Travel tip for Canadians

[hein]

    An increasing number of gas stations in the USA require that you enter you zip code in order to pay at the pump with a credit card. If you'r Canadian without a zip code this means standing in line behind a bunch of people buying lottery tickets and potato chips and using debit cards just so you can leave you card or cash to get the pump turned on. Once you have filled up you stand in line again behind a fresh batch of chip eating gamblers.Canadian postal codes are a combo of letters and numbers which wont work. However, if you take the three numbers that are in your postal code, ignore the letters, and add two zeroes on the end this becomes a zip code and now you can pay at the pump with a credit card. Example v0r 3b0 becomes 03000.You must use the postal code of the billing address of your card. I've used this code without a hitch in three states this past weekend. Don't try this at an Arco station as they don't take credt cards. A gas jockey in Oregon gave me this useful tip. Hein

[FJmonkey]

    An increasing number of gas stations in the USA require that you enter you zip code in order to pay at the pump with a credit card. If you'r Canadian without a zip code this means standing in line behind a bunch of people buying lottery tickets and potato chips and using debit cards just so you can leave you card or cash to get the pump turned on. Once you have filled up you stand in line again behind a fresh batch of chip eating gamblers.Canadian postal codes are a combo of letters and numbers which wont work. However, if you take the three numbers that are in your postal code, ignore the letters, and add two zeroes on the end this becomes a zip code and now you can pay at the pump with a credit card. Example v0r 3b0 becomes 03000.You must use the postal code of the billing address of your card. I've used this code without a hitch in three states this past weekend. Don't try this at an Arco station as they don't take credt cards. A gas jockey in Oregon gave me this useful tip. Hein

We just need to install an Alpha key on the pumps for our friendly Northern neighbors...Eh?

[McKilla Guerilla]

We just need to install an Alpha key on the pumps for our friendly Northern neighbors...Eh?

It is a damn shame but I don't think America is that accommodating or thoughtful.

That is a neat little trick though Hein, how did you figure that out?

[hein]

   I'd like to claim intuitive skills and superior intelligence were responsible but that isn't the case. Oregon is one of the two states were there is no self serve for fuel and in the process of getting fuel there I spoke to the attendant and mentioned the zip code issue. He asked for my postal code,punched in the three numbers from it,added two zeroes and voila,my card was authorized. I now have the Canuck version of an American zip code and gas stops have become painless. All I need to do now is figure out what the hell an "alpha key" is. Hein

[Travis398]

    An increasing number of gas stations in the USA require that you enter you zip code in order to pay at the pump with a credit card. Hein

Are you sure it's not the credit card company requiring this info for conformation that the card hasn't been stolen?

[hein]

    An increasing number of gas stations in the USA require that you enter you zip code in order to pay at the pump with a credit card. Hein
[/quote]

Are you sure it's not the credit card company requiring this info for conformation that the card hasn't been stolen?
[/quote]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                There's a good chance that its the credit card company's wish to link you card to your billing zip code. However, I've never had to link my postal or zip code to my card for any other purchases. I'm just glad that my card will now work south of the border. Hein

[Dan Filetti]

An increasing number of gas stations in the USA require that you enter you zip code in order to pay at the pump with a credit card. Hein

I Think it MAY be just the card.  This happens when, on travel I use the American Express card (to fill up the rental car), but only with the AmEx card, no other card requires it.

Dan

[hein]

       Possibly in your part of the country its not required but a friend of mine who lives in California has to enter his zip code using any of his credit cards at most stations. I myself have run into a few that don't require it. Maybe its a conspiracy to force you inside and purchase lottery tickets and potato chips.  Hein

[McKilla Guerilla]

       Maybe its a conspiracy to force you inside and purchase lottery tickets and potato chips. 

[pdxfj]

I found that Chevron stations in Cali required my zip code.  At one station the pump displayed it couldn't verify the zip code and I was denied.  Then I was denied again on the way home at another Chevron.  It didn't even ask for my zip code, just said "denied".  Contacted the CC company and they had no record of the denials on the card.  Figured it was a Chevron thing.

I remember one time the CC company telling me that it is common when a card is stolen to try it at an ATM first and if it comes up valid then the thieves will most of the time go to a gas station and buy fuel and such.

[FJmonkey]

I found that Chevron stations in Cali required my zip code.  At one station the pump displayed it couldn't verify the zip code and I was denied.  Then I was denied again on the way home at another Chevron.  It didn't even ask for my zip code, just said "denied".  Contacted the CC company and they had no record of the denials on the card.  Figured it was a Chevron thing.
I remember one time the CC company telling me that it is common when a card is stolen to try it at an ATM first and if it comes up valid then the thieves will most of the time go to a gas station and buy fuel and such.

My Shell card was declined after I got home and tried to fill the truck. After three days (6 charges) of filling up and two fill ups on the bike....They said they called me on the phone number on my account and did not get an answer so they locked my account. Bugger!! they said the account was unlocked and after 10 minutes waiting at the fill up station with no luck, I had to use my ATM card to get gas and go home....Bugger!!!!

[hein]

I found that Chevron stations in Cali required my zip code.  At one station the pump displayed it card was declined after I got home and tried to fill the truck. After three days (6 charges) of filling up and two fill ups on the bike....They said they called me on the phone number on my account and did not get an answer so they locked my account. Bugger!! they said the account was unlocked and after 10 minutes waiting at the fill up station with no luck, I had to use my ATM card to get gas and go home....Bugger!!!!

At least they didn't force you to buy lottery tickets and potato chips. Hein                                                                                                                         

[SlowOldGuy]

All the stations in Texas require a zip code for a credit card gas purchase.  Been requiring it for a few years now.  No one else asks for it.

DavidR

[Mark Olson]

you  have to call the credit card company in advance if you plan to travel out of your normal range. gas cards as well as visa and m/c.

I used to travel a lot up and down California from sac to palm springs then thru L,A . to santa barbara and up the coast to san Jose and back to sac.

I had to call in advance or my cards would quit working about the 3rd day and 500 miles from home.

After they see a normal pattern then you don,t have to call them anymore, or just have a # of a phone you always answer.

This always happens to somebody each year in the group that gets far from home.

[Dan Filetti]

Interestingly, 12 years ago, when I lived in Augusta, GA I'd ride the FJ back and forth the Atlanta, GA  (150 miles away).  There would be days that I would fill up in the morning before I left, and have to fill up again before I got all the way back later that day.  The first time this happened, my bank called me expecting fraud.  At the time, I guess it was common to buy 'just a few gallons of fuel' (which also happened to correspond to a FULL motorcycle tank) -just to check whether a recently stolen card was still valid. 

Spending just a few bucks on gas more than once per day, raised that red flag for them.

It has not happened to me since though.

Dan