Legality of requiring credit cards? (fwd)

[Charles Gimon]

Forwarded message:
> Date: Sun, 22 Dec 1996 15:43:28 -0500 (EST)
> From: Michael Gurski <mgursk1 at umbc.edu>
> Subject: Legality of requiring credit cards?
> 
> It's that wonderful season again, when all the assholes are out in
> force, and people feel obligated to purchase merchandise to give to
> each other.  For various reasons, I don't believe in credit cards, and
> yet, trying to pay for something by personal check at the local
> Hecht's, they either *require* a credit card, or go through the Nazi
> check-warranty company Equifax.  
> 

Equifax does business by tracking reputations, as do all credit
reporting companies. That's how a free market handles bad checks.