Anyone else have "See Cashier" issues with Shell?

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Hello:

In the nearby area where I live there are three Shell stations within a 5 mile radius. Over the last two or three months it seems that every 3rd or 4th time I try to fuel up, I am unable to do so because I get a See Cashier message.

I insert my credit card into the pump (not a debit card), it asks me if I am a rewards member (no, I'm not), it asks for my ZIP code (good so far), then it allows me to select my fuel grade....but after selecting the fuel grade the pumps tries to reset to zero but it cannot. Instead I get a See Cashier message.

This happened to me three times today at two different stations. At one station I tried two different pumps as per the attendant's suggestions. No luck. When I spoke with the attendant, the woman standing behind me said the same thing happens to her on a regular basis - and only at Shell stations! So it's not just me.

As I said, this has happened on and off for the last several months, and only at Shell stations.

After the hassles at Shell today, literally 2 or 3 minutes later I went to the nearby Chevron station and was able to fuel up without problem.

It is my belief that all the Shell stations in my local area have skimmers on pumps. I sent an email to Shell's Customer Care. We will see what they have to say.

It won't really matter though because Shell has pretty much lost me as a customer. As trivial as the See Cashier situation is, it's annoying. I will NOT leave my credit card with some stranger behind the counter because their POS pumps have some kind of technical problem or are fraudulent because skimmers have been installed.

Anyway, I am curious if this happens to anyone else. It's also a warning to consider options other than Shell.

Scott

PS In my search for Shell contact info, I saw PDS links for Shell gasoline. Curious, I clicked to check them out. All the links were broken. Understand, this was the Shell America website, not the website of a local distributor. Total amateur hour by Shell!
 
I had it happen to me with my Shell card a few times. I narrowed it down to using the card more than once in the same day. There is a restriction they can take off.

What annoyed me to no end is one particular Shell station not allowing the transaction to continue unless I authorized a carwash. The step where you pick what wash you want there is a "no carwash" button that I had to use to use the card. I went inside and a couple other people were complaining of the same issue.
 
Their computer program operating procedure is strange. The Same happens here as well. Palo Cedro Calif.
 
The carwash issue happened at the Shell in Goleta on Walnut. The more than one swipe a day issue happened at the Shell on Turnpike in Goleta and the Shell in the Rose Ave Walmart parking lot in Oxnard.

I have 2 cards on my account and it only kicks the more than once a day thing when you use the same card. Funny because when I drove to Vegas it didn't do anything.
 
OP here, my credit card is a Wells Fargo card, not a Shell card (FWIW).

Besides, Shell should not be vetting my WFB card. Wells Fargo should be doing that.

I needed to gas up two cars today. I guess Shell does not want anymore daily business if they decline a transaction because I filled up my wife's car earlier!

If true, it's a very primitive and unsophisticated security mechanism on Shell's part.

Scott
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Fits right in with their oil rebate processor!!


Exactly! I quit visiting their stations because of this issue, quit buying oil because they screwed me on rebates.

John
 
Between the multiple denied oil rebates for no reason and $1/gal more for that nitrogen Vpower [censored] premium, I haven't used Shell/Pennzoil products for awhile now.
 
Several years ago this same thing happened to me with an Exxon card. Once a day fill up, after that, "see cashier". I no longer use an Exxon card, nor any other card issued by an oil company.
 
Sounds like this problem is the only occurring when paying at the pump? Why don't you just pump your gas then go inside and pay?
 
No problems with the latest Shell pumps that have a huge screen, and it's showing videos, talking, and what ever else it does. Only saw one in town as of yet, and I have not had any problems with those style pumps. On the older style pumps, seems to be a gamble if I have to go inside or not. I do use the Shell discount card to save some pennies.
 
Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Sounds like this problem is the only occurring when paying at the pump? Why don't you just pump your gas then go inside and pay?

hahahhahah, how quaint. because it's the 2000s and not the 1990s.

