French credit cards only!
Jul 21st 2005, 6:57 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
French credit cards only!
Anyone else come across this?
Just things were improving for travellers with
UK credit cards (ie UK PIN cards now mostly accepted in France), I've
noticed the introduction of POS machines which only accept French credit
cards.
I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt brand)
- the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets (although
the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
Just things were improving for travellers with
UK credit cards (ie UK PIN cards now mostly accepted in France), I've
noticed the introduction of POS machines which only accept French credit
cards.
I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt brand)
- the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets (although
the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
Jul 21st 2005, 7:33 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
John Stolz writes:
> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt brand)
> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets (although
> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
to do with fraud prevention.
> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt brand)
> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets (although
> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
to do with fraud prevention.
Jul 21st 2005, 7:56 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
"Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Stolz writes:
>> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
>> brand)
>> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
>> (although
>> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
> There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
> was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
> unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
> to do with fraud prevention.
What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
and insufficient cash?
news:[email protected]...
> John Stolz writes:
>> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
>> brand)
>> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
>> (although
>> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
> There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
> was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
> unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
> to do with fraud prevention.
What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
and insufficient cash?
Jul 21st 2005, 8:19 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > John Stolz writes:
> >
> >> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
> >> brand)
> >> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
> >> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
> >> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
> >> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
> >> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
> >> (although
> >> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
> >
> > There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
> > was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
> > unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
> > to do with fraud prevention.
>
> What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> and insufficient cash?
It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
car.
--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
> "Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > John Stolz writes:
> >
> >> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
> >> brand)
> >> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
> >> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
> >> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
> >> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
> >> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
> >> (although
> >> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
> >
> > There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
> > was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
> > unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
> > to do with fraud prevention.
>
> What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> and insufficient cash?
It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
car.
--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
Jul 21st 2005, 8:42 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
[email protected] (chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco) writes:
> Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> > and insufficient cash?
>
> It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
> had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
> car.
They only took French credit cards?
Des
> Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> > and insufficient cash?
>
> It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
> had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
> car.
They only took French credit cards?
Des
Jul 21st 2005, 8:43 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] (chancellor of the duchy of besses o'
> th' barn and prestwich tesco) writes:
>
> > Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> > > and insufficient cash?
> >
> > It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
> > had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
> > car.
>
> They only took French credit cards?
Ho-ho! They wouldn't accept the UK ones, and my brother said they only
accepted Norwegian cards.
--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
> [email protected] (chancellor of the duchy of besses o'
> th' barn and prestwich tesco) writes:
>
> > Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> > > and insufficient cash?
> >
> > It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
> > had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
> > car.
>
> They only took French credit cards?
Ho-ho! They wouldn't accept the UK ones, and my brother said they only
accepted Norwegian cards.
--
David Horne- www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
Jul 21st 2005, 8:55 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 09:33:02 +0200, Mxsmanic <[email protected]>
wrote:
>John Stolz writes:
>> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt brand)
>> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets (although
>> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
>There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
>was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
>unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
>to do with fraud prevention.
"never trust a foreigner"?
--
Martin
wrote:
>John Stolz writes:
>> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt brand)
>> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets (although
>> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
>There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
>was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
>unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
>to do with fraud prevention.
"never trust a foreigner"?
--
Martin
Jul 21st 2005, 9:19 pm
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 09:19:17 +0100, [email protected]
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco)
wrote:
>Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > John Stolz writes:
>> >
>> >> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
>> >> brand)
>> >> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> >> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> >> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> >> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> >> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
>> >> (although
>> >> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
>> >
>> > There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
>> > was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
>> > unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
>> > to do with fraud prevention.
>>
>> What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
>> and insufficient cash?
>It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
>had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
>car.
I had the opposite. It deducted my money and gave me no petrol. I got
a refund the next day.
--
Martin
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco)
wrote:
>Mark Hewitt <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > John Stolz writes:
>> >
>> >> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
>> >> brand)
>> >> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> >> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> >> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> >> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> >> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
>> >> (although
>> >> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
>> >
>> > There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
>> > was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
>> > unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
>> > to do with fraud prevention.
>>
>> What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
>> and insufficient cash?
>It's prepay isn't it? You won't get fuel unless it accepts your card. I
>had the same problem in Norway, when I tried to fill up my brother's
>car.
