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Sunoco Informative - Unable to fill up - Purchase limits
Purchase limits
On 5/7/07 stopped at a Sunoco station for a gas fill up. I ALMOST filled up my truck. However the pump stopped at $50.00. When I asked the attendant why I could not fill up the response was "That is what Sunoco restricts the amount to. We have no control over it."
I sent an email to Sunoco asking why it was this way. I asked what was the corporate reasoning behind not allowing fill ups. I also asked why they did not raise their limit since they were constantly raising the price of gas.
What I got back was a statement confirming they have the $50 limit on debit cards. Additionally they stated they also limit Visa and Mastercard to $75; Discover and American Express are limited to $100.
They did not explain why. But requested I call them at 1-800-786-6261 and they would "explain their dispenser card use." I thought that to be rather strange. I know HOW it works, my question was WHY they limit.
I tried to call but their phone system informed me, and I quote, "We are experiencing technical difficulties". So I replied to their email asking for an explanation via email since their phone system was inoperative. They failed to respond.
Their greed is bad enough without adding the annoyance of a purchase limit so low as to not allow a fill up. I will never stop at any station that displays the Sunoco sign.
I sent an email to Sunoco asking why it was this way. I asked what was the corporate reasoning behind not allowing fill ups. I also asked why they did not raise their limit since they were constantly raising the price of gas.
What I got back was a statement confirming they have the $50 limit on debit cards. Additionally they stated they also limit Visa and Mastercard to $75; Discover and American Express are limited to $100.
They did not explain why. But requested I call them at 1-800-786-6261 and they would "explain their dispenser card use." I thought that to be rather strange. I know HOW it works, my question was WHY they limit.
I tried to call but their phone system informed me, and I quote, "We are experiencing technical difficulties". So I replied to their email asking for an explanation via email since their phone system was inoperative. They failed to respond.
Their greed is bad enough without adding the annoyance of a purchase limit so low as to not allow a fill up. I will never stop at any station that displays the Sunoco sign.
Comments:
Posted by MRM on 2007-06-06:
Thank you, Chuck, for sharing with us your experience. I did not know there was a limit when filling up on gas. Does other gas stations limits the gas you put in? I have voted this post helpful.
Posted by furnitureman on 2007-06-06:
All gas stations have that. It's the credit card company who enforce it. Blame them, Shell, Speedway, and gas station you go to is the same. Try and you will see
Posted by tnchuck100 on 2007-06-06:
furnitureman, you are incorrect. My local Chevron imposes no limit. There may well be others, but ALL do not do it.
Posted by Sarah May on 2007-06-06:
I've never heard of that... Of course, I almost always pay cash for gas. Now I'm very curious... Who is it imposing the limit? If it is in fact the credit card company, why do they have limits with certain stations and not others? And why, if it's the station, do they impose different limits for different cards?
Posted by superbowl on 2007-06-06:
Owning a large SUV I run into it all the time. All I do is stop the pump, close out the transaction and start over again. Simple solution.
Posted by yoke on 2007-06-06:
That stinks. Here in CT it would only give you about 15 gallons of gas.
Posted by tnchuck100 on 2007-06-06:
Sarah May, this was not the station. As I stated, Sunoco confirmed these limits in their email. However, they refuse to explain why.
Posted by furnitureman on 2007-06-06:
Then tnchuck100 go there. 1 gas station out of hundreds of thousands and you want to blame Sunoco?
Posted by tnchuck100 on 2007-06-06:
Sure I blame Sunoco. They admitted it!
Posted by furnitureman on 2007-06-06:
Get real
Posted by Sarah May on 2007-06-06:
That's what I meant when I said "station". I suppose I should have said "corporate", but I was differentiating between the gas company and the credit card company.
Posted by Sparticus on 2007-06-06:
I had no idea such a limit existed. They may need to change those rules if gas prices keep rising... Thanks for the review.
Posted by Leela on 2007-06-06:
Great review, Chuck! I also did not know about these type of limits, and, I almost always pay with my check card.
Posted by *Brenda* on 2007-06-06:
Here is a story on this:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060530/news_1m30limit.html
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060530/news_1m30limit.html
Posted by Stew.old on 2007-06-06:
tnchuck100 - The limitation has to do with Visa and some policy they have regarding unsigned transactions over 50 dollars. If a merchant chooses not to limit the transaction then there is a risk associated or something like that. It was on the local news. So it's both Visa policy and store policy. Maybe somebody can google up more detail.
Posted by Stew.old on 2007-06-06:
Hmmm... Good link *Brenda*.. Now I'm really confused. Most the gas merchants locally put a dollar hold on your account when you pay at the pump and most have a 50(visa) / 75 (discover & MC) limit when you pay at the pump. We were told it was cause of the CC companies... Something's not adding up here.
Posted by CrazyRedHead on 2007-06-06:
The Sunoco stations around here have a sticker on there pumps that show the cc limits. So Citgo, Speedway, Shell and others around here. It is the CC companies that impose this limit, the gas stations have nothing to do with it.
