Credit Card Security

[Rancher Will]

I have changed how I fuel when required to leave Credit Card with Truck Stop Cashier. Perhaps this might help others.

As most know some truck stops require that a credit card be left with the cashier while fueling, sometimes even asking me to state in advance how many gallons will be pumped. Usually this is where the pump does not accept the card and displays a message, "See Cashier", or similar, when starting to fuel.

I always use an American Express card when fueling our RV and'/or trucks. AMEX is very good about calling me every time there seems to be a suspicious charge on my card. Three times over past years, AMEX has called me shortly after I have purchased diesel fuel, notifying me "that my card has been used to make a suspicious charge", usually at some place where I have not been.

All three instances happened shortly after I had fueled, leaving my AMEX card with a cashier in a truck stop, while fueling. Every time it happened, AMEX immediately canceled the fraudulent charge, re-issues a new card with a new number, and overnight  sends me the new card.

I have learned how to prevent this in the future, thus foiling the fraudster.

I remember that the last time it happened, as each time before, I had refueled that time at a truck stop in Nebraska, leaving my card with the cashier while fueling. About 2 or 3 hours later I received a call from AMEX asking if I had made a charge in New York the same day after the charge in Nebraska. I had not. The New York charges was cancelled and a new card was waiting for me the next day.

Rather than destroy the old card to use the new card I decided to keep both the old and new cards. Now every time I am asked to leave a card with a Cashier while I refuel, I leave the old, void card, knowing that it cannot be used by anyone who may try to make a fraudulent charge. When I have completed fueling, I retrieve the void card from the cashier and make the true charge on the valid card.

This way I have the valid card in my possession at all times and I have it in sight when used so that there is no opportunity for anyone to have access to the valid card while it would be out of my control. I  have had no more problems of fraud use on my card after fueling now for the past couple of years.

I am not accusing any cashier of doing the fraud, but in each instance someone had access to my card while out of my control, Perhaps it was just lying on the counter where someone could see it while I was at the pump, etc. But now I don't care if the void card is left in plain sight. In fact I hope someone has actually tried to fraudulently use the void card to make a fraud charge. They would have been surprised.

 

[Wizard46]

Maybe your suggestion will help some people.

I just use the Pilot/FJ card and don't have to ever go in. All their pumps will take the card and start the pumps, so no having to go in. No interest charges on the card as it must be paid at the end of the month.

Maybe not for everyone but it works for me.

 

[Alfa38User]

EXCELLENT idea!!! I have not been caught like this at a gas pump or elsewhere where I was able to associate the place where the number was picked up. Most times you just never know.

Although it is rare that I fuel up today where I am unable to use a card directly at the pump, I will try and keep this one in mind. If the 'card at the pump' feature does not work I usually move on to another station where it will work.

 

[Ernie n Tara]

We just have them authorize an amount higher than we need and keep the card. They only charge for what you actually get. Works at major truck stops and most, if not all, others. I occasionally check my log against credit card bills to verify proper charges. Haven't found a problem in the five years we've done this.

Ernie

 

[inscop]

Or you could try this:  Keep a supply of small envelopes in your rig.  If you MUST leave a credit card, show them the card, place it in an envelope and seal it.  When you come back in to pay, rip it open and pay.

 

[Rene T]

We just have them authorize an amount higher than we need and keep the card. They only charge for what you actually get. Works at major truck stops and most, if not all, others. I occasionally check my log against credit card bills to verify proper charges. Haven't found a problem in the five years we've done this.

Ernie

I do the same as Ernie. It's kind of a pain because you have to make 2 trips inside but you'd still have to do that to retrieve your card if you left it and get a receipt. I always ask for more knowing the truck will take less. As he said, I only get charged for what I purchased. The thing is, I keep control of my card and  not some shady cashier.

 

[Rene T]

Or you could try this:  Keep a supply of small envelopes in your rig.  If you MUST leave a credit card, show them the card, place it in an envelope and seal it.  When you come back in to pay, rip it open and pay.

You should NEVER have to leave a card. If someone tried that with me, Either I would have my DW come in and stand guard or I would turn and walk away.

