Gas Station Route Shopping - Credit Card Issues?

Those of you who shop gas station routes that require the $5 or 2 gallon purchases, how do you manage your pay-at-the-pump issues? Generally, after 4 or 5 stops, my credit card will stop letting me pay at the pump. I can switch to my debit card, and my PayPal card, but I'm thinking there has to be an easier way!

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Buy a gift card...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2018 03:41AM by luckygirl0100.

I have 10 cards that I rotate. They usually lock up on the third stop.

You can call them the day before and let them know you're mystery shopping. You'll need to let them know the approximate amount at each station and the names of the stations. Still doesn't always work.

Thanks, Luckygirl. I hadn't even thought about that.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

In a lot of cases, the 4th or 5th purchase attempt at the same brand the same day will get denied by the brand, not your CC Co so calling them prob won’t help.
Exxon/Mobil gift cards have the same issue so if you do a lot in one day, have 2 or 3 gift cards to rotate.
The big benefit of the gift card is fraud prevention. If you are a serious gas route shopper, the chances of your credit card being compromised is a bit higher than your average Schmoe. Plus, you can buy a gift card as your inside purchase, though a lot of locations won’t let you buy it with anything other than cash.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

This can also affect if you are properly getting a receipt at the pump, as while a card may still authorize, if you have used it several times, there is some kind of security feature that makes you go inside to get that receipt. Don't use one CC at one brand more then two times in 24 hours. As mentioned, gift cards are the way to go. You also may notice that you'll get more receipts at the pump that way if you've had an issue with that.

@Hoju wrote:

Plus, you can buy a gift card as your inside purchase, though a lot of locations won’t let you buy it with anything other than cash.

Not with one big brand you can't (not a client of the "big" gas station MSC). The entire shop will be invalidated if you buy a gift card as your purchase.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2018 12:14PM by tcurione.

The card I typically use is associated with the bank in which my accounts are located. I have asked them to allow multiple uses during the day of my card. However, I keep 3 other cards with me at all times for anytime I have a denial of service.
For the "green" gas stations, you are asked specifically to use your card as only credit and not debit. If I'm doing multiples of that particular brand, I also use a gift card.
One of the odd things (IMO) is that many of the gas stations that I shop accept cash (that is inserted into the pump). In many instances I would rather do that than use my card. But, after asking about this, I've been informed that I shouldn't do it.
Other than the pump's communication with the CC company, the pump still recognizes the amount of cash and prints a receipt. To me that is an alternative that should be measured.
Never was given a good reason why this is not a method needing measurement.

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

Buy a gift card...

There are pre-authorization amounts at my gas stations. Unless you have $100+ on the cards, the cards will almost always direct you to go inside to the attendant instead of paying at the pump.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

i buy a gift card

call the company and tell them you will be using the card frequently at gas station they do something that prevents the error.

that is a good idea.

@Lstockwell wrote:

call the company and tell them you will be using the card frequently at gas station they do something that prevents the error.

It's usually the gas station that locks you out. Are you suggesting to call the gas station company to let them know you'd be using your card at many of their stations?

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

@Tarantado wrote:

@Lstockwell wrote:

call the company and tell them you will be using the card frequently at gas station they do something that prevents the error.

It's usually the gas station that locks you out. Are you suggesting to call the gas station company to let them know you'd be using your card at many of their stations?

Hmm. I interpreted that as calling the credit card company to give them a heads up about your upcoming use of their card. Hopefully, the credit card company would lift or delay activating their security alerts for the given card.

?

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Hmm. I interpreted that as calling the credit card company to give them a heads up about your upcoming use of their card. Hopefully, the credit card company would lift or delay activating their security alerts for the given card.

?

After using the same credit card at multiple stations of the same gas station, there's a lock where I'm not able to use my card at the pump and have to see an attendant due to some restriction on their end, not the credit card company.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

Many of the stations I shop charge more for a credit card than cash so I use gift cards, which are treated like cash. I have never had a request to see the attendant rather than paying at the pump because of the gift card.

Any time a gas station charges a gift card purchase as a credit card, it immediately drops 5 points from my overall rating and goes in the explanation.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

@tcurione wrote:

@Hoju wrote:

Plus, you can buy a gift card as your inside purchase, though a lot of locations won’t let you buy it with anything other than cash.

Not with one big brand you can't (not a client of the "big" gas station MSC). The entire shop will be invalidated if you buy a gift card as your purchase.

