PIN-Headed, Part 3

(I’ve just begun my shift as a cashier for the day. Everything is going all right. Nothing is out of the norm. I am a little rusty, considering I hardly ever cashier anymore, but I am doing pretty well. I have finished ringing up one of my first customers and direct her to swipe her card when she is ready.)

Customer: *swipes card*

Me: “Okay, you just have to answer a few questions first, and then I’ll hand you the receipt.” *turns to put her bags in her cart*

Customer: “Um, why is it asking for my PIN? I don’t have one.”

Me: *puzzled* “You don’t know your PIN?”

Customer: “No. I said I don’t have a PIN.”

(We stare at each other for a few seconds before the customer tells me to cancel the card, and then she swipes the card again, informs me that she has no PIN, and cancels it for a second time. Meanwhile, the lanes are all filling up with other customers and I’m starting to get nasty looks from people.)

Me: *trying to keep a straight face after about three minutes* “Um, ma’am? Do you have any other way to pay for your purchase? I can take any other card, cash, gift cards, etc.”

Customer: *blinks at me and swipes her card again*

(After about five more minutes of this, and six cancellations, my supervisor finishes ringing up her customers and walks over to see what is going on. Once I tell her the situation, the customer adds that it is a new card and she’s never used it before. My supervisor then informs her that I will have to suspend the transaction and have her step aside to call the number on the card to activate it while I get the line down. My supervisor walks away and I tell her I am suspending the transaction.)

Customer: “Oh, no. I don’t want you to do that. I’ll just swipe my card again.”

(She swiped her card and then keyed in a working PIN. My jaw dropped slightly while she just looked back at me with a big smile. I never said anything after that whole ten-minute charade of nonsense. I just handed her the receipt and let her leave, and then I apologized to the poor people that were waiting behind her.)

Related:
PIN-Headed, Part 2
PIN-Headed