Gas pump programing problem could cost you a bundle

It's not a problem, it's a feature. Gas pumps have a feature, that people can pump gas from them and then pay inside. Surely you must know that. Your question sounds like you need to get some perspective. You're not the only person that uses that gas pump. The people who own it have to make some decisions about what it will do. So they gave it that feature.

Now, you should get a receipt. I admit it's a pain, but if it doesn't print one, go inside and get one. That's the only proof you have that you paid.

The pump SHOULD tell you the card is declined before allowing you to pump the gas if you have elected to pay at the pump. You would, however, be in the same "fix" if you inteded to pay at the cashier and the card was no good. Some inner city stations require you to pay before pumping - and many others require this after dark. Security reasons.

The last few times I was in California, when filling up a rental car, when *trying* to pay at the pump, I was prompted for the zip code of the billing address of my credit card. Naturally I was not able to enter my alpha-numeric *postal code* on the pump's keypad. I had to pay inside. I don't think I've encountered this anywhere else but california.

But yes, if your card is declined at the pump, and the pump allowed you to pump gas, and you don't have the cash to cover the payment, and your card is *also* declined at the cashier, then you're screwed and the pump shouldn't have allowed you to pump.

That said, when-ever the pump tells me there is a problem with my card, and repeated swiping doesn't fix the situation, I will usually go to another adjacent pump where the card is accepted by the scanner.

On 05/25/05 06:39 pm Joe tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

Yes, but I had elected to pay at the pump using my card, and the machine did not tell me that the card had been declined and allowed me to pump gas anyway.

Perce

All the Shell stations in my area have a sign on them about not driving off when using either credit card or debit card to pay for gas unless you are prompted for a receipt. The sign also says that if you drive off and your card is declined you will be subject to the same laws as those that pump and drive off. That would mean you would be arrested for theft and your driver's license would be suspend for 1 year and have to pay the state a 500 dollar reinstatement fee to get it back. Not to mention having to go to court, miss a day of work, be found guilty and have to pay a fine, restitution and court cost. Not worth the hassle.

Word of advice, next time just use it as a credit card instead of a debit card. It will go through and you won't have to enter a pin.

Sarge

On 05/26/05 12:51 am Sarge tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

Good point about using it as a credit card rather than as a debit card. But if, in spite of the message I see on the screen about "authorization in progress" (or words with similar meaning), it allows me to pump gas even though the card has been declined, perhaps it would also allow me to pump gas even though a CC had expired or was already maxed out.

Why is it too difficult (or, as one poster has suggested, undesirable) to program the pump so that, if the wrong PIN is entered, it refuses to pump gas -- perhaps accompanied by a prompt to re-enter the PIN? My bank's ATM knows not to give me cash if I mess up the PIN; why can't the gas pump?

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote: "Good point about using it as a credit card rather than as a debit card. But if, in spite of the message I see on the screen about "authorization in progress" (or words with similar meaning), it allows me to pump gas even though the card has been declined, perhaps it would also allow me to pump gas even though a CC had expired or was already maxed out. Why is it too difficult (or, as one poster has suggested, undesirable) to program the pump so that, if the wrong PIN is entered, it refuses to pump gas -- perhaps accompanied by a prompt to re-enter the PIN? My bank's ATM knows not to give me cash if I mess up the PIN; why can't the gas pump?"

To simple. They want you to come inside to buy other things. Surveys have shown if you have to go inside, you will most likely pickup other things such as drinks, candy, gum, cigarettes, or like in Louisiana some ice cold beer for the ride home from work.

Sarge

If the station operator got your licence plate, you'd probably have received a visit from a nice, but insistent, police officer.

And whose fault is that?

Look, there are a thousand and one reasons NOT to use a debit card for gasoline.... the ones you're singling out are trivial. Use a REAL credit card with fraud protection, not a debit card.

On 05/26/05 04:06 pm Steve tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

That's what I had in mind.

But if I had been informed that the PIN was wrong, I wouldn't have pumped the gas, would I?

Don't forget that (as I mentioned in my original message) the customer service people in the store agreed that the pump's behavior was wrong, and they said they would report it.

I have two "real credit cards" in addition to the card in question, which can be used as either debit card or credit card. But we have tended to used the debit mode for gasoline because the amount is usually far less than other transactions and it reduces the lump sum to paid at the end of the month.

Perce

Did you know that when used in a credit transaction, lots of companies will place a large "hold" against your account which is then removed later? This is typical of car rental agencies, hotels, etc. but can also happen at gas stations. There's no harm no foul when they do this with a CREDIT card, but when they do it with a credit/debit card, depending on how your bank handles it you either wind up with your account frozen until the excess charge is removed, OR you wind up with an overdraft charge.

"Steve" wrote: "Did you know that when used in a credit transaction, lots of companies will place a large "hold" against your account which is then removed later? This is typical of car rental agencies, hotels, etc. but can also happen at gas stations. There's no harm no foul when they do this with a CREDIT card, but when they do it with a credit/debit card, depending on how your bank handles it you either wind up with your account frozen until the excess charge is removed, OR you wind up with an overdraft charge."

I never had this happen at a gas station . My debit card is issued at my bank and does not have a line of credit against it. I have credit card also. I do know that when I use my card as a debit it is taking out of my checking account balance immediately, If I use it as a credit card it will be deducted from my account within a three business days. In order to prevent over draft, you have to keep your check book balanced and know what you have in the bank.

Now on the other hand, some banks charge a fee for debit card usage, excessive usage and some are free. Yet theses same banks do not charge a fee for using it as a credit card. this is mainly because the merchant pays the fees to Visa or MasterCard for using their service.

Sarge