And yes, often time debit cards will trigger you to have to go in to preauthorize versus a regular credit card
 
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All:

Thanks for the replies. Once again, I am using a Wells Fargo credit card (not a debit card or Shell credit card).

The whole point of a POS device on the pump is to make my purchase as fast and easy as possible. Having to pay cash or go inside to deal with this defeats the whole purpose of a POS device on the pump.

From the replies it's obvious Shell has a problem. I've always used Shell or Chevron (and occasionally Mobil), but Shell is more or less out of the picture at this point. Because we drive almost 45K miles per year, we're talking significant business.

Today I let my BMW get more empty than I like (14 miles to empty). After my second attempt on a second pump, I went inside and bought $1 worth just to make sure I could make it to the Chevron station.

Thankfully, Chevron wanted my business. Case closed. That was easy.

Scott
 
You're off target with your sample size of 3 shell stations. All of these stations are individually operated so its up to the owner to set the processing fraud rules for their credit cards .

So you have your answer for your 3 local shells but that's sll the conclusion you shoild draw from that

Around me its a chevron ststion that has more strict card processing rules and wouldnt even accept any debit cards, and literally just said thank you goodbye and shooed me away for the next customer when they couldn't get it to authorize at the counter
 
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Originally Posted By: raytseng
You're off target with your sample size of 3 shell stations. All of these stations are individually operated so its up to the owner to set the processing fraud rules for their credit cards .

So you have your answer for your 3 local shells but that's sll the conclusion you shoild draw from that

Around me its a chevron ststion that has more strict card processing rules and wouldnt even accept any debit cards, and literally just said thank you goodbye and shooed me away for the next customer when they couldn't get it to authorize at the counter


With all due respect, the individual station owners do not set the processing fraud rules - at least it didn't used to work that way. I know this for a fact because some number of years ago I worked for the POS mainframe system provider that handled Exxon Mobil's POS processing. But perhaps it's done differently now, so I will give you the benefit of doubt because I've been retired for the last 10 years (I still do contract work on occasion for this corporation, but in other business areas).

But consider the fact nearly all responders to my post have had similar experiences to what I experienced at Shell.

Given your experiences at Chevron, I suggest you do business with another brand, be it Shell or something else. If Indeed processing fraud rules are set up by individual station owners, I frequent that same Shell station on a regular business and still have problems. I always use the same credit card. Perhaps, then, this individual station owner doesn't want my business. And because the individual station owner is selling Shell, that means I need to use another brand. And because it seems the individual station owner who sells Chevron wants my business - because their POS device is working as intended - that is where I will take my business.

As I said earlier, it's a pretty simple decision.

Scott
 
Haven't bought at Shell in 25+ years. Gas Buddy will consistently list Shell with the highest prices.

But I have a neighbor with a government credit card who buys all his gas at Shell.

Me: Costco - top tier and low price.
 
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I had that happen last week at a shell station. Had to go inside for the receipt. For anyone who hasn't purchased bad gas before, trust me, you need the receipt. Happened to me once and i would have been S.O.L. without it. I generally buy gas at Chevron and never have a problem.

I also try to avoid gas stations that are also a 7-11. 7-11 is based here in Dallas so I hear about them frequently, i do not support them.
 
So you think Shell specifically has skimmers on the machines? Shell is skimming your credit card information? Whew can't wait to see what Shell has to say about that.

There are a couple Valero stations here that used to be difficult for a period of time. I went some where else. Now they're fine. Just to be clear I NEVER thought Valero was skimming... You said yourself 'its a pretty simple decision' so I don't know why you're here knocking your local Shell. I would have went somewhere else well before I got the urge to come here and accuse Shell of skimming. Not because I thought those three specific Shell's had it out for me, but because it was a pain in the arse.

I have had my credit card info skimmed. Twice. Pretty sure I know where, and the card and machine function perfectly btw.
 
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