# Gas pumps and pre pay **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791 "2011-09-10T03:48:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/21 "2011-09-11T23:53:10Z")
I hate prepay. There’s one gas station left in my town that lets people pump before paying in cash. I have a debt card I use almost exclusively for gas now, but I still go to that gas station as much as possible out of principle. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/22 "2011-09-12T06:23:17Z")
> [@FoundWaldo](#): > > Using credit cards at gas stations is an extremely common way to test stolen (or fraudulently generated) cards. Try a small transaction at a gas station (which requires no interaction with a human, and gives instant approval or denial), and if it works, you know you have a good card. Then you go make your larger fraudulent transactions elsewhere. Because of this, some gas stations receive an enormous volume of chargebacks. Chargebacks not only cost them money, but can result in their ability to accept credit cards being revoked completely. Requiring the cardholder to enter the billing zip code, which is then checked as part of the authorization, is an easy way to dramatically reduce this type of fraud. I don’t see how requiring the zip code deters thieves at all. If they have my credit card, they probably got it by stealing my wallet. That contains a drivers license with my current address, including zip code. As well as other pieces of identification that have my address on them. So I can’t see what this prevents. Even if they didn’t have my drivers license, they could look my name up online and find my address. (Criminals know how to use the Internet, too.) ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/23 "2011-09-12T16:52:36Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I don’t see how requiring the zip code deters thieves at all. If they have my credit card, they probably got it by stealing my wallet. That contains a drivers license with my current address, including zip code. As well as other pieces of identification that have my address on them. So I can’t see what this prevents. > > Even if they didn’t have my drivers license, they could look my name up online and find my address. (Criminals know how to use the Internet, too.) The mistake you make is assuming most fraudulent credit cards involve stealing the actual card. Most involve stealing the number and making a fake card. I guess the zip code isn’t on the mag stripe on the back of the card. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/24 "2011-09-12T17:40:01Z")
Yeah, there was a gas station on the main road to Orlando Airport where I tried to fillup last year; it required a zip code and unlike the NYC Subway MetroCard sales units, it would not accept 00000 for an out-of-country card. Even indoors, it would not accept the code. I find it hard to believe that in Orland,right by the airport, they do not get a lot of out-of-country tourist customers. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/25 "2011-09-12T17:52:05Z")
Eventually, we may change over to chip and PIN cards in the US, and the issue goes away. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/26 "2011-09-12T18:20:39Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Me too. Any station that assumes I am a thief, and treats me that way, doesn’t get my business. Especially ones that make me come inside and wait in line to leave my credit card, go outside and fill my tank, then come back in and wait in line again to pay. I just drive off and go elsewhere. Around here you’d be out of luck then. I’ve lived in the south for about 10 years, and it’s pretty rare that you find a gas station in this part of the country that let’s you pump without prepaying. I grew up in the Midwest, and back in the 90s, when I started driving, it was actually the opposite up there, in that it was pretty rare that a station would require you to prepay. That’s changing, though - judging by the last of couple of times I’ve been home, it seems to be about 50/50 postpay/prepay. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/27 "2011-09-12T19:05:36Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Yeah, there was a gas station on the main road to Orlando Airport where I tried to fillup last year; it required a zip code and unlike the NYC Subway MetroCard sales units, it would not accept 00000 for an out-of-country card. Even indoors, it would not accept the code. I find it hard to believe that in Orland,right by the airport, they do not get a lot of out-of-country tourist customers. Did the station post their prices? There are some stations on 436 that are notorious price gougers. [http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/p.p?a=rp&m=b&postId=671855&curAbsIndex=2&resultsUrl=DID%3D1%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A41%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A5645%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D10](http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/p.p?a=rp&m=b&postId=671855&curAbsIndex=2&resultsUrl=DID%3D1%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A41%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A5645%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D10) It is axiomatic that crooks will assume other people are dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/28 "2011-09-12T21:32:42Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Did the station post their prices? There are some stations on 436 that are notorious price gougers. > > [http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/p.p?a=rp&m=b&postId=671855&curAbsIndex=2&resultsUrl=DID%3D1%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A41%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A5645%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D10](http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/p.p?a=rp&m=b&postId=671855&curAbsIndex=2&resultsUrl=DID%3D1%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A41%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A5645%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D10) > > It is axiomatic that crooks will assume other people are dishonest. What’s the point of gouging tourists if you won’t even accept payment from them? I could NOT use my VIsa card at that pump. I had to go to another gas station. Of course gas stations near the airport raise their prices - since people usually need to return the rental car full. (Holy cow! $2/gal more? Does nobody read the pumps, or do those lie too?) ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/29 "2011-09-12T22:27:11Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > What’s the point of gouging tourists if you won’t even accept payment from them? > > I could NOT use my VIsa card at that pump. I had to go to another gas station. > > Of course gas stations near the airport raise their prices - since people usually need to return the rental car full. > (Holy cow! $2/gal more? Does nobody read the pumps, or do those lie too?) I figure if you are trying to defraud someone, then you want to make sure they aren’t using a bogus check, since they are the least likely to care, since they are going to stiff you anyway. I a lot of people aren’t looking at the pump anyway, especially if they are in a hurry or on an expense account. You will notice that there were enough complaints from tourists that the city made it illegal for gas stations not to post their prices in a prominent location. I suspect that what ever Avis or Hertz charges to fill up your tank would be cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791/30 "2011-09-13T00:42:12Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > It’s the other way around too, **Hari** - some tanks up here won’t take US credit cards, though there’s no requirement to give the postal code that I know of. My US credit cards are always accepted in the GTA. I only have problems along the 401 (say, near Ingersoll) where I can’t pay at the pump, but at least I don’t have to pre-pay there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gas-pumps-and-pre-pay/595791.md?page=1)