Does anybody know the answer to this: When a customer's credit card expires, is it okay to "guess" the new expiration date, or do they have to specifically give it to you for it to be legal? Guessing would be no problem, the expiration month won't change just the year and that's just trial an error (and it shouldn't take more than two or three tries to get it). I'm just not sure if it's legal to do that. I asked a support person at my credit card merchant and he wasn't sure either (I suppose I can pursue the answer with the merchant provider, but maybe someone here knows).

If it's not legal to guess the expiration date, how do you handle it? Just send them a note and hope they respond?

No, you cannot "guess" that would probably be illegal. You must contact the client and ask them to update there info.

Originally posted by Darth
No, you cannot "guess" that would probably be illegal.
"Probably"? Are you making a guess? :D

Does anyone know for sure?

Well if I get emails saying someone tried to change my cc details WITH NO permission from me I would take legal action. I'm 99.99% sure that the client can only change it.

Why can't you just e-mail them? That's what everyone else does.

emmm nut sure for other cc's/countries but in Austria i get new card with new cc number, or at least i got it last time :)

Most of ours in the States just get a new exp date -- same cc number. Personally, I don't mind merchants guessing at my new exp date. If I wanted to cancel, I'd cancel. Otherwise, I give them full authority to charge the card I provided them. I don't care to have all the merchants that have my number for automatic billing calling me up asking me for my new exp date. Just make an intelligent guess and move on.

To me, the exp date is just a verification system, kind of what the CVV thing is now, just more primitive. So long as they have my permission to charge my _credit card account_, I don't care how they do it. Just don't bug me about it. :)

My ISP must be guessing my expiration dates, because I had a CC that expired after one year, and got a new one that expires in two years. They kept on charging the card even after it expired, and I didnt update anything.

We always 'tickle' the expiration date. AMEX, by 3 - 4 years. Visa/MC by 2-3 years.

If you have authorization to run re-ocurring transactions, then changing an expiration date is fine.

I would say 4 out of every 5 changes actually run. Saves us time and money in attempting to locate the customers or call. We always send out notice 30 days out, but not everyone keeps the address current.

This happened to me recently, I had to get the new expiry date from the customer and put it into the form.

I think it also depends on the bank. Some banks dont care if you get the expiry right and some do. I know overseas banks care hardcore but a lot of locals do. You should just email / call the customer for a new expiry.

You are not allowed to alter customer's financial information without expressed permission from the customer. Meaning that if the customer did not give you a written permission to change the expiration date of their card in your system you are not allowed to do it. To be on the safe side we don't touch this side of our system at all if any modifications have to be made we request that customers do it themselves.

Woot just realized it was my 100th post.

/me pets myself on the back :D