Introduction
Gas stations have been very YMMV for a source to buy gift cards via credit cards. It’s REGIONAL YMMV and in some regions, it’s STORE YMMV, and in some stores, even CASHIER YMMV. I have been lucky to find a couple near me that a) stock VGC and b) let me use a credit card. I was using Ink for a while, but for this quarter, I switched to Discover for the 5% x 2.
Poop hits the fan
I’m not the only one buying the cards since I’ll see diminishing stock each time I go in. I had spent $2,000 out of the $3,000 in Q4 (my wife and my card,) and was going to buy my last $1K this past weekend until a familiar cashier tells me, “Oh it’s now cash only for cards over $25.” I ask him what happened. He tells, “We are in a lawsuit due to fraud…” DOUGH! It seems that the fraudsters have been buying VGC in the area (a grocery store was hit last year,) and I guess got around to trying out the gas station.
Lessons Learned
The enemy of MS is fraud. Secondly, don’t procrastinate. I should have finished all $3K earlier in the quarter. I guess I’ll try out other gas stations nearby to see if anyone has any stock left and will let me buy with a credit card.
Finally happened to me here after a few years of good use. Even had a good relationship with the management that got me through a couple rounds of fraud inspired “cash only” stints, but now it seems hardcoded from above. Functioning chip readers might eventually save the day…
Is this the national gas station in the Simpsons or a regional gas station? I haven’t tried since this post.
-4. Only “gas station” in my region of the NW that I’ve found that sells them