We often purchase Shell Gas Gift Cards from Kroger to get the 4x fuel points (not essential to the story), but we just learned a hard lesson which I will share.At a Shell station in MS I tried to charge gas to an unused $100 Shell gift card and was told the balance was $0. When we reached our destination I called the 800 number and confirmed that the card was activated in June 2015, but there were multiple charges in CA in November 2015. I told the person these were not my charges and I was instructed to file a formal protest.We think that a person took the number from the card, waited for the card to be activated, then charged the $100. Note that at Kroger the gift cards are kept on the rack unprotected, and there is no concealed PIN to protect the purchaser. Beware and think twice about purchasing any gift cards that are similarly displayed ans have no PIN.

I don't understand as you say they "waited for the card to be activated"? How do they know when it has been activated?

That stinks, but unfortunately, isn't all that uncommon. Gift cards are ok but are essentially like cash and offer about the same level of protection.

4aSong wrote:I don't understand as you say they "waited for the card to be activated"? How do they know when it has been activated?There's a website you can check balance. All they would have to do is have the card number, check every day, or at whatever intervals, and when they see it has a balance, there ya go.That really sucks. Thieves need to be hogtied and whipped in my opinion.Mike

Maybe by going to the Kroger website and putting in the card number ?But since the op is in Virginia the crooked user got the card numbers online? Unless of course the op bought the cards in Calif and didn't use then until now ?I don't think I would wait six months to use a gas gift cardIt would be used at my next fill upThere are two lessons in this story, Be careful what you buy, and use it immediately, Better to save the cash, instead of saving the cardFor later use

MrWizard wrote:Maybe by going to the Kroger website and putting in the card number ?But since the op is in Virginia the crooked user got the card numbers online? Unless of course the op bought the cards in Calif and didn't use then until now ?I don't think I would wait six months to use a gas gift cardIt would be used at my next fill upThere are two lessons in this story, Be careful what you buy, and use it immediately, Better to save the cash, instead of saving the cardFor later useWe bought the gift cards at Kroger on the rack where all cards are kept. A thief would merely walk up to the rack, copy down numbers to any unprotected gift card without a concealed PIN, also copy the 800 number for checking balances, wait a week or 2, when a real customer (like me) purchases the card, the 800 number will report a balance (in this case $100). Then the thief has the card number and goes on a flippin spending spree until he spends the $100.Moral is: make sure any gift card you purchase has a concealed PIN before purchasing. This Shell card had no such PIN.

Stolen Gas Gift Card | Good Sam Community

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Dec 31, 2015
We also use a 5% cash back CC for fuel.

We do buy gift cards from Frys/Krogers for the GCs (not fuel gift cards) and so far no problems. The cards are purchased with a CC that gives us 2% cash back on the card purchase and we get 4x points on fuel at Frys. In January we'll have $1.00 off 35 gallons at Frys plus 5% cash back.

We typically buy fuel at independent stations or truck stops since the major producers like Shell are usually higher cost.
vjstangelo
Explorer
Dec 31, 2015
Good discussion.

I merely wanted to warn others from my experience.

The next step is to bring the issue to Kroger and see how they deal with it. They may give me a refund, another card, or tell me to "pound salt".

If I get no satisfaction from Kroger, then I will file a protest with the issuer of the gift card.

I will let the group know how this progresses.
TOMMY47
Explorer
Dec 30, 2015
I mainly use cash, occasionally debit. My debit account is set up to reject all overdrafts. Keep very little in the account and transfer into it when I need it. Keep the main stash of cash in other accounts that have no debit cards attached and can only be accessed to transfer to debit account or an in person withdrawal. All accounts have separate numbers and online PINs.
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Dec 30, 2015
dwayneb236 wrote:
Constantly amazes me that the victim is always seen by some people here as being the problem. The problem is the scrotes who steal. The victim did nothing wrong. And a moderator no less. I'm ready to be banned now.

Recently saw a report on the news detailing this very thing
. Said do not buy gift cards from the rack, only from behind the counter if possible.

X2

They investigative report showed how they are getting the pin number off the back of the cards and then they DO wait until someone buys and pays for it and THEN they start using up the money on it.

And as mentioned above it is done with the cards on shelves in the aisle of the stores.
Community Alumni
Dec 30, 2015
Steeljag wrote:
bid_time wrote:
How does someone use a gas card without the card itself? I have several gas cards, you have to present the card to be run through the scanner in order to use it. It's not like an Visa card where you can order online. The thief must have been in cahoots with a Shell gas station employee in order to make a purchase without the actual card in hand. I would think it would be pretty easy for Shell to identify what clerk(s) were working at the time of the fraud. Then you have your pool of likely suspect(s). Then time to review the video.

I am also wondering how the card info can be used without the card? Do you not need the card to enter it "swipe" it at the pump?

Anyway, sorry you lost out on your purchase !

They had all the information they needed to make a new card, say from a old hotel room key or just buy them, get a card run it through the scanner machine you bought or stole and bingo instant credit cards.
Happened to me at at loss of $6192.00 dollars using a manufactured Debit Card after breaching the banks web site and then using an ATM in Flordia.
I guess it is pretty easy to do.

JimR
camperforlife
Explorer
Dec 30, 2015
Here is how it's done: Scam
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Dec 30, 2015
jfkmk wrote:
CavemanCharlie wrote:
john&bet wrote:
The more I read of these type of stories the more I like the way I pay for stuff while traveling. All cash. Very, very seldom use a cc or debit card. It is just my way.

I agree with you. Though I often write out checks but, a lot of places will not take them anymore.

To the OP. Sorry for your loss.

I'm kind of the opposite....I pretty much use a CC for everything. I never carry a balance, I haven't for 20 years. My card's reward points are tied to Amazon, so I get a lot of things for "free" or at a "discount". Another advantage is in most stores I can return things without a receipt, just provide the card it was purchased with.

I'm with you. prudent use of CC can have lots of financial benefits. each year we usually get 6-8 free roundtrip airlines tickets for each of us from our CC, 5% cash back each month on fuel purchases. we use it like a checking account, pay it off every month, have yet to ever pay any interest. And extended warranties on most purchases (which fortunetly haven't had to use), and very easy return policies at merchants.

Haven't ever lost a dime due to unauthorized use either.

using a check IMHO has more risk than a bank card for most transactions.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Dec 30, 2015
Golden_HVAC wrote:

One could walk out of the store with the Shell card, keep it any number of weeks, copy it (tape VCR recording material onto a piece of plastic and then use a copy machine to write all the essential data onto the fake card) then return the real card back to the rack, where it is purchased any number of weeks later, and they already have a duplicate of that card data...
Tape a piece of VCR recording material to a piece of plastic - You're kidding right?
jfkmk
Explorer
Dec 29, 2015
CavemanCharlie wrote:
john&bet wrote:
The more I read of these type of stories the more I like the way I pay for stuff while traveling. All cash. Very, very seldom use a cc or debit card. It is just my way.

I agree with you. Though I often write out checks but, a lot of places will not take them anymore.

To the OP. Sorry for your loss.

I'm kind of the opposite....I pretty much use a CC for everything. I never carry a balance, I haven't for 20 years. My card's reward points are tied to Amazon, so I get a lot of things for "free" or at a "discount". Another advantage is in most stores I can return things without a receipt, just provide the card it was purchased with.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Dec 29, 2015
john&bet wrote:
The more I read of these type of stories the more I like the way I pay for stuff while traveling. All cash. Very, very seldom use a cc or debit card. It is just my way.

I agree with you. Though I often write out checks but, a lot of places will not take them anymore.

To the OP. Sorry for your loss.