Credit cards cut off gas purchases

By IEVA M. AUGSTUMS, AP Business Writer Fri Jun 15, 11:41 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - So you're at the gas station filling up your vehicle, and without warning the gas pump shuts off. What? The tank isn't full, and you know your credit card isn't over its limit.

"Using my Visa card, I commonly hit a limit and I would be standing there scratching my head," Shawn Bloomfield, who pumps premium gas into his SUV, said from his home in Allentown, Pa. "I would always assume it is the gas station setting a limit on how much gas I could purchase. It felt like a ration scenario."

As the price of gasoline continues to rise, rules to prevent credit card fraud at the nation's pumps are confusing consumers who just want a full tank of gas.

Caps on transaction amounts — or the total dollar amount of gas a customer can pump into their car — are limiting some drivers of gas-guzzling vehicles.

"When I go to the gas station I now have to use two credit cards just for one tank of gas," said Paul Brisgone of Oxford, Pa. "Kind of defeats the convenience of pay-at-the-pump."

Brisgone, a field operations manager for a telecommunications company, said he alternates between three different credit cards — two Visa and one MasterCard — when filling up the 32-gallon tank in his Ford F-150 pickup.

"When I can go 400 miles a day, it inconveniences me if I need a full tank of gas and can't get one," Brisgone said.

Credit card companies say the policies, which aren't new, are designed to ensure that merchants and consumers are protected from fraudulent transactions that could occur at a gas pump.

When a customer uses their credit card at a cardholder-activated terminal, such as a gas pump, the transaction is authorized without knowing the final bill of sale.

Typically, consumers who use their credit card are not liable for any fraudulent purchases, and gas merchants are not liable either.

But credit card companies have established a protective layer by setting caps on how much gas a consumer can pump at any one given time.

That means in the event of any fraud, "the merchant is protected from bearing the cost of the fraudulent transaction," said MasterCard spokeswoman Joanne Trout.

But only up to a certain amount.

For MasterCard customers, it's $75. Visa and Discover users have a $50 pay-at-the-pump limit. Transaction limits vary for corporate card holders and American Express users.

Not all gas stations have to abide by the cap. And there are no limits if a customer goes inside and pays with their credit card at the counter.

The caps went unnoticed when gasoline prices were low.

"We get more calls, questions, when gas prices increase," said Visa spokeswoman Rhonda Bentz.

The average price of regular unleaded gasoline increased from $1.50 a gallon at the start of the decade to $2.28 a gallon in 2005, according to the American Automobile Association.

Today, gasoline prices are topping $3 a gallon.

"Yes, it's an inconvenience," said Bloomfield, who often reaches his $50 limit when filling up his Nissan Pathfinder. "I guess you could say it's a necessary inconvenience for more secure transactions."

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Ok let's talk about what this really means! Try to stay with me as I walk you through this propaganda matrix of lies and deceit.

Don't be fooled by the "It's the cost of gas, and fraud by credit card thief's, that we have added this new "Security" measure to protect our card holders." What this really is, is an attempt to trick gas buyers into using the new "ID DEBT CARD". That's right, it is a lie and they will get some of you.

You can now sign up to use your Drivers Licenes to buy gas and save on average .10$ per gallon.
Sound like a wonderful idea? Well don't be fooled! There are a few things you need to know about this.

1. This is leading American's into a cashless society
2. Using the ID Card to buy anything allows "Big Brother" to see your every purchase
3. Who is to say that, "Big Brother" will not try to push this to all areas of buying?

Let me break down the scam for you.

You might be thinking to yourself, "Why would credit card companies do this? Don't they think they will lose customers if they keep getting cut off, and lose millions of dollars?" Well my friends, that is the point. They want you to move to the "ID Card". Why you ask? Because the same people that own all the credit cards, also own the Federal Reserve! That's right, you may have never thought about it before, but it is true.

Visa is a brand of credit card and debit card operated by the Visa International Service Association of San Francisco, California, USA, an economic joint venture of 21,000 financial institutions that issue and market Visa products.

MasterCard is a membership organization owned by the 25,000+ financial institutions that issue its card. MasterCard is also the company's brand of credit cards. It was originally created by United California Bank, Wells Fargo, Crocker National Bank, and the Bank of California as a competitor to the BankAmericard issued by Bank of America. BankAmericard is now the VISA credit card, issued by Visa International.

And where do they get all their money from and are protected by? That's right The Federal Reserve! There is one place I have found on the internet where you can sign up for this and it is called Rollback Price and you can see who owns it here.

Alex Jones recently had Joe Randazza on his show and Randazza admitted on the show that the funds are tracked by the Federal Reserve, which points back to my earlier points.

The credit card companies all work for the Federal Reserve, just like this ID Debit plan.
This is nothing more than an attempt for the Federal Reserve to monopolize it's power by forcibly down sizes the other competitors, which they own. Once they get every one on the new plan, the card will become a part of the National Sales Tax. Once this is standerd, they will start telling us that people are breaking the rules and we need somethign that is tamper proof, the only thing left is.... gulp..... RFID Implants.

They have them, and have been talking about using them for tracking immigrants, and don't for a minute think they will not try to push it on us afterwards. If you are smart you will head the warnings people like me and others are putting out there and do not take on this new ID Debit Card. Call your congress memebrs and tell then to put an end to these companies befor it is to late. You can make a difference, all you have to do is voice it!