great concern to us."
The bill was left pending in committee.