<prompt> Human: I bought a laptop at Best Buy yesterday and payed with check. The guy put it through the little check machine and asked me if it was a business or personal check. I told him it was a personal check and he asked for my Drivers licence. I gave it to him, then he tried to enter something into his computer. He was having trouble with something so he called another sales associate over. The other associate helped him with whatever he needed and he gave me back my licence, and I had to give him my DOB. By then my purchase was completed. It was a strange experience, and has me concerned. I have more than enough funds in the bank for the check to cover the laptop, so theres no way it should bounce. Why did all this happen? Is this normal?  <response>: In my experience, yes you do have to show ID when you pay with a personal check.You know you have enough money in your account to cover the purchase, but the guy at Best Buy has no idea who you are. Accepting personal checks is risky for a business many of them wont even take them these days so they usually take the additional step of checking ID first. The cashier likely needed some help because he probably gets paid with a check only once every 5 years or so. 