6 ms·

Stop Paying for Gas with Your Debit Card

26 points by todsac 7y ago

selimthegrim 7y ago
Or if you’re at ARCO in Oregon, you can avoid 35 cent undisclosed debit fees.
nycdotnet 7y ago
or just run your debit card as credit and don’t play with snakes?
- toomuchtodo 7y ago
  It’s a lot harder to deal with fraud with a debit card vs a credit card. Better to never use the debit card, use a credit card for everything, and then pay off the credit card on time each month via ACH/bank transfer. If you can, get only an ATM card for your checking account. A lot of pumps support NFC/Apple Pay at the pump now. Also a great option instead of pulling a card out.
  - leesalminen 7y ago
    I’d always been taught that if I run a debit as credit, and the transaction occurs over the Visa/MC network, then it has all the same protections as a credit card when it comes to fraud/chargebacks. Are you saying that is incorrect? That would be pretty concerning.
    - BubRoss 7y ago
      That's not what he is saying.
    - op00to 7y ago
      With debit you’re bprotected as a credit card. The main difference is when there’s a dispute, it’s your money that’s on hold instead of the banks, potentially for months.
    - brewdad 7y ago
      When the number on the card itself is compromised, regardless of whether your transaction was credit or debit, future transactions by the thief will put your money at risk (possibly for months) rather than the bank's money. Debit cards should be reserved for ATM use only. Not a perfect solution but unless you are going to swear off of ATMs as well, the best one can do in the US.
jboles 7y ago
Another reason: pre-auth will deduct up to $125 from your available balance, no matter how small the actual purchase is, which you won’t get back for a couple of days.
whalesalad 7y ago
Stop using your debit card period. Use a credit card and pay it off monthly. Problem solved.
- toastal 7y ago
  Don't support the credit card oligarchy. Only shop at places that are cash only or put the credit expense fee on the users, not the people paying cash.
  - mojomark 7y ago
    > Don't support the credit card oligarchy. I 100% agree. The problem is that the credit industry exists (obviously) to make money for creditors. Their profit comes from a.) vender fees (that often just result in higher product costs), b.) fees to people who aren't stable enough to pay their balances before fees kick in. Either way, the credit industry introduces a middle man that a.) artificially inflates costs to goods and survices and b.) financially burdens those who can least afford it. Sure, credit serves a purpose to bridge a financial gap, like say buying a house, but I go in to that loan agreement knowing how much I'm going to pay for that service. Credit cards, on the other hand are just shady societal life siphons.
  - radarthreat 7y ago
    Don't support the corrupt Federal Reserve. Only use the barter system.
  - whalesalad 7y ago
    Rich?! Rich Stallman is that you??
- winternett 7y ago
  That way if you get ripped off it will be on you credit card instead of another account? The logic here is bewildering to me... Why aren't they instead addressing how banks aren't covering debit card fraud properly, and how the cards and transaction system is flawed? They're all cards, consumers pay for the services. It's companies that are at fault for not creating better protections.
pdemporg 7y ago
I may have missed something, but why specifically when paying for petrol? Surely the advice here should be to stop using debit entirely? (Alternatively, choose to use cash now - or you won't have the choice in the future.)
- windexh8er 7y ago
  Because American gas pumps still primarily use magstripe readers and thus skimmers are still a problem. Many new pumps are starting to get Apple/Android contactless payment, but I've found that most of the pumps that have the hardware don't actually have it enabled for whatever reason.
  - mikestew 7y ago
    An AM/PM gas station in Bellevue, WA recently spent months tearing out tanks and putting new pumps in. “Sweet, I go by there every day, maybe the pumps will have NFC/Apple Pay.” NFC? The new pumps don’t even have chip readers. It is still mag stripe only. Words are inadequate.
    - toomuchtodo 7y ago
      Conversely, some Wawa convenience stores are only getting Tesla superchargers, no gas pumps (and Tesla automatically dings your CC on file for Supercharging). Interesting to see the dichotomy. The future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed. Apologies to Gibson.
- jfim 7y ago
  Some gas stations are cash/debit only to avoid credit card interchange fees, and thus can have a slightly lower price than other gas stations.
marpstar 7y ago
Hy-Vee breach announced this week. I shop Hy-Vee several times a week and saw a $250 charge on my card on 8/20. Hard to believe it isn't from this breach. Someone signed up for a Zelle account with my card. Managed to initiate a transfer. I had never heard of Zelle, but there's a 0% chance I'll ever use them now. Luckily my bank does not use them...

