Hiding the numbers California sales receipts will list only the last five digits of a customer's credit card account number and no expiration date. Washington State has passed a similar law that will take effect this July. Maryland is developing a law that would ban sales slips from listing more than the last four digits of credit account number. Experts expect other states to pass similar laws in the coming months. One little credit card receipt is all a thief needs to go on a spending spree.
Thieves also prowl malls looking for stray sales slips and swipe receipts out of shopping bags.
Often the victim has no idea anything is wrong until their monthly credit card bill arrives. And that's why consumer advocates want state and federal legislators to follow California's lead and safeguard credit card sales receipts. Several major gas stations already truncate account numbers on sales receipts. First Data's Nelson said making the switch from credit card receipts with 16-digit account numbers and expiration dates to credit card receipts that list just four or five account digits is not difficult. Until all credit card receipts stop listing full account numbers and expiration dates, consumers need to be on guard.