Fraud concern for garage customer (From Gazette Series)

Fraud concern for garage customer

A WICKWAR woman has hit out at a petrol garage for putting its customers at risk of ID fraud.

Ann Mettler of High Street, is furious that staff at the Total garage on Link Road, Yate were keeping receipts on the shop counter. She claimed the garage was putting customers at risk of credit and debit card fraud.

The 68-year-old, who previously bought petrol from the garage at least once a fortnight, told the Gazette that she was mortified by the lack of security.

She added: "Once the cashier has gone through the chip and pin process the receipt is kept in a small plastic box on the shop counter which anybody tall enough could just reach over and grab.

"All the card details are on the receipts and fraudsters can use these to commit identity fraud using the internet or telephone."

The grandmother-of-three has been further infuriated by what she calls the company's unwillingness to do anything about the problem.

"I phoned the head office and told them that it was not an acceptable situation but when I went back to the garage nothing had changed," said Mrs Mettler.

Staff at the filling station allegedly told Mrs Mettler that there was no other way of storing the receipts because tills are not opened during a card transaction the.

"What a lame excuse," said Mrs Mettler.

Spokesman for Total Service Stations Ian Hutchinson told the Gazette that staff at their service stations are "extremely vigilant" in fighting any form of credit card fraud.

He said: "When a customer pays for fuel with their credit card as well using chip and pin, which dramatically reduces the possibility of credit card fraud, customer receipts are always placed in an area where they are inaccessible to customers and are stored in the secure till on an ongoing and regular basis."

He added that the company had the most up-to-date security systems possible and is an active partner with APACS, the Associated Payment and Clearing Services, to secure convictions against credit card fraud crime.

However, Mrs Mettler said she is no longer taking any risks and has decided to take her business elsewhere.

She added: "The situation is just not good enough and I would rather get my petrol from somewhere else."