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From: segal@druak.UUCP (SegalA)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Credit card carbons ("No, you can't have them")
Message-ID: <24@druak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Feb-86 09:33:56 EST
Article-I.D.: druak.24
Posted: Mon Feb  3 09:33:56 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Feb-86 01:09:35 EST
References: <8529@ucla-cs.ARPA> <514@mhuxl.UUCP> <11638@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 26

>	I don't think that having your gas credit card number exposed is
>so terrible - who ever heard of gasoline credit card fraud.  

There is a problem with gas credit card fraud.
It occurs in two forms:

First: the amount legally owed by the card user.
Those mechanically entered numbers on the top right of the
charge receipt, that are SUPPOSED to match you bill total
are the only legal obligation.
If your written-in total is 15.32, but the mechanical number (dialed in
on the charging machine) says 215.32 (because the 100's digit wasn't
reset from a previous charge, or someone is cheating you), and you have
signed the receipt, YOU ARE OBLIGATED FOR THE $215.32!
Lesson: always check those receipts carefully.

Second:
Consumer groups recommend that you never let your gas
card out of your sight and make sure that all carbons are destroyed.
Some crooked gas stations run through extra copies of the
card while the customer isn't looking, and filling in a charge later;
forging the signature in the process.
Happy Trails.

    Al Segal
    {allegra, attunix, ihnp4} !druak!segal