This is true. They are limiting their exposure. As it turned out, I was accessed nothing and they were able to reverse the charge to HP as the card was accepted as a "keyed" without any verification of address or other contact data. HP allows a completely new sign up account and a card accepted on the spot. I guess the risk is low for them... usually. But, not on the day before Discover called me.
Something I found odd was I managed to get more data out of HP than Discover which included shipping address, email address, FedEx numbers, signors, etc. I went to the police to make a report. They refused to take a report as I was no longer considered a victim since my funds had been returned in full. Fascinating!
Bit of a 7500, but a few years ago, I got a call from a check cashing service, asking to verify employment on a fellow trying to cash a "paycheck." He was unknown to me, and definitely not on my payroll, and when I told the girl calling not to give the guy his ID back or to give him any money, the guy bailed. We closed our account immediately (great service from a local bank), and as it turned out, although as many as six had been passed, none ever cleared the bank.
Guy was ultimately caught, and arrested... the folks who had cashed checks for him were complaining witnesses, but we were not... because none of the checks cleared, we were not "victims." What-ever!
One guy, cashed the check, kept asking me why I would not cover the check; I told him, "it's not ours, it's a forgery," and he'd tell me, "Your name's on it!" I finally got him to understand it this way: "Dude, if I print your name and account number on a check, and manage to get someone to cash it, does that mean I am entitled to your money?"
He relented, but I really think he still thought I was getting away with something.
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