 

[Gizmo]

Nice suggestion Rancher Will.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

As soon as the U.S. catches up with Europe and starts using chipped credit cards, which I think is this fall, a credit card will be useless without a PIN.

Wells Fargo has sent us the chipped cards but most of the vendors don't have the PIN terminals activated yet.

 

[thomasamski]

I have an American Express Gold Card and use it rarely because they were questioning my charges too often. Once I was at a business meeting the AMEX refused to charge. It was embarrassing as hell. I understand the security, but they do go overboard. I still have the card, but my bank VISA is my card of choice. As for leaving a card with a cashier ... I don't do that. Ever.

 

[Lou Schneider]

My Bank of America credit card has been upgraded to chipped, but there is no PIN associated with it.

So far Wal-Mart is the only merchant with a chip reader - the rest use the normal mag strip.  One thing I don't like about using the chipped card is you have to insert it into the reader and leave it there until the transaction finishes.  This means you're basically tied to the terminal until the checkout process closes out - you can't just swipe it while the cashier is entering your purchases and then put it back in your wallet.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Kudos to Amex for watching transactions closely, but others are equally good. Chase and BOA are superb at detecting potential fraud on their Visa and MC cards, and Discover is top notch as well.

 

[PopPop51]

Gotta love the strategies posted here. Especially the "old card" and "envelope" methods.
Great examples of the creative wisdom of this forum's members.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

This might be fine and dandy for physically protecting it. But how about logically protecting you card. Like I've already had to change 2 cards because of the places I used them at got hacked. One being Walmart and the other being Home Depot. So if the store gets hacked you still lose your card.

 

[Ernie n Tara]

The above are excellent arguments against using debit cards. Charge card can't lose more then $25 while debit is technically your risk (most banks will not enforce that, but there is no law that says they have to insure the loss).

Ernie

PS You don't have to make two trips with the method I described unless you require a receipt.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

It's called "hardening the target"...any method you use will slow down the fraud but cannot completely eliminate it unless you work with cash.

We have had every card, Chase, Discover, BofA, and our debit card which is ONLY used at a bank teller, breached in the last five years. As Gary mentioned, Chase, Discover, and BofA all have very aggressive fraud algorithms and we have had our new cards immediately. Chase even FedEx'd a card when I told them the mail would not get it to us.

The banks will not explain how your account was breached for obvious security reasons and when you lose one, it really does not make any difference.

A quarter of my work is security hardening and billions of dollars is spent annually to protect Medicare records in a DoD secured enclave with retina scans. For every lock there is a key, however.

Every trick you can pull to keep your account secure is worth it, but it's not a question of if you will be breached, but when. Tough fact of life when little hacker geniuses have nothing better to do than loot millions with a keystroke.

Keep doing your best and the intrusions will be minimal. (And I really like the old card idea although Christi is always at the counter when I fuel.)

Kim

 

[Rene T]

PS You don't have to make two trips with the method I described unless you require a receipt.

It's not that I require a receipt ernie, it's just that I want to see what I got charged for. I don't want to see it when I get my monthly statement. it may be too late then to do anything about it.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

It's called "hardening the target"...any method you use will slow down the fraud but cannot completely eliminate it unless you work with cash.

Majority of the time I use cash and typically carry a weapon... 

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

.....I don't want to see it when I get my monthly statement. it may be too late then to do anything about it.

You don't have to wait for your monthly statement. Just about every bank will allow internet access to your account. I can check my credit card charges daily. It even shows pending charges as they happen.

 

[scottydl]

The above are excellent arguments against using debit cards. Charge card can't lose more then $25 while debit is technically your risk (most banks will not enforce that, but there is no law that says they have to insure the loss).

The user is protected if the card has a Visa/Mastercard logo, AND the user chooses a signature-based purchased (versus the kind that requires a PIN be entered).

I am also a fan of using cash in general.  More accountability for the owner/spender (because when it's gone, it's gone!) and less chance of overspending via "card swipe" syndrome.  But I can understand how it's not always a great idea to carry around $300+ for RV gas tank fillups.