[lightworker888]

My husband mentioned that today and I am going to get a Shell card. Just wish that I could use it in Canada too. Will have to check on it again but the last time I checked it was just for th US. Good strategy for avoiding compromising cards.

LW888

[NottaVillager]

One thing I noticed on Friday when we had lunch at Chili's..they now have these little machines at the table which allows you to swipe your own card and pay your own bill right at the table without the card ever leaving your hands. Nice idea!

[NoMoSno]

Originally Posted by NottaVillager

One thing I noticed on Friday when we had lunch at Chili's..they now have these little machines at the table which allows you to swipe your own card and pay your own bill right at the table without the card ever leaving your hands. Nice idea!

As it should be.
Europe has been doing this for years.
Cash has worked fine for us, at gas stations.

[BnCinME]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Light - thank you for sharing this information. The minute I read your post, which was worded very carefully not to place blame, I thought boy is she going to get slammed. You did a public service and thank you - it's good to alert your neighbors when there is a problem of this nature so we can all be more aware.

Please don't shoot the messenger! This is the second post today where a fellow Villager was just trying to make us aware of unfortunate situations they have encountered so we can be on the look out.

[Sable99]

When I lived in Virginia, I used to get gas at either Mobile or Exxon. You could get from them a black key fob (for lack of the real name) to be placed on your key ring that could be linked to any credit card you wanted. When you got gas, you pressed the key fob to a certain place on the pump. You didn't have to get your credit card out. It was quick and easy and seemed safer to me.

I really loved it at the time of the DC sniper shootings when everyone was checking out the people at the other pumps! You didn't have to go inside to pay! And, getting gas was quick and easy.

I could never figure out why more gas companies didn't offer this key fob. I know it probably cost them more money, but somethings are worth the cost.

[casita37]

Thanks for the heads up, lightworker. You were not slamming anyone....just relaying the facts. I appreciate it.

I buy the gas cards whenever Publix runs their $10 discount ($50 card for $40). I buy as many as allowed....you have to buy $50 in groceries for each card, so that's when I stock up on paper towels, cat liter, dish soap, etc., etc. I pay the bill at Publix with my credit card, so I still get my points but don't worry about the pump being rigged, or any other problem..Just hope there's never a problem at Publix!!

[lightworker888]

Thanks casita. What gas cards do you mean? That sounds like a plan. I looked into the shell cards and the discount ones are like debit cards to that doesn'r work for me. I use Publix so your idea might work. Is there an expiry date on the cards? we are in town in the Spring and Fall so I would prefer no expiry date. thanks for any info.

LW888

[casita37]

Originally Posted by lightworker888

Thanks casita. What gas cards do you mean? That sounds like a plan. I looked into the shell cards and the discount ones are like debit cards to that doesn'r work for me. I use Publix so your idea might work. Is there an expiry date on the cards? we are in town in the Spring and Fall so I would prefer no expiry date. thanks for any info.

LW888

No expiration date. Basically, they are like $50 gift cards. They have Shell and Racetrac. Publix runs the special about once a month or 6 weeks. No set date, you just have to check the Thursday flyer to see if there's a coupon. Don't really need the coupon, and even if I didn't see the Thur. paper, I always ask if they are on special. Sometimes the checker will even ask if I want one, if I go over $50.

[NottaVillager]

Originally Posted by Sable99

When I lived in Virginia, I used to get gas at either Mobile or Exxon. You could get from them a black key fob (for lack of the real name) to be placed on your key ring that could be linked to any credit card you wanted. When you got gas, you pressed the key fob to a certain place on the pump. You didn't have to get your credit card out. It was quick and easy and seemed safer to me.

I really loved it at the time of the DC sniper shootings when everyone was checking out the people at the other pumps! You didn't have to go inside to pay! And, getting gas was quick and easy.

I could never figure out why more gas companies didn't offer this key fob. I know it probably cost them more money, but somethings are worth the cost.

I believe that the Exxon version is called Express-Pass. However..if there's an illegal skimmer attached to the pump, it will still steal your information. And since those key fobs are a radio transmission from the fob to the pump people have been known to collect the info with special radio receivers placed nearby. Again if you are using the gas dealer's card...Exxon, Mobil, Shell, etc..unless you have a commercial fueling card the credit limits are usually around $500, and as I mentioned earlier if they steal the info off your gas card, you can't use an Exxon or BP card to buy things at WalMart or Best Buy. If you're going to use your MC, Visa, Discover or AmEx and you are worried about pump security, just go into the store and have the attendant swipe your card for you at the register.

[Sable99]

Originally Posted by NottaVillager

I believe that the Exxon version is called Express-Pass. However..if there's an illegal skimmer attached to the pump, it will still steal your information. And since those key fobs are a radio transmission from the fob to the pump people have been known to collect the info with special radio receivers placed nearby. Again if you are using the gas dealer's card...Exxon, Mobil, Shell, etc..unless you have a commercial fueling card the credit limits are usually around $500, and as I mentioned earlier if they steal the info off your gas card, you can't use an Exxon or BP card to buy things at WalMart or Best Buy. If you're going to use your MC, Visa, Discover or AmEx and you are worried about pump security, just go into the store and have the attendant swipe your card for you at the register.

I use a BP card now and my balance is a lot more than $500. I put all my charges on that card and pay them every month. And, yes I use it at the grocery store, etc. I even paid my annual Stellar services with it. I think the lowest I paid for gas this past year was $1.67 a gallon because of that card!

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by Sable99

I use a BP card now and my balance is a lot more than $500. I put all my charges on that card and pay them every month. And, yes I use it at the grocery store, etc. I even paid my annual Stellar services with it. I think the lowest I paid for gas this past year was $1.67 a gallon because of that card!

I think if you look closely at your "BP" card, you will find somewhere on the card that it is really a VISA or MASTERCARD.

[NottaVillager]

Originally Posted by Sable99

I use a BP card now and my balance is a lot more than $500. I put all my charges on that card and pay them every month. And, yes I use it at the grocery store, etc. I even paid my annual Stellar services with it. I think the lowest I paid for gas this past year was $1.67 a gallon because of that card!

Have you got a BP card that is co-branded as a Visa or MC? What I'm talking about is a gas company's credit card that isn't good for anything but purchasing fuel and items at their stores.

[mjfg154]

In reading this post, I find it interesting that the compromised card was at a gas station on route 466. A few weeks ago, we also bought gas on route 466, but it was the Shell closest to Bob Evans restaurant. Within and hour 600 in 3 $200 charges w charged at at Racetrack station fast station in Orlando! We were called by American Express when the 3rd 200 charge was needing to be approved. We weren't even home. I talked to the gas station and asked them to check to see if something was on the reader. They said they would and that sometimes just the signal from the pump to the computer to record the transaction is compromised in transition. Maybe there is someone or group working the route 466 area stations. We did use and end pump as all the others were so busy. For some reason a person we told about this mentioned that they never use the end pumps and always use the middle ones as the middle pumps are in more view of the workers in the storefront.
Anyway, I just thought I would interject that it is probably not the gas station personal, but someone that is clever enough to keep moving about.

[NewGal]

Got a notice from my bank today about my debit card having been compromised and they would reissue a new one on xxx date. Every merchant big and small seems to have vulnerabilities these days! Make sure you monitor your accounts, really all you can do anymore.

[NewGal]

really sorry that happened to you mjfg, feels so icky when you get violated like that