The greed and stupidity of companies never ceases to amaze. I’ve been a loyal Shell gasoline user since 1983. We give the local station over $6,000 in business every year. We were set up for automatic full pay every month. In mid-July Shell eliminated auto pay by announcing it in their monthly statement. If you are like me you glance at your monthly statement; yep all the charges look good and toss it aside.

This week I got a collection call saying I owed $60 to Shell/Citi and they could processes it over the phone. I hung up after telling them I wasn’t falling for that scam. Then a day later I learned my card was being denied at their station. So I checked my online account records – access denied. First thought was someone ran up bills with my card number. Nope.

As a perfect pay customer of 28 years I learned I was entitled to no more grace period than the highest credit risk known to man. None. After calling I also learned they did not process my July bill with auto pay because THEY cancelled it. And, now I owed them two months service plus a $20 late charge and $14 interest. I told them to either take the $34 added fees off or no future business. They canceled the $14 and said the $20 stays. I suppose they thought I was bluffing. Sorry but I don’t do that. Our cards are cut up and we will have our BP cards (instant online approval) within two weeks.

I realize I’m not the customer type they want because I pay in full. By no longer offering auto pay and charging me a late charge, when they did not have the decency to send me a letter on the change, they have lost a steady customer.

Does that make good business sense to anyone? It must at Shell.

 

I also had issues with my Shell card (they had an irregular billing cycle, and I never knew when it would be due and got smacked with late charges a couple of times), and I cut it up some time ago. Indeed, to lighten my wallet, I cut up all my gas-station cards and now use a regular credit card, a Mastercard. Screw 'em. HPH

 

The prime reason for our auto pay was due to their irregular billing cycle. I did not realize that gas stations would accept a regular credit card. Is that true with just some or most stations and most cards?

 

Around here if they have a card reader you can use a gas company card, a credit card, or a debit card.

 

I exclusively use my AMEX or MC to purchase gas using the card readers at the pump. In addition to the convenience, I earn reward points on both cards. I can't remember the last time I had an oil company card. Oh, and the credit cards worked on my entire trip to/from Vegas last year.

 

Never had a gas card, though I know some folks did for the rewards. I either pay cash or debit card at local station or Visa credit card if we are on the road.

I have very few things on auto pay. Just a couple insurances who will only bill quarterly or yearly if not auto pay and Net Flix.

I also rarely read all the crap they stuff into the monthly bills. I've been surprised a couple times by increases in price or some kind of fees, only to be told, "we sent the information" in the statement.

The most recent was a local credit union charging for inactive accounts. I had left about $25.00 there just to be a "member." They were zapping the account $5.00/month. I only got statements quarterly. When I realized what was going on, I called, they told me they had sent info in the last statement. However, they did refund my $15.00 and I closed the account.

 

I alway's use my CC, it gives me 4% back on gasoline purchases. You are correct Dave the CC companies do not like us because we pay our bill every month. They actually call us "freeloader." We take advantage of their "free money" and don't give any of it back in interest.

 

As far as I know, all Shell stations accept Visa cards, that's the only card I use. They try to lure you into a Shell card, though, with a small discount for Shell card users. Blech! I like their gasoline, but I have grown weary of their requiring you to go inside to pay -- out in the western states -- so that the station cantinas can get you to buy chips and sodas.

 

I always used to use a Unocal 76 card, when it went through my ex-husband's business. He had quite the monthly bill for his fleet of work trucks. Since then, I always use my American Express card.

 

Typically they give you back $0.05/gallon. With gasoline currently at $3.50, I get back $0.14/gallon with the CC.