Zip code required at Loves

[Gruffy]

In order to serve you better Loves now requires you to enter a zip when paying at the pump. Canadian postal codes don't work.

The only card I have that works is my Canadian Amex .... I use my winter home zip .... Amex dosen't seem to care.

[JackD]

Eventually (hopefully), the U.S. will adopt the almost univesal Chipped Credit Card system.
Then, zip codes and signatures will joint the antiquated credit card slips with carbon paper we used to have.

[michelb]

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of this has to do with the policy at the gas station too. It's not the CC companies that impose pump limits (e.g. $100), it's the gas stations so I wouldn't be surprised if it's the gas station that decide if the CCs have to be ZIP verified too.

I'll try the xxx00 next time we're in the US but I usually just leave a card with the attendant and get them to authorize it for a bit more than I think I need (I've only had one gas station tell me that they can't refund any excess amount - usually it just goes back on the card automatically (i.e. I tell them to authorize $350, I end up only pumping $292 and the card is automatically refunded the extra $68)

[JaxDad]

PackerBacker wrote:

Keily wrote:
I can verify that the numbers in the postal code in the order that they appear in your postal code followed by 2 zeros works every time. No need to go inside to get a cashier to swipe your card. I have been using the number system for many years now at fuel stations, but it is odd that it don't work in some retail outlets i.e Harbour Freight.

Well unfortunately it has never worked for me. Actually I've hit the issue twice in the past three weeks, once in Virginia and once down where we are now in South Carolina. I also tried it on previous trips without success like in New Hampshire in September.

The numbers of your postal code pluss 0 0 is not a universal thing, it depends on the bank you deal with. TD Bank for instance are big on cross-border banking initiatives and were first to implement this.

[super_camper]

Mastercard rolled out a fix for this in July of this year, click on the Globe and Mail article to learn more.


Article

[Community Alumni]

Keily wrote:
I can verify that the numbers in the postal code in the order that they appear in your postal code followed by 2 zeros works every time. No need to go inside to get a cashier to swipe your card. I have been using the number system for many years now at fuel stations, but it is odd that it don't work in some retail outlets i.e Harbour Freight.

Well unfortunately it has never worked for me. Actually I've hit the issue twice in the past three weeks, once in Virginia and once down where we are now in South Carolina. I also tried it on previous trips without success like in New Hampshire in September.

[Keily]

I can verify that the numbers in the postal code in the order that they appear in your postal code followed by 2 zeros works every time. No need to go inside to get a cashier to swipe your card. I have been using the number system for many years now at fuel stations, but it is odd that it don't work in some retail outlets i.e Harbour Freight.

[ghostrider421]

In the few US truck stops that I have used this year, I got around the PC by just hitting enter a couple of times. At one fuel stop, someone with a clip-board, came out to check the license plate, then hit a re-set button and I pumped $600 worth of fuel. When I went inside to buy some road food, I paid with the same c/c and I remarked about the zip - cashier said it was for security purposes and convinced me to sign up for fuel perks - which we did. It doesn't ask for zip or PC.

[Orion]

I have found that to put in the numbers in my postal code followed by two zeros will work in the US. So that T6X 3D4 becomes 63400. It has always worked for me.

[explorenorth]

There's actually a work-around for Canadian postal codes - something like using the numbers from your postal code and then two 0s. I haven't fueled up in the lower 48 for years, and have never seen it on Alaska pumps.

[tktplz]

BB_TX wrote:
My Discover card and MasterCard always require zip code no matter where. I rarely use truck stops.

X2!

[BB_TX]

My Discover card and MasterCard always require zip code no matter where. I rarely use truck stops.

[Bird_Freak]

I no longer stop at Loves. Most places I fuel give the cash price on a debit card, loves doesn't.

[skipnchar]

II appreciate the extra effort to protect against fraud. I think you will find that ALL of your cards will work just fine by taking them inside for the cashier to swipe.

[ScottG]

It's a security measure. If someone steals your card they probably won't know your zip. Same thing happens anytime I pump fuel with my Visa card.