Tobacco ID – Part 1

Tobacco ID – Part 1

Video Spotlight – Tobacco ID

The current video reviews the importance of carefully reviewing purchaser identification cards.

How Do You Protect Yourself?

It is important for retail establishments and employees that sell Tobacco products to remember the following:

  1. Make sure you read and understand all of the federal and state laws and regulations that apply to the sale of tobacco products.
  2. Institute clear store policies and guidelines regarding the sale of tobacco products.
  3. Ensure that all of your employees are trained on the law and have a thorough understanding of their legal responsibilities and company policies.
  4. Ensure that all of your employees are continually trained on identification procedures – At minimum once a year.
  5. Test your employees on the law and engage in “mystery shopping” of your stores.
  6. Confirm age by checking ID. A good rule of thumb is to check the ID of persons who appear to be under the age of 40.

Video Spotlight – How Do I Protect Myself?

The current video provides a review of How Do You Protect Yourself?

Why Do We Card Customers?

Because it is the responsible thing to do and it is the law. If you asked for and thoroughly checked one of the four acceptable forms of identification it may be raised as a possible defense in court pursuant to North Carolina Law. The Federal Drug Administration recommends not accepting expired IDs.

Video Spotlight – Why Do We Card?

The current video provides a review of Why Do We Card?

A Note from the Merchant Training Staff

Take a moment to complete the sample quiz question listed below.

What are some ways that you can protect yourself as a retailer during the sale of tobacco?(Required)
[Mark all correct answers]

Video Spotlight – Point of Sale Systems.

The current video provides a review of Point of Sale Systems.

TAKE NOTE

Some establishments have point of sale systems which allow you to type in a date of birth or scan identifications when dealing with age-restricted products.

While these systems can be helpful, you should not use them as a crutch – even if the identification scans.

Just because an identification scans does not mean that it is being used by the person it was issued to. In some instances, you may encounter subjects who have borrowed an older friend or relative’s identification and have displayed that borrowed identification in an illegal attempt to obtain “tobacco products”.

A Note from the Merchant Training Staff

Use the Flip Cards below to review Point of Sale Standards.

What is a Point of Sale?

J

Point of Sale Systems are computer-based systems that prompt cashiers to check and verify the identity of individuals purchasing age-restricted products such as tobacco and alcohol. While Point of Sale systems can be useful in the identification process, they do not substitute the need for the clerk to thoroughly check the presented identification against the subject presenting the identification and to check the expiration date.

Trust the Point of Sale System

J

If your store uses a Point of Sale system trust it - Do NOT override the system, by typing in your own birth date or that of another employee.

When to Stop the Sale?

J

If the system prompts you by either an audible noise or system not allowing you to start the transaction.  Stop the sale.   After you have entered the customer's date of birth multiple times with the same result deny the sale or contact a manager for guidance. 

A Note from the Merchant Training Staff

Make sure to complete the following practice quiz question!

Video Spotlight – Standard Carding and Asking for ID.

The current video provides a review of Standard Carding and Asking for ID.

A Note from the Merchant Training Staff

Standard Carding Procedures – Click over each Left Tab below to review standard carding procedures.

What does a 18 year old look like?

Proper Mindset – Always operate from the premise that the subject is under 18 until they prove otherwise.

Never assume that you can judge an individual’s age.

Make-up, hairstyle, and clothing can make one appear older than they really are.

Ask for ID – No identification – No sale.

Establish a policy early of carding hard and word will travel among those under 18.

Set minimum carding ages – persons appearing to be under (40) must show an ID before sale – Post your Policy.

Have each individual take identification out of their wallet and maintain possession until you are satisfied.

Pay attention to the wallet or purse from which the identification is obtained when the ID is being removed.

Ask for ID – No identification – No sale.

Establish a policy early of carding hard and word will travel among those under 18.

Set minimum carding ages – persons appearing to be under (40) must show an ID before sale – Post your Policy.

Have each individual take identification out of their wallet and maintain possession until you are satisfied.

Pay attention to the wallet or purse from which the identification is obtained when the ID is being removed.

Conduct a “feel test” of the ID while looking at the subject presenting the ID.

Hold the card in your hands. Make sure that the card feels and appears to be like other State Issued ID cards you have inspected. Do you notice or feel anything unusual?

While conducting the “feel test” watch the body language of the subject presenting the ID.

Is the subject turning away, have a defensive posture, nervousness, unable to make eye contact? These behaviors should raise red flags.

Check the rigidity of the card.

Feel the front and back for bumps ridges and irregularities – Pay special attention to birth date area and photo area.

Look for a tracing or an overlay.

While reviewing the ID check the cards corners to see if the overlay is peeling off the ID. These items should raise red flags.

A Note from the Merchant Training Staff

Make sure to complete the following practice quiz question.

The Basics of Carding Checking the T-Zone
  • A common form of false identification is a “borrowed” identification. The identification is valid, but it is not being used by the person it was originally issued to. A subject who has turned the legal age to purchase the age-restricted product will often give or loan their identification to a younger friend to use for the purpose of illegally obtaining access to age-restricted products. 
  • Based upon the usage of “borrowed” identification proper identification techniques require that you not only verify the date of birth and expiration date on the identification presented but that you also match the photograph and physical description listed on the identification with the subject that has presented the identification.
  • Simply relying on a Point of Sale System to confirm date of birth is not enough.  Make sure that the Identification Card provided to you is entered into the Point of Sale System is for the actual individual attempting to purchase tobacco.

A Note from the Merchant Training Staff

Make sure to complete the following practice quiz question.

The basics of carding consist of checking what zone?

© 2022 NC Training Online