Unauthorized Use of Shell Gift Card - Colony Shell

[pklein9747]

For those of you who use the Shell gift cards to pay for your gas for your cart or your card at the Shell station in Colony, be aware that one of the cards we purchased was recently hacked.

We purchased a Shell gift card at Publix at the end of June when they last ran there Spend $50, get a $50 gas card for $40. We used the card on June 30 to put $9.25 worth of gas in the golf cart and then did not use the card again until this morning when we wanted to fill the cart again. Imagine our surprise when the pump told us there was a $0.00 balance! I checked online and, sure enough, the balance was $0. I called the number on the back of the card and spoke with a representative who checked and informed us there had been 2 more charges with the card...one for $20.75 in Tavares on July 1 and another for $20 on July 7 back in the Colony service center. We know we did not use the card at all during this time as we only use Colony to fill the golf cart...we fill the car at Sam's Club on 441. Shell will look into this. I will also inform the manager at the Colony service center.

Don't know how these people do this and get the number and use it, but it sure p---s me off :grumpy:

[villagetinker]

I would file a police report, as this sounds like a case where a skimmer was installed.

[BobnBev]

Could be a dishonest employee @ the station.:22yikes:

[Villager Joyce]

We use the same cards so we can get the cash price. Very sorry you lost your money.

[yabbadu]

That is the reason that I never use a Debit card or a prepaid since you do not have protection from unauthorized purchases. Also with a Credit Card you have fraud protection as well as Theft / Lost protection options.
Hope you get your money back.

[Teryl1949]

Kinda ditto here... so far. We also got a $0 reading on two cards, one purchased at Publix $50 and a second one purchased at Best Buy$25. However when we called the # on the cards it said the totals were still there. Strange to be sure but I kind of think the problem is at the Colony Shell.

[dbussone]

Kinda ditto here... so far. We also got a $0 reading on two cards, one purchased at Publix $50 and a second one purchased at Best Buy$25. However when we called the # on the cards it said the totals were still there. Strange to be sure but I kind of think the problem is at the Colony Shell.


I've had issues at Colony She'll as well. Most recently I had $1.52 per gallon removed from my Fuel Perks card.

[Shimpy]

I would file a police report, as this sounds like a case where a skimmer was installed.

The shell station on the corner of 301 and 44 and the two stations on 466 have new pumps that have a sign saying something to the effect that these pumps are credit card safe. I'll only use these stations. The one at Colony doesn't even have the tape strip to seal the door for access to the inside....

[pklein9747]

I approached the owner of the Colony Shell to inform him of what occurred. He immediately became defensive, took out a key, took me over to the pump that was used the last time we used the shell gift card, opened it and showed me some wires inside that he said keep the pump from being hacked. He said he checks the pumps all the time. Personally...I think he protesteth too much. He was not kind. Wish there was somewhere closer to fill up the cart :(

On a brighter note, after speaking with someone at Shell Gift Card Central and faxing them over a copy of the card and our last receipt, they have already gotten back to me and are sending me a card with the $40.75 that was stolen from us. That is great customer service!!!!

[D&Lsunfun]

After using a credit card at Colony Shell, we had unauthorized charges on the card. The credit card company canceled the card, removed the charges and sent a new card UPS the next day. Besides being higher than most on the fuel, I don't feel safe using the credit card machines at the pumps at this Shell station.

[KeepingItReal]

Wish there was somewhere closer to fill up the cart :(




You are in luck today.....no reason to go back there.

I have not been to Colony Shell since the new Pinellas Marathon store opened months back. It is in front of the Pinellas Winn Dixie in the row with the banks. Super nice people and super clean store. They have the ethanol free recreation fuel too if you want it.

Also the Villages golf cart store at Sumpter and Brownwood both have gas pumps for golf carts only.

[pklein9747]

You are in luck today.....no reason to go back there.

I have not been to Colony Shell since the new Pinellas Marathon store opened months back.
They have the recreation fuel too if you want it.

Also the Villages golf cart store at Sumpter and Brownwood both have gas pumps for golf carts only.



Thanks...I forgot about the new pumps at Sumter & Brownwood.

[wendyquat]

I'm still trying to figure out how you would charge anything without having the actual card in your possession? I can see online or telephone purchases but I don't know how you could use it at a gas station without the card!

[justjim]

I'm still trying to figure out how you would charge anything without having the actual card in your possession? I can see online or telephone purchases but I don't know how you could use it at a gas station without the card!

:D. I'm inclined to agree with you. I don't understand how this can happen without having possession of the gift card. How did a charge get on your card in Tavares??

[dbussone]

:D. I'm inclined to agree with you. I don't understand how this can happen without having possession of the gift card. How did a charge get on your card in Tavares??


If a skimmer had recorded the information off a card, as well as PIN number and or Zip code, it allows the hacker to make a faked card with a legitimate account number.

[kittygilchrist]

I like the folks at Colony and also sympathize with anyone who has had problems with their gift cards, but these are really unsubstantiated suspicions about the staff aren't they?
This is a note against shunning a business without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

[rexxfan]

Agreed, all signs point to a skimmer. Those who don't know what a skimmer is, see All About Skimmers (http://krebsonsecurity.com/all-about-skimmers/).
--
bc

[Shimpy]

...

[joldnol]

they come in two pieces....one that can be scanned at the pump and a smaller one that can be scanned in the station. Did you tear off the samaller one and throw it away at the station? I almost did that and realized the smaller card could be used also.

[Sable99]

I'm still trying to figure out how you would charge anything without having the actual card in your possession? I can see online or telephone purchases but I don't know how you could use it at a gas station without the card!

This did NOT happen to me in TV, but recently someone used my BP card ithree times n Italy for gas and hotels in Kansas and Minnesota in two days. When the bank called to say they were cancelling my card, I asked how they could get gas without a card. They told me the really good ones copy the cards and obviously more than one person got my information! They automatically cancelled all of my out-of-state charges. Unfortunately, one of the out-of-state charges was for my lawn service in TV!

[Bay Kid]

You are in luck today.....no reason to go back there.

I have not been to Colony Shell since the new Pinellas Marathon store opened months back. It is in front of the Pinellas Winn Dixie in the row with the banks. Super nice people and super clean store. They have the ethanol free recreation fuel too if you want it.

Also the Villages golf cart store at Sumpter and Brownwood both have gas pumps for golf carts only.



Pinellas Marathon is also a villager owner! That's keeping busy local.