tuphat

Not sure if new thread is warranted, and single DP doesn't make a trend, but --

For years, I could make in -person property tax payments with GCs at my county's treasurer's office, without surcharge. Whatever $200 cards that I accumulated, I took them in every few months & treasurer's POS ate them candy (I live in a high-tax state, unfortunately). Anyway, on my most recent visit, I noticed that their POS swiper looked different, and displayed logo of Elavon merchant processor. It rejected each of several MC GCs that I swiped. To save face, I ultimately used a personal MC-branded debit to make a payment.

I interpreted this experience to be some sort of hard coding against GCs, a la USPS. Wondering if this is something that may be catching on, or (hopefully) just an isolated occurrence.

Huzordaddy

Some places it works, some places it does not. Good for you for experimenting.

ericdabbs

Interesting find. I am not sure if the processor company that the Treasurer uses has any effect since I don't think the processor is the almighty authority on what cards it chooses to select unless being told otherwise. I am sure they are just being told what to do by the county. It could also be that the Treasurer billing department may have ordered a block on certain BINs and it just so happen to be a coincidence. I am pretty sure with the USPS gebit ban I don't think the processor company machine changed at the time but it was due to USPS ordering the processor company to block certain BINs.