I had the opposite. It deducted my money and gave me no petrol. I got
a refund the next day.
--
Martin
Jul 21st 2005, 10:22 pm
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 09:33:02 +0200, Mxsmanic wrote:
> There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
> was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
> unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
> to do with fraud prevention.
Good reason or not, I would have thought that VISA and MC would have an
opinion on people using their symbols and not accepting the cards.
In a chip and pin age, its hard to see what fraud prevention issues could
be involved.
> There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
> was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
> unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
> to do with fraud prevention.
Good reason or not, I would have thought that VISA and MC would have an
opinion on people using their symbols and not accepting the cards.
In a chip and pin age, its hard to see what fraud prevention issues could
be involved.
Jul 21st 2005, 10:40 pm
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
As a follow-up I contacted my bank who said Visa and MC is nothing to do
with them and that I should contact visa and MC direct.
Visa are very shy about their contact details, but MC said I should
contact my bank (tee hee). Called MC head office and eventually found
someone who gave a damn and said they would investigate, but that this was
an increasing problem in France, in particular and not likely to be solved
anytime soon.
The machine I tried to use yesterday was part of a new installation only
finished in the past 3 months.
with them and that I should contact visa and MC direct.
Visa are very shy about their contact details, but MC said I should
contact my bank (tee hee). Called MC head office and eventually found
someone who gave a damn and said they would investigate, but that this was
an increasing problem in France, in particular and not likely to be solved
anytime soon.
The machine I tried to use yesterday was part of a new installation only
finished in the past 3 months.
Jul 21st 2005, 10:58 pm
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
"There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was (it
"was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
"unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
"to do with fraud prevention
If i remember correctly the micro chip in french cards generates a code
upon typing of the pin code. The key is encrypted inside the card so
you
cannot easily sniff it. The result is checked remotely by the credit
card
company. Then they give agreement for payment.
"was explained to me by someone who actually manages this type of
"unattended stations at the corporate level). I think it has something
"to do with fraud prevention
If i remember correctly the micro chip in french cards generates a code
upon typing of the pin code. The key is encrypted inside the card so
you
cannot easily sniff it. The result is checked remotely by the credit
card
company. Then they give agreement for payment.
Jul 21st 2005, 11:58 pm
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
Mark Hewitt writes:
> What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> and insufficient cash?
I believe you have to use the card first in order to release the pump.
> What do you do if you've filled up with fuel and only have UK credit cards
> and insufficient cash?
I believe you have to use the card first in order to release the pump.
Jul 21st 2005, 11:58 pm
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
"Mxsmanic" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Stolz writes:
>> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
>> brand)
>> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
>> (although
>> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
> There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was
Show cause and effect.
news:[email protected]...
> John Stolz writes:
>> I tried to get fuel at an unattended petrol station (of the Colruyt
>> brand)
>> - the premises and pre-pay POS machine liberally decorated with VISA and
>> MC stickers failed to accept three different credit cards (2 VISA, 1 MC).
>> The manager of the attached Colruyt supermarket said the machine only
>> accepted French credit cards. He called the 'responsable' for petrol
>> stations who said this was the case for all Colruyt fuel outlets
>> (although
>> the shop takes foreign VISA and MC.
> There is a good reason for this, but I can't remember what it was
Show cause and effect.
Jul 21st 2005, 11:59 pm
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
John Stolz writes:
> Good reason or not, I would have thought that VISA and MC would have an
> opinion on people using their symbols and not accepting the cards.
They worry about fraud, too, so I doubt that they have a problem with
this.
> Good reason or not, I would have thought that VISA and MC would have an
> opinion on people using their symbols and not accepting the cards.
They worry about fraud, too, so I doubt that they have a problem with
this.
Jul 22nd 2005, 1:11 am
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: French credit cards only!
On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 13:59:22 +0200, Mxsmanic wrote:
> John Stolz writes:
>
>> Good reason or not, I would have thought that VISA and MC would have an
>> opinion on people using their symbols and not accepting the cards.
>
> They worry about fraud, too, so I doubt that they have a problem with
> this.
Sorry, I don't get your point.
> John Stolz writes:
>
>> Good reason or not, I would have thought that VISA and MC would have an
>> opinion on people using their symbols and not accepting the cards.
>
> They worry about fraud, too, so I doubt that they have a problem with
> this.
Sorry, I don't get your point.
