Did anyone know about the "bait and switch" trick at the pump?

Question

I just saw a report on ABC.com about gas stations charging more when you use your credit card. I was shocked! I can't believe they get away with that. When you use your credit/debit card the price per gallon goes up like 20 cents. So your not paying the advertised price. Did anyone ever notice this happening to them?

Answer 1

That is pretty rare.  Most stations build in the cost of using a credit card by adding it to the cost of gas.  98% of all gas purchases are made using a credit card or debit card.

j

Answer 2

Where have you been? This is and has always happened. Have you never noticed cash price or credit price? This has been regular since the gas embaro here in US in the 1970's. Many places do not like credit cards because merchant pays a process fee on every transaction.  You have choice, pay with cash or credit, it is a convenience fee.

Answer 3

It's time we set a-fire the political process on a modern day revolutionary scale, by contacting ALL our elected officials in ALL levels of government---and DEMAND gasoline customer protection laws get passed and STRICTLY ENFORCED WITHOUT FAIL.

1)  ALL gas stations must post VISIBLE ROADSIDE SIGNS, accurately disclosing per gallon gas prices WITH CA$H AND CREDIT CARD.

2) Have state law enforcement make surprise gas station checks, investigating for gas purity, pump accuracy, per gallon gas price disclosure AND making sure those "convenience fees" go to credit card companies and NOT into gas station owner pockets!!

3) Violators of these laws are slapped an eye-popping stratosphere high fine EACH DAY they fall into non-compliance......and their per gallon gas price DROPS to .87 cents a gallon EACH DAY, until they snap back into compliance.  

Hey: it's better than going to prison---and this way will wake the unscrupulous gas station owner up fast.

It doesn't take an election year to make such happen: We need as a society to organize RECALL committees to be at the ready to FIRE ANY elected official who ignores us.

Answer 4

Sorry tone, you may be mistaken.  First, I bought gas for many years on credit and never paid a service charge or fee, unless I allowed a balance to exist then I paid interest on the unpaid amount.

Recently, in my neck of the woods, Northeast PA, the gas stations were giving a discount of up to 10 cents a gallon if you used their credit card.

Answer 5

only credit cards,  a debit card is considered cash, i just did this yesterday

Answer 6

This used to happen all the time when people didn't use CCs that much.  Then when credit/debit card use became the norm, it was the same price cash or credit.

But now that the price of gas has risen so high, the fees the gas stations pay to the CC companies is eating into their profits.  I heard gas stations make only a few cents profit per gallon, and now they have to pay something like 7 cents a gallon to MC or Visa, so of course it gets passed down to the consumer.

I live near Philly and WaWa gas stations don't charge extra for credit cards, and I found a few others in NJ where I work.  But more and more are charging you for charging. :)

I think you will see 2 things - people who absolutely hate to go inside to pay (like me) will only pratonize gas stations who don't charge.  Then there are folks who will pay the cash because they are not going to pay extra for gas.  But if you get your cash from a "foreign" ATM, you'll pay $1.50 or $2.50 service charge - as much or more than if you had filled up a car paying 10 extra cents per gallon.  

I also think the CC companies are going to see a drop in business as more people opt to pay cash rather than run around looking for gas stations that charge the same price for cash/credit.