It hardly filled me with confidence.

Gradually I realised that stores simply cannot be bothered. So over the past few years I could have signed however I wished – Donald Trump, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Hulk Hogan.

It would have made absolutely no difference because the charge would appear on my account at the end of the month. The simple truth is American retailers just want to be paid and they really could not care whether the card actually belongs to the customer.

A friend found out the hard way what the consequences of this can be as her card went on a magical mystery tour of Brooklyn.

Judging by the furious pace of transactions, she was feasting repeatedly at Taco Bell with her gourmet progress around the borough only being interrupted by getting her car washed.

It would be fair to say that in common with other expats, I did not find this exactly reassuring.