Need a Zip Code to Pay for Fuel at the Pump in California
 

This might seem a bit paranoid, but with all the reports of credit card fraud these days, this should be a concern for non-Americans travelling in the US.

In southern California (at least), it seems that at every gas pump you are asked to enter your zip code to authorise your credit card. As someone who doesn't have a f*#@ing zip code, this is a problem. The only way out is to leave your card with the attendant. Given that gas stations are a common place where cards are scanned for fraudulent purposes, I hate leaving a card with someone and then turning my back on them.

I've been either leaving my DL with the attendant, or if that won't do, leave them with another card (which I don't use for travel) as security, then pay with my business card. If a fraudulent charge ever shows up on the wrong card, at least it will catch my attention.

Anyone come across a way around this?

I experienced the same type of problem with some stations' gas pumps in Flordia, last August.

Yah there are these rectangular pieces of printed cloth/paper that you can use to pay for things...

Good one Bytepusher... but since when had $ been printed on cloth?

Give him $40 in cash to hold onto until your done. Then pay for the gas with your credit card and get your biills back. In Vegas, don't even think about buying gas without doing the dance!

DF

The actual verification seems to apply to US-issued cards only, but the system still demands 5 digits from everybody. So far '00000' has worked for me (several times at different gas stations).

Well eventually no foreigners will be allowed to enter the U.S. anyway so it makes sense. :p

Chevron by any chance? I encounter this problem mainly with stations affliated to that brand in WA.

90210 works just fine for my Canadian issued card :p

Yeah, experienced this in California many times. Same with Arizona and Florida, but it depends on which vendor you buy your gas from.
It's funny, I never really thought of it as anything more than a nuisance, but since it was brought up, I'd give my two cents here :)

I agree with a couple of the other replies, most any 5 digits will likely work. Some stores in the US ask for the zip code also, I think it's just a way for the company to track the regions their customers are from, for marketing and management purposes.


I like the 90210 option, if a lot of people do that they'd think all their customers were from Beverly Hills :D

I like the 90210 option, if a lot of people do that they'd think all their customers were from Oakville :cool: :p ;)

If it was all zeros would they be thinking YSB? :p

I like it.
Remember the phone calls I need to make ;) hate to get you a wrong number :D

I ran into this in Phoenix in December. The attendant at the station actually told me the 00000 trick.