Buying/pumping gas in Oregon (Bend, Klamath Falls: luxury, live, cost)

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by CAjerseychick

Hmmmmm I have never had a problem with handing my card over to an attendant.
But you said you were visiting over Christmas- did you use that card elsewhere in Oregon? Its more likely that someone abused your card from another purchase-

in my friends case (and she suspected her housemate at the time, but this was not the case)- she found out later from the bank, which investigated, that it was a small mom and pop type restaurant we had eaten at- one of the employees had taken the card information to make large charges later...

The OP already said they did not use this card anyplace else in Oregon. What would make you doubt this?

It sounds as if the gas station owner is on top of the situation so that’s good.

[CAjerseychick]

Originally Posted by Minervah

The OP already said they did not use this card anyplace else in Oregon. What would make you doubt this?

It sounds as if the gas station owner is on top of the situation so that’s good.

I only caught the first quote in which OP said it was the only time she bought gas in Oregon further along down the line is where the OP mentions it was the only use in Oregon--

and actually still doesnt rule out that - if she used that particular card anywhere else during her trip - in oregon or otherwise, it could be any number of places it was used at, not just that one oregon gas station-
card information thieves are devious-

OP needs to think through as well if the card has been used anywhere else during that time period... (ex were they up in vancouver, or another close by state , like northern california?) I am sure the bank will be most helpful, I just would hate for someone to get fired unneccesarily....

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by snebarekim

Visiting a daughter who lives in Oregon over Christmas, I had to top off my rental car with gas for return. I found out that I cannot fill the car myself, but by state law the station attendent must do it.

She filled the car and I got out to pay at the pump with my credit/debit card as I dont like my cards out of my direct supervised control.

The attendant told me I could not pay at the pump myself, but that she had to do it, so I let her. She made the charge as credit.

A few days later I start getting fraudulent charges on my card, a couple of small (under $30) charges in Oregon, then a $499 charge in Virginia (?). Fortunately, my bank took care of me when I reported this and canceled the card.

I am pretty sure it was the attendant at the gas station that skimmed my card, as I did not have eyes on her the entire time while she had my card.

So is this normally true in Oregon, that the attendant pumping the gas must also make the purchase when using a credit or debit card? Or did I get scammed?

This was my only time buying gas in Oregon.

About 20 years ago I had my credit card number skimmed at a gas station in Seattle. The pump said to go inside and pay. When I went inside, the clerk insisted that I leave my card with him, while I pumped my gas. Not knowing any better, I reluctantly left my card with him. After I pumped my gas, I went back inside, signed the receipt and retrieved my card. The next time I tried to use the card it was maxed out. When I got my credit card bill I had charges from all over the country on it.

I have never had anything like that happen here in Oregon. I hand the gas attendants my card, they swipe it, and hand it back to me in 10 seconds. I feel pretty safe handing them my card. It is never out of my supervision. What they could do with it in 10 seconds I have no idea.

How do you know it was that gas attendant who skimmed your card? Is that the only place you used the card? Also credit cards are now chip and pin. So how was your card used in Virginia without your pin number?

[snebarekim]

Originally Posted by CAjerseychick

I only caught the first quote in which OP said it was the only time she bought gas in Oregon further along down the line is where the OP mentions it was the only use in Oregon--

and actually still doesnt rule out that - if she used that particular card anywhere else during her trip - in oregon or otherwise, it could be any number of places it was used at, not just that one oregon gas station-
card information thieves are devious-

OP needs to think through as well if the card has been used anywhere else during that time period... (ex were they up in vancouver, or another close by state , like northern california?) I am sure the bank will be most helpful, I just would hate for someone to get fired unneccesarily....

I did not use that card anywhere else on that trip at all. That was the one and only POS use. I did use that card for two other uses, it paid my re-occuring Netflix bill, and I used it for my annual Amazon Prime payment. BTW, I'm a "he".

[snebarekim]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

How do you know it was that gas attendant who skimmed your card? Is that the only place you used the card? Also credit cards are now chip and pin. So how was your card used in Virginia without your pin number?

I dont know 100% it was the attendent, but she was the only person to physically handle that card in the last year, so things pointed pretty strongly that direction. That card had been sitting in my strong file at home until this last trip. I am usually pretty careful with my cards, this time I made an exception.

The Virginia charge baffled me also at first, but looking online at typical skimming schemes, the people that do this often sell the skimmed numbers to others after collecting the numbers. I charged the gas to credit, didnt need a pin for that, just signed the slip like any other credit card.

[wolfdog]

Doesn't surprise me. The only time I've had my card skimmed, I was on Amtrak, Sacto to Eugene, a few years ago. Also the only time I've ridden Amtrak.
I was next in line at the snack bar, woman next to me was not buying anything, just standing there, on her phone. Felt something touch me in my back pocket. Turned around just as she was stepping away, still holding her phone, not talking to anyone the whole time. 6am, and I had just woken up, so I didn't clue in.
When I got home, an $85 grocery charge was made on my card in Miami, just hours after my snack charge. Card company sent me a new card...with a chip in it. Charge deleted.
Wallet in my front pocket, ever since.

[PNW-type-gal]

Supposedly the new cards are supposed to be safer, but the reason it is called chip AND PIN is that it is supposed to also require a pin, like almost all credit and debit cards do in Western Europe. Why we only implemented HALF the security, I have no idea. The security code printed on the back of the card is just stupid, anyone with physical access to the card has access to the "security code."

The skimmer thing - I wouldn't say it is common, but recently one of the local credit unions had a skimmer put on at 2 of its ATMs.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Supposedly the new cards are supposed to be safer, but the reason it is called chip AND PIN is that it is supposed to also require a pin, like almost all credit and debit cards do in Western Europe. Why we only implemented HALF the security, I have no idea. The security code printed on the back of the card is just stupid, anyone with physical access to the card has access to the "security code."

The skimmer thing - I wouldn't say it is common, but recently one of the local credit unions had a skimmer put on at 2 of its ATMs.

They are not implementing half the security. They are or will be requiring a PIN for all transactions, just like in the EU. Personally I think it's a waste. A PIN number is easy to get, with a simple camera above the keypad. With all the money they are spending on this, it should be for some better technology then just a chip and PIN. Such as fingerprint or vein scanners.

[PNW-type-gal]

No, our version of EMV is "chip and signature" which is a joke as I have signed transactions "Tinkerbelle" or with a line with two short wiggles in it before to see if it made any difference (nope, it will accept anything). The general idea is that it is too onerous to require merchants to buy the two-factor machines and pay enough attention to use. SOME credit card companies allow you to set a pin, but since virtually no POS machines accept the code, it's pretty moot.

Given how badly face, voice and fingerprint recognition works on phones, I don't see it being used any time soon.

[wolfdog]

The back of most, if not all, credit cards says "Not Valid Unless Signed". How many merchants refuse to accept an un-signed card, or even pay attention? My local post office enforces it, which ticks off a few customers, I've been told.