Security Precautions

We hope that this is not an "Industry Trend," but cite it as a possible warning sign. From the "Metropolitan Diary" in the New York Times:

• Dear Diary: It was the first time that I was using a new credit card, and the cashier said that she could not accept it without my signature.

• I signed it.

• She handed me the receipt, and I signed it.

• Then she studied both signatures, to make sure that they were identical.