Gas price SCAM!!!

[Ron]

I was out running errands today and noticed the I needed to stop for gas. There was a Citgo station that was convenient and their sign showed 91 octane for $2.91 so I stopped.(I usually try to avoid Citgo because of the Venezuela thing but I made an exception)
While I was pumping I noticed that the price showing on the pump was $2.96.
After checking the sign I noticed that the $2.91 price was for CASH or CITGO CREDIT CARD purchases. No mention was made that debit card purchases were .05 higher.
I stopped pumping and now have another reason to drive by Citgo stations.
This is the first time I have seen this Scam pulled. Has anyone else had this happen?
Once burned, twice shy.
Ron

[DOOPHUS]

Originally Posted by Ron

I was out running errands today and noticed the I needed to stop for gas. There was a Citgo station that was convenient and their sign showed 91 octane for $2.91 so I stopped.(I usually try to avoid Citgo because of the Venezuela thing but I made an exception)
While I was pumping I noticed that the price showing on the pump was $2.96.
After checking the sign I noticed that the $2.91 price was for CASH or CITGO CREDIT CARD purchases. No mention was made that debit card purchases were .05 higher.
I stopped pumping and now have another reason to drive by Citgo stations.
This is the first time I have seen this Scam pulled. Has anyone else had this happen?
Once burned, twice shy.
Ron

Very interesting, Ron

This scam (or "policy") was fairly common a few years ago but I thought The Feds stepped in and declared it ILLEGAL to charge a premium depending on the form of payment. The option is to only accept certain forms.

If not The Feds maybe it was a State or Local thing.

! ! ! ! ! !

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by DOOPHUS

Very interesting, Ron

This scam (or "policy") was fairly common a few years ago but I thought The Feds stepped in and declared it ILLEGAL to charge a premium depending on the form of payment. The option is to only accept certain forms.

If not The Feds maybe it was a State or Local thing.

! ! ! ! ! !

[WOW_FCTR]

Originally Posted by DOOPHUS

Very interesting, Ron

This scam (or "policy") was fairly common a few years ago but I thought The Feds stepped in and declared it ILLEGAL to charge a premium depending on the form of payment. The option is to only accept certain forms.

If not The Feds maybe it was a State or Local thing.

! ! ! ! ! !

Let's see what I found today from FDIC:

§ 167. Use of cash discounts

(a)(1) With respect to credit card which may be used for extensions of credit in sales transactions in which the seller is a person other than the card issuer, the card issuer may not, by contract or otherwise, prohibit any such seller from offering a discount to a cardholder to induce the cardholder to pay by cash, check, or similar means rather than use a credit card.
(2) No seller in any sales transaction may impose a surcharge on a cardholder who elects to use a credit card in lieu of payment by cash, check, or similar means.
(b) With respect to any sales transaction, any discount from the regular price offered by the seller for the purpose of inducing payment by cash, checks, or other means not involving the use of an open-end credit plan or a credit card shall not constitute a finance charge as determined under section 106, if such discount is offered to all prospective buyers and its availability is disclosed clearly and conspicuously.

http://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws...0.html#6500167

ALSO for VISA:
Always honor valid Visa cards in your acceptance category, regardless of the
dollar amount of the purchase. Imposing minimum or maximum purchase
amounts in order to accept a Visa card transaction is a violation of the Visa rules.

http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/rules_for_visa_merchants.pdf?it=il|/business/accepting_visa/support_center/tips_tools_downloads.html|Rules%20for%20Visa%20Merchants


MasterCard:
9.12.3 Minimum/Maximum Transaction Amount Prohibited
A merchant must not require, or post signs indicating that it requires, a
minimum or maximum transaction amount to accept a valid MasterCard card.

http://www.mastercard.com/us/wce/PDF...ire_Manual.pdf



So what I gather is the Minimums for Credit Cards illegal. Cash discounts not illegal. Surcharges for credit purchases illegal. Got all That

[Dragon2U]

Originally Posted by Ron

I was out running errands today and noticed the I needed to stop for gas. There was a Citgo station that was convenient and their sign showed 91 octane for $2.91 so I stopped.(I usually try to avoid Citgo because of the Venezuela thing but I made an exception)
While I was pumping I noticed that the price showing on the pump was $2.96.
After checking the sign I noticed that the $2.91 price was for CASH or CITGO CREDIT CARD purchases. No mention was made that debit card purchases were .05 higher.
I stopped pumping and now have another reason to drive by Citgo stations.
This is the first time I have seen this Scam pulled. Has anyone else had this happen?
Once burned, twice shy.
Ron

I've seen many stations advertise a cash savings around GA. In fact the Pilot stations on I75 have signs that flash both prices, CASH and then it switches to CREDIT. I can see the cash savings, the gas station has to pay for credit card transactions. I think the cash savings should be more as the credit cards charge a high fee, the 3 or 4 cent savings is actually putting more money in the gas stations hands.

WOW_FCTR - Good find

[SSRHEARTBEAT]

[QUOTE=Dragon2U;332368]I've seen many stations advertise a cash savings around GA. In fact the Pilot stations on I75 have signs that flash both prices, CASH and then it switches to CREDIT. I can see the cash savings, the gas station has to pay for credit card transactions. I think the cash savings should be more as the credit cards charge a high fee, the 3 or 4 cent savings is actually putting more money in the gas stations hands.

I'm OK as long a both prices are advertised. I can then make my choice.

I had almost the same thing last week in GA while getting Diesel heading down to FL as in:

sign stated a price.
pump stated the same price.
NO sign regarding credit price or cards.
Went in to pay with card to "NON-American, NOT very good English speaking guy wearing a towell". He/it told me the price was several $$ more than the pump showed and pointed to a small sign over his towell on the wall stating an 8 cent up charge for credit cards. I said NO WAY. He said he would call the Police. I offered to dial the number for him and told him I was going to file charges on him, showed him my badge . He backed off and spoke much better english. He charged my card the exact amount as on the pump. I called my card company and told them not to authorize any other charge from that station. I took a picture of his business license and told him I would follow through with the charges if he tried this ever again.

Don't know what he did to the next credit card customer, but He knew I meant Business. The process took longer than what you just read.

I felt better the rest of the day. David


"AMERICA, LOVE IT and SPEAK IT or LEAVE IT"

and that's all I've got to say about that.

Still would give just about anything to be able to "TOUCH" Herbert Brown of Evanston Wyoming who I bought Kim's from.

SSRHEARTBEAT