26 points by todsac 7y ago

selimthegrim 7y ago

Or if you’re at ARCO in Oregon, you can avoid 35 cent undisclosed debit fees.

nycdotnet 7y ago

or just run your debit card as credit and don’t play with snakes?

toomuchtodo 7y ago
It’s a lot harder to deal with fraud with a debit card vs a credit card. Better to never use the debit card, use a credit card for everything, and then pay off the credit card on time each month via ACH/bank transfer. If you can, get only an ATM card for your checking account. A lot of pumps support NFC/Apple Pay at the pump now. Also a great option instead of pulling a card out.
- leesalminen 7y ago
  I’d always been taught that if I run a debit as credit, and the transaction occurs over the Visa/MC network, then it has all the same protections as a credit card when it comes to fraud/chargebacks. Are you saying that is incorrect? That would be pretty concerning.
  - BubRoss 7y ago
    That's not what he is saying.
  - op00to 7y ago
    With debit you’re bprotected as a credit card. The main difference is when there’s a dispute, it’s your money that’s on hold instead of the banks, potentially for months.
  - brewdad 7y ago
    When the number on the card itself is compromised, regardless of whether your transaction was credit or debit, future transactions by the thief will put your money at risk (possibly for months) rather than the bank's money. Debit cards should be reserved for ATM use only. Not a perfect solution but unless you are going to swear off of ATMs as well, the best one can do in the US.

jboles 7y ago

Another reason: pre-auth will deduct up to $125 from your available balance, no matter how small the actual purchase is, which you won’t get back for a couple of days.

whalesalad 7y ago

Stop using your debit card period. Use a credit card and pay it off monthly. Problem solved.

toastal 7y ago
Don't support the credit card oligarchy. Only shop at places that are cash only or put the credit expense fee on the users, not the people paying cash.
- mojomark 7y ago
  > Don't support the credit card oligarchy. I 100% agree. The problem is that the credit industry exists (obviously) to make money for creditors. Their profit comes from a.) vender fees (that often just result in higher product costs), b.) fees to people who aren't stable enough to pay their balances before fees kick in. Either way, the credit industry introduces a middle man that a.) artificially inflates costs to goods and survices and b.) financially burdens those who can least afford it. Sure, credit serves a purpose to bridge a financial gap, like say buying a house, but I go in to that loan agreement knowing how much I'm going to pay for that service. Credit cards, on the other hand are just shady societal life siphons.
- radarthreat 7y ago
  Don't support the corrupt Federal Reserve. Only use the barter system.
- whalesalad 7y ago
  Rich?! Rich Stallman is that you??
winternett 7y ago
That way if you get ripped off it will be on you credit card instead of another account? The logic here is bewildering to me... Why aren't they instead addressing how banks aren't covering debit card fraud properly, and how the cards and transaction system is flawed? They're all cards, consumers pay for the services. It's companies that are at fault for not creating better protections.

pdemporg 7y ago

I may have missed something, but why specifically when paying for petrol? Surely the advice here should be to stop using debit entirely? (Alternatively, choose to use cash now - or you won't have the choice in the future.)

windexh8er 7y ago
Because American gas pumps still primarily use magstripe readers and thus skimmers are still a problem. Many new pumps are starting to get Apple/Android contactless payment, but I've found that most of the pumps that have the hardware don't actually have it enabled for whatever reason.
- mikestew 7y ago
  An AM/PM gas station in Bellevue, WA recently spent months tearing out tanks and putting new pumps in. “Sweet, I go by there every day, maybe the pumps will have NFC/Apple Pay.” NFC? The new pumps don’t even have chip readers. It is still mag stripe only. Words are inadequate.
  - toomuchtodo 7y ago
    Conversely, some Wawa convenience stores are only getting Tesla superchargers, no gas pumps (and Tesla automatically dings your CC on file for Supercharging). Interesting to see the dichotomy. The future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed. Apologies to Gibson.
jfim 7y ago
Some gas stations are cash/debit only to avoid credit card interchange fees, and thus can have a slightly lower price than other gas stations.

marpstar 7y ago

Hy-Vee breach announced this week. I shop Hy-Vee several times a week and saw a $250 charge on my card on 8/20. Hard to believe it isn't from this breach. Someone signed up for a Zelle account with my card. Managed to initiate a transfer. I had never heard of Zelle, but there's a 0% chance I'll ever use them now. Luckily my bank does not use them...