Petrol Station rip off

They will tell you to get stuffed.

this will work if you only put your card in C+P devices.

what happens when you want to withdraw cash abroad?

tim

Fair point, but I'd use a separate card for that. Anyway, this scam isn't happening in foreign cash point machines, so using two cards would dramatically reduce the chance of loss in my case where my petrol transactions outnumber my visits to foreign cash machines by about 300:1. This would be true for most people.

The safest idea is to never use *debit* cards for purchasing goods and only use *credit* cards, as then they can only effectively steal the CCCo's money rather than have a tap direct into your bank account. Also never use DD to pay CC bills and use online banking "bill payment" so there is no chance of accidently paying off a fraudulent transation.

cheers adrian

I like to have all of my cards availabe for an overseas trip in case one of them is stopped due to 'abnormal' use

tim

Why don't you just use cash instead of farting around with a card and holding everyone up? People like you make me sick.

As you probably know, there are to types of machines for chip & PIN cards. There are the standard machines which only reads the chip, as it was supposed to happen with the chip & PIN technology. But there are also the commonly used 'dual' machines which records the magnetic strip at the same time, God knows why? This is the real problem, since the PIN can often be got from the CCTV mounted in the ceiling directly over the counter where payments are made. Hence a clone could be made by a rogue staff, and together with the covertly obtained PIN, and money can be drawn from a far away bank where the chip isn't used.

Businesses claim that they use the dual machines as a fall back in case the customer doesn't have the chip & PIN, as they are reluctant to miss out on business. They may also capture the strip for marketing purposes, enabling them to send junk mail, who knows? E.g. why did TK-maxx have

The sooner the dual machines are scrapped the better; shops could have separate machines for those who still haven't got chip & PIN and want to chance their luck. But I have found that this is controversial between the interests of business and cardholders. Businesses have a thing about wanting to swipe your card regardless.

Wow! I only have one card, to keep things simple and easier monitor any abnormal use or other problems.

Well, it would be there problem, as the op has presented a valid method of payment, it is now a civil debt, pay at your leisure.

Gaz

And spoil one of modern society's greatest pleasures? You jest!

Bitstring , from the wonderful person norm said

You can greatly increase the security of the transaction by using a chip+Sig card, instead. OK, so you can't then draw cash from a hole in the wall - nor can anyone else. Getting cash out with a credit card is bloody stupid anyway, that's what debit cards are for.

• I once had a long argument in a Halfords shop, they wanted to swipe my card AFTER the chip & PIN transaction had successfully completed. The hapless shop assistant said it was necessary in order to open the till... It was really heated with the manager who didn't want to hand over the goods which I had just paid for. In the end I demonstrably walked out without the goods, intending to take the matter up with the card company. At that point, the manager finally give in and handed me the goods.

You should have called the police and had the manager arrested for theft, which is exactly what refusing to hand over goods for which had already paid was.

In fact, never mind the police. You should have arrested him yourself.

For the purposes of this scam the two are the same.

tim

No it isn't. There is no obligation on a shop to accept cards at all. An offer of payment is an 'invitation to treat'. If they don't accept it, there is no sale. If you make off with the goods it will be theft.

Actually, on an earlier visit to Halfords, the shop assistant snapped the card out of my hand and swiped it, as if nothing unusual, even though I had already done the chip & PIN. She was probably used to people willingly handing over their card, as this was how it used to be. However, I was a bit absent minded on that occasion, but I was determined not to let it happen next time. Hence the palaver...

No it isnt. If you make off with the goods without offering payment, then it is theft.

Gaz

If the merchant advertised that it accepts cards, you are quite justified in tendering one in payment. If the magnetic strip on the card doesn't work, you can hardly be convicted of theft as there is no dishonesty on your part. You tendered payment in a method approved by the merchant by his signage and it is most unfortunate that you don't have the necessary cash in your pocket.

I don't think the police would be interested in getting involved as it is a civil matter. On the other hand, if you made a habit of doing this..."

And you get to confuse pretty much everyone working in a shop when the machine asks for a signature. The number of times I`ve signed for my goods, then been given my signed slip back with my receipt and walked away is crazy. I`ve not queried any of these transactions, although I`d be interested to see what the result would be as there would be no way they could possibly supply a slip signed by me, since it would be in my wallet. You`d have thought that they`d have trained staff for this really wouldn`t you?