Re: Zip code for non-US cards
Yep. So here's a real story; my story. I live in a part of the US (SW Oregon) that one local musician's bumper sticker (a US custom) stated is "where Deliverance meets the Grateful Dead". So I don't buy gas in the Valley, I buy it in Grants Pass (seriously).
And I used to buy it in a gas station heading home.
One day I checked in and was, yeah, asked for the Zip code. 97531. Duly Bank of America charged the expected 18 gallons; I drive a Subaru . On the same day at the same time they charged me for another 24 gallons. Well, the Dude had a problem the first time he ran my card, I gave it to him again (you are permitted to call me a doofuss at this point; next time it happened at a different gas station in GP I gave everyone a really hard time, double checked transactions on my mobile and had the lead guy on the gas station give me a piece of paper - more so he remembered than any other reason).
So, originally, I disputed that 24 gallons. No luck; BofA told me I was there (yep, I think I said that) and that therefore the charge was valid.
Lesson; I will never go to that gas station again. My wife still insists on using the BofA card but I think I've managed to cut it to next-to-nothing per year.
Not very helpful, but if you visit the US ask your credit card company for a TEMPORARY CREDIT CARD for the purposes of the visit. It's pretty easy to provide these; Visa already do it for online transactions in the US.
John Bowler
Biting the hand that feeds IT
