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  • 1.  Credit Card Signatures Required | Mailed In

    Posted 09-17-2025 10:48 AM

    We are looking to downsize our mailed out solicitations. On the gift section of the card a donor can mail back to us, we list the option to send in a credit card gift. 

    We ask for information such as:

    • Credit Card Number
    • Name on Card
    • Expiration
    • CVV Code
    • Signature

    My question is, are we legally required to ask for a signature if the donor is giving us their credit card number and mailing it back to us?  I can see where we could need their signature in case the credit card gift is disputed for some reason. But, otherwise, we would like to remove that from the gift form to give us more space.

    Any thoughts? Advice

    Thank you!

    Jessica



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    Jessica Fitman
    Associate Director of Advancement Services
    Valparaiso University
    jessica.fitman@valpo.edu
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  • 2.  RE: Credit Card Signatures Required | Mailed In

    Posted 09-17-2025 10:57 AM
    You will need to contact your merchant account holder. No, a signature is NOT required - and neither is a CVV number. However, what is needed is dictated by the financial institution managing your merchant account.

    On the other hand, due to PCI concerns/issues, I urge that you discontinue allowing mail-in credit card donations. Instead, your direct mail pieces should reference your online giving site URL or a phone number to call.

    John

    John H. Taylor, Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier Street
    Durham, NC     27705

    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987






  • 3.  RE: Credit Card Signatures Required | Mailed In

    Posted 09-17-2025 11:41 AM
    I agree with John - get out of the business of taking cc information on paper. It is very risky and raises PCI compliance requirements significantly. You are not allowed to store CVV numbers at all, even securely, they must be destroyed after the gift is processed.


    Thank you,
    Isaac Shalev
    Data Strategy Expert
    Sage70, Inc.
    (917) 859-0151
    isaac@sage70.com

    Schedule a 30-minute consultation now:







  • 4.  RE: Credit Card Signatures Required | Mailed In

    Posted 09-17-2025 11:55 AM

    I also agree with John in regards to removing that option entirely. I would love that.

    When we receive a mailed in credit card gift, we immediately submit the online gift then use an identity theft roller stamp to mark out the donor's information and shred the entire mailer. In the meantime, I am hoping that our leadership team will consider removing this piece from our next mailing as we want to be PCI compliant.



    ------------------------------
    Jessica Fitman
    Valparaiso University
    jessica.fitman@valpo.edu
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  • 5.  RE: Credit Card Signatures Required | Mailed In

    Posted 09-17-2025 11:49 AM

    Thanks for the quick response, John! I would love to completely remove the option for mailed in credit card gifts and I've passed this along your response to our leadership team. 



    ------------------------------
    Jessica Fitman
    Valparaiso University
    jessica.fitman@valpo.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Credit Card Signatures Required | Mailed In

    Posted 09-17-2025 09:16 PM

    Hi there,

    I 100% agree with removing the option entirely. As stated, collecting the information this way is not PCI compliant. I agree that directing donors to online giving is a wonderful alternative- we love QR codes! Also, this is more efficient from an operational standpoint, particularly if you use a platform that ties into your accounting or CRM program. 



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    Michele Whitaker
    Baton Rouge Community College Foundation
    [whitakerm@mybrcc.edu]
    ------------------------------