contract-law signature
How do I know what I am signing on handheld digital stylus signature devices?
<p>I'm talking about the handheld signature devices that the UPS guy has, or the credit card POS system that stores have you sign with the stylus on when completing a return.</p>

<p>It's always a completely blank white screen with the whole screen reserved for a signature. It always bothered me that I have to sign, but there isn't even a hint of what exactly I am signing. When I ask the employee it's always some generic answer, "You're signing that you received the package", or "You're signing that you returned this item".</p>

<p>Are these signatures even legally binding, given that I don't even know where to find the contract's terms if I wanted to?</p>

<p>You are not agreeing to anything - all the signature does is provide (really good) evidence that you and the pad were at a particular place at a particular time. If another person (like the courier who owns the pad) says they were there too and gave you a package it would be virtually impossible for you to prove that you <em>didn't</em> get the package. That's what the signature is for.</p>