Whoops. Yeah. I kinda painted that one with a broad brush. All of the ones I’ve done allow it.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

@Hoju wrote:

Any time a gas station charges a gift card purchase as a credit card, it immediately drops 5 points from my overall rating and goes in the explanation.

I agree with that. It happened only at one station a couple of times. I complained to the attendant and it was finally corrected. It did affect the rating and an explanation was provided. I would estimate that 80% of the stations charge more for a credit card as opposed to cash (or a gift card).

I have multiple cards. My often stop after 2 visits.

I tried calling my credit card company and they still cut me off so I use a gift card only which has yet to be a problem. The benefit to that for me is 2 fold - it gets the lower cash price so I can pump more gas on it and I also find that I control my expenses more since I pay for it in cash so I don't use my credit card. Also, if your kids' school or some other non-profit that you are a member of uses Scrip (you get a percentage back that you can apply to expenses there (my Sweet Adelines Chorus allows us to use Scrip to pay dues and other expenses for example), you can purchase gas brand gift cards through that and use the monies back that way.

@Tarantado wrote:

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

Buy a gift card...

There are pre-authorization amounts at my gas stations. Unless you have $100+ on the cards, the cards will almost always direct you to go inside to the attendant instead of paying at the pump.

I'm not sure what brand you are talking about but every gas station gift card I've ever used the pump was aware of how much the card had available and would let you pump up to that exact amount. I've never had a pre-authorization on a gas station gift card.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

@bgriffin wrote:

@Tarantado wrote:

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

Buy a gift card...

There are pre-authorization amounts at my gas stations. Unless you have $100+ on the cards, the cards will almost always direct you to go inside to the attendant instead of paying at the pump.

I'm not sure what brand you are talking about but every gas station gift card I've ever used the pump was aware of how much the card had available and would let you pump up to that exact amount. I've never had a pre-authorization on a gas station gift card.

I have a bunch of MasterCard gift cards received for various rebates that have this issue. I had to think about it a little more; you’re probably right, if you’re talking about gift cards dedicated to the gas station though.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

At usually the 4th pump I get a message from my bank which asks if I was using my debit card at so and so location, to which if I reply yes so I dont get locked out most of the time. Though I have been locked out too. It would have been terrible if I had no other way to pay.

Have you guys encountered compromising of your card number?

I dont use cc at pumps for ms ever.

@newbieshop wrote:

At usually the 4th pump I get a message from my bank which asks if I was using my debit card at so and so location, to which if I reply yes so I dont get locked out most of the time. Though I have been locked out too. It would have been terrible if I had no other way to pay.

Have you guys encountered compromising of your card number?

I dont use cc at pumps for ms ever.

No. Even if I did, it’d be as easy as to dispute any fraudulent charges and have a new credit card sent to me with the next 1-2 business days.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

Branded gift cards are my choice now as I have had my credit cards skimmed and duplictaed three times within the last few months.... always at the "Yellow Beach Souvenir" stations. Sadly, they are my brand of choice. For my personal purchases, I go inside and pay with cash. Some stations I have not been able to pat at ump with store brand gift cards for some reason. Its always something!

TinaMarie

@newbieshop wrote:

Have you guys encountered compromising of your card number?.

Yes, I've had my number compromised three times. I'm pretty sure it was a skimmer, even though I am always on the lookout and cover the keypad when entering my PIN. Once may have been a hotel, not sure. In each case, the bank covered any losses and sent me a new card, whether it was debit or credit.

The last time was pretty recent, and I now plan to buy some gift cards. I'm mainly afraid that if it happens more, my bank will get tired of me, lol. The info on this thread is useful. My only question now is how much I should buy. I'm thinking $100 cards. I'm afraid if I get anything larger, they could get that info too, and I would not have the protection of the bank.

Thanks for the input guys.

@Tarantado wrote:

I have a bunch of MasterCard gift cards received for various rebates that have this issue. I had to think about it a little more; you’re probably right, if you’re talking about gift cards dedicated to the gas station though.

I thought it was pretty self explanatory that luckygirl was talking about store brand gift cards. Although in my area there are a few stores that can pull the amount left on those types as well. WalMart's gas station comes to mind.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

@bgriffin wrote:

I thought it was pretty self explanatory that luckygirl was talking about store brand gift cards. Although in my area there are a few stores that can pull the amount left on those types as well. WalMart's gas station comes to mind.

In hindsight, yes! You gotta forgive me sometimes. You know I'm a little slow and am in my own world 99% of the time on here!

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

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