jerry305

(My apologies if repeated elsewhere. Mods, feel free to move this.)


Nearly all gas stations I visit in the US require the credit card holder to type in their zip code on the keypad at the pump.

I'm from Canada. I don't have a zip code. It's impossible for me to buy gas in the US without the good graces of a clerk to manually override it. Occasionally, I have to leave a pile of cash as a deposit and go back to the pump.

These pumps are everywhere in the US, including locations just south of the Canadian border. I assume they're just north of the Mexican border, too.

Each year, about 20 million Canadians visit the US; that's over half the population. And even if American gas station owners don't like our currency (currently at par), when we pay by credit card, we pay in US dollars.

I have so many questions:

• Why does the entire US gas station industry assume that 100% of their customers are Americans?
• Does every gas station owner not want my business?
• Who should I be angry at: service station owners? chains?
• Are there some chains that don't have these machines?
• Is there a workaround or magic 5-digit override code I can use?
• If I tell my Canadian CC issuer to send me statements electronically, so they don't actually have to mail me anything, can I change my postal code to a (fake) 5-digit zip code, just to appease these machines?

HomerJ

...they will give you a generic zip code you can enter so this wont be a problem.
We have a place in AZ, and I ran into the same issue, they issued my this generic zip code and I haven't had an issue since.
The code may be different depending on the type of CC you use.
You may be able just to google it (I'm just to damn lazy).

djk7

My understanding is that the reason why that do it is that stolen credit cards (or bogus ones made from stolen numbers) are often tried at gas pumps first before being used in face to face transactions.

I have had card numbers compromised, and both times they were used at gas stations before being used elsewhere.

J. Leslie

Take your postal code, strip off the letters and add two zeros.
Example, if your postal code is A1B 2C3, enter 12300 - voila! Pump will now work.

YVR Cockroach

FYI, this seems to work in border states (WA to be specific) but doesn't seem to work further afield (e.g., FL).

Frorose

We drive the Toronto through to Florida route every year via 77/95/ etc.

We have had luck with Shell stations through most of the route. The odd time you'll get one that doesn't accept.

BP generally never accepts cdn cards at the pump.

We've only ever found one Shell station in Georgia that accepts at the pump.

In Florida we signed up for Racetrack pay inside card which when swiped allows us to fill up and pay inside after the fact.

Not sure if this is reflective across the board but we have had far more luck with Shell than any other chain.

We could however use our cards throughout Europe at the pump. (thank you chip and pin)

Palal

Unlike Canada (and the rest of the civilized world) the US does not have chip+pin, so the zip code sort of acts as a pin to verify that the owner (or someone who knows the owner's zip code :-/) is using the gas pump. I assume you've tried just putting in a random zip code, right? If that doesn't work, and the methods above don't work, you're at the mercy of the cashier.

I have the same complaint that you have about pumps in many places that are exclusively chip+pin, as a mag-stripe American CC does not work in those. Thankfully, I have a couple of EU-issued cards that let me buy whatever I need most of the time.

A bit off topic: It's interesting -- my Chip+pin card that is issued in Portugal turns into a chip+signature card in France, but works fine as a chip+pin card in Spain.

SeriouslyLost

I want some enterprising Canadian to take advantage of US law and sue the gas companies for discrimination on the basis of national origin. Too many companies in the US think only in US terms and norms and leave themselves open to lawsuits as a result.

Then again, I have to earn a living fixing their process mistakes, so I guess I don't want them to get it right too much.

emcampbe

To be fair, there are some stations in Toronto that don't accept non-Canadian cards. I've seen signs at some noting this, though I've never tried using my US card at one to see what happens. Ironically, one that does this is the shell right across from the entrance to YYZ.

As for a lawsuit, good luck with that.

Frorose

Yes but there are very few pumps that won't let you fill up without paying first. We are still pretty much on the honour system up here *at least until after 11pm*, where you pay after filling.

EuropeanPete

The New York subway system has the same request. I once tried 10010 on a whim and it worked and I've used it on a couple other systems which have required a zip code since.

ansh25

> Who should I be angry at: service station owners? chains?

You missed the most important one there - credit card networks. I am pretty sure that is a requirement forced on by Visa/MC to prevent fraud.

Finkface

I regularly fill up in the US, many different states. I have never been refused using the 3 numbers from my postal code plus 00. i.e. postal code is X1X 2Y3. Your 'zip code' for the pump is 12300. Hasn't failed me yet.

Doc Savage

This is the reason.

You may just have to pay inside. A bit of a PITA, but is it really all that bad as long as they will take your card?

sparksals

I witnessed a fellow Canadian make a complete ... of herself in Grand Forks ND last year. She made a scene at the cash register saying the place didn't welcome Canadians. She