Posted by runaway on 2007-06-06:
This was commonplace when I ran a gas station in Colorado. This was instituted due to people stealing cards and using them to fill up multiple vehicles. They'd have friends or even strangers pay them w/cash for the gas (usually offering a discount) and then fill up the vehicles using the stolen card. Indidvidual stations can (and need to with these prices) have the amount changed or override the cutoff system, but then they face greater liability for losses due to stolen cards.
Superbowl had it correct...all you need to do is re-slide your card and do another transaction for the rest of your fuel.
Superbowl had it correct...all you need to do is re-slide your card and do another transaction for the rest of your fuel.
Posted by DebtorBasher on 2007-06-06:
Good Review Chuckie...I seen this report on our local news a few weeks ago and it's a big problem with alot of credit card customers. They explained they've always had this limit, however most people did not reach or exceed the limit until the gas prices were raised. I believe, from what I remember on the report it is to protect them or the customer from fraud is someone was to use a stolen credit card, the credit card company will only cover up to that amount in one transaction.
Posted by Lidman on 2007-06-06:
I never herd of this and now I don't think I like it, so I will never use Sunoco!
Good review Chuck you got people to think anyway and there is not much of that going on today.
Thanks *Brenda* for the google, very good one.
Good review Chuck you got people to think anyway and there is not much of that going on today.
Thanks *Brenda* for the google, very good one.
Posted by Lidman on 2007-06-06:
I have herd of this in reverse at some stores you know when they say, "under a cretin amount you don't need to sign". Now they have the things you sign at the stores, they could put some of them on the pumps. At some stations in California they ask for your zip code before you can pump and that’s a good idea, unless you have a short memory.
I can see how it could protect your money.
I can see how it could protect your money.
Posted by tnchuck100 on 2007-06-06:
As superbowl pointed out, all you have to do is start a new transaction. Doesn't that negate any guise of fraud protection? It's just plain BS from the git-go!
Posted by Lidman on 2007-06-06:
I agree Chuck!
Posted by Stew.old on 2007-06-06:
Yeah chuck, that policy seems a little dated. Our local 7-elevens had a flyer apologizing for the inconvenience but maintained it was done to cut cost. What are you gonna do they have the lowest gas prices in town and 44 ounce styrofoam fountain sodas.
Posted by Nohandle on 2007-06-06:
Thanks Chuck, I enjoyed this one. We don't have Sunoco in this area but I did ask some co-workers who paid with credit/debit cards for their gasoline purchases if they had encountered a limit on the charge, and some drive Sherman Tanks. Thus far, no. If they drive to another area/state it's good information to know so they will be prepared. Good responses from everyone, but Sunoco should at least give you Chuck, after requesting a reason, as to WHY they limit. If they trouble themselves to get back, let us know.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2007-06-07:
I travel quite a bit, and will occasionally run across a station that has a sign posted saying they have a $50 or $75 limit on cards.
Posted by cmt on 2007-06-17:
Here is the reason: In VISA terminology, this is to prevent "Code 96" chargebacks. (Other card associations have different names.)
If a pay-at-the-pump charge exceeds $50, VISA rules allow the bank that issued the card to chargeback the amount to the gas station's processor (which can then chageback the amount to the gas station) for any reason whatsoever. The reason can be that the card was stolen or just that the cardholder didn't pay his bill. Doesn't matter. Any charge over $50 becomes the gas station's responsibility.
Some gas station owners have charged that some unscrupulous card-issuing banks have even been charging back amounts the cardholder paid just to boost their profits.
Some gas station owners are willing to take the risk because they believe it improves sales -- when the pump cuts off at $50 a large percentage of the customers just stop pumping and don't try starting over. Other gas stations process their charges through processors that are willing to accept the added liability (for a price).
If a pay-at-the-pump charge exceeds $50, VISA rules allow the bank that issued the card to chargeback the amount to the gas station's processor (which can then chageback the amount to the gas station) for any reason whatsoever. The reason can be that the card was stolen or just that the cardholder didn't pay his bill. Doesn't matter. Any charge over $50 becomes the gas station's responsibility.
Some gas station owners have charged that some unscrupulous card-issuing banks have even been charging back amounts the cardholder paid just to boost their profits.
Some gas station owners are willing to take the risk because they believe it improves sales -- when the pump cuts off at $50 a large percentage of the customers just stop pumping and don't try starting over. Other gas stations process their charges through processors that are willing to accept the added liability (for a price).
Posted by forcomplaintsonly on 2008-03-21:
Who ever told you that Discover has a cap of $100.00, also needs to let you that that different gas stations set their own limits too. I went to fill up one day, using my discover card, and it stopped at $50.00 I knew there was nothing wrong with my card, I pay it off at the end of each month. So I went in and the clerk told me that is policy for credit card companies to do that, and I said, it looks to me, like they need to change this, with gas costing an arm and a leg. She said that I could reinsert the card and finsih up and I said why would I want to. It makes me wonder if it was the gas station that sets that limit, which probably was the issue. She said I could reinsert the card and finish up and I said why would I want to, if you want to set such a low amount with gas costing so much, why would I want to give you anymore money?
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