USA Pay at Pump with a UK Card

cubegame

Does anyone know if you can actually use a UK credit card at a US petrol pump?

I've tried on previous occasions but fall over at the billing zip code. Is there a generic code (5 zero's) etc that you can type in?

I think I tried and failed but I wondered if anyone had a sucessful technique.

eslick

the zip code needs to match the one on the credit card, anit fraud measure, because of this you have to pay before hand in most cases though some do still allow pay after.

There may be a few that dont need zip codes but they are becoming few and far between.

jammin_2

For info, UK Visa Debit cards are treated as Visa Credit cards in the US.

So if the petrol station takes debit cards but doesn't take credit cards (like many petrol stations in the US), you won't be able to use your Visa Debit card - even though it's not a credit card and is a debit card.

johnnyroper

mine did not work at any pay at pump,i had to pay in the shop before hand,never had any issues with my debit card the cashier put it through as a credit card and it worked fine.

exel1966

cubegame wrote: »

Does anyone know if you can actually use a UK credit card at a US petrol pump?

I've tried on previous occasions but fall over at the billing zip code. Is there a generic code (5 zero's) etc that you can type in?

I think I tried and failed but I wondered if anyone had a sucessful technique.

I've travelled hundreds of thousands of miles in the US and constantly come up against this problem. It's frustrating, but I'd rather have that extra security in place which after all is there to protect the card holder.

AFAIK there is no way around it, but to go inside and prepay via the normal method or fill and then pay inside.

I've always found the smaller gas companies don't have this requirement, whereas just about all Chevron do and it's more predominant in built up areas compared with Hicksville type areas ! The other gas companies it really is hit and miss, but within another few years I think just about every pump will require a zip code.

headpin

Yep, it's a real pain as I have Costco membership which is also valid in the States. Many of their locations have gas stations in the States and the gas is a lot cheaper than elsewhere - look as the queues if you see one. Unfortunately they only take Pay at the Pump (no cashiers booth) and the Zip gets you locked out. So no cheap gas!!!

moonrakerz

johnnyroper wrote: »

mine did not work at any pay at pump,i had to pay in the shop before hand,never had any issues with my debit card the cashier put it through as a credit card and it worked fine.

I would NEVER use my debit card in a petrol station in the UK let alone overseas !!!

jammin_2

moonrakerz wrote: »

I would NEVER use my debit card in a petrol station in the UK let alone overseas !!!

..
Why not?

photome

jammin wrote: »

..
Why not?

because it is the most common place for cards to be cloned

jammin_2

photome wrote: »

because it is the most common place for cards to be cloned

Oh ok then.

moonrakerz

photome wrote: »

because it is the most common place for cards to be cloned

The main reason not to use your debit card anywhere is that it is YOUR money that they haven taken if it is cloned.

If it is a credit card - you tell the card issuer that you didn't make the transactions and you don't pay them. End of Story !
If it is a debit card - you should get the money back if the bank believes you (NOT always the case !) but in the mean time your mortgage payment and all your other DDs have bounced - you will have to wait for that money to be returned by the bank - several weeks if you are lucky !

Only one place to use your debit card overseas - in an ATM.