Friday, September 04, 2009

Zippity Do Da

I am not sure about the rest of the country but in Minneapolis gas stations and grocery stores have an annoying security feature where by when you say pay at the pump the machine will go through the extra step of verifying your identity by asking you to enter your zip code....

Granted this is only in effect after certain times and in certain sections of towns but really?

I think the logic they fail to see is that if someone has my physical credit card they are probably also in possession of my physical wallet or the persons purse which you guessed it has this thing called a drivers license in it with YOUR ZIP CODE ON IT!

I just don't get it, it seems like a worthless step.

People who steal identities and make their own cards with your information are also in possession of your zip code...so who it this really protecting?

14 comments:

Cory said...

We have to enter our zip all day long in the Dirty. This really annoys be and I've always been of the same belief as you it is pointless.

Cory said...

We have to enter our zip all day long in the Dirty. This really annoys be and I've always been of the same belief as you it is pointless.

Mandy said...

holy crap, monday i needed to fuel up and a gas station asked for my zip... i dont KNOW which zip of mine i have for that particular card because i have 4 addresses and i can't for the life of me remember which one is used for it. so of course i take a wild guess and it's wrong, so i go to ANOTHER gas station and it asks me again. i try zip #2, and it's once again wrong. FAIL. i guess it's more of my stupidity but it still irritates this gypsy kid here. i drove 4 miles out of my way to go to a gas station that i know won't ask for my zip, because apparently i'd rather do that than go inside the station and give them my ID... sooo yea. i understand. haha.

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Mich said...

what?? really?? never heard of that before... seems very annoying!

Sornie said...

I've only had the zip code experience at Super America and I vowed never to return. But now I have a nifty gas discount card 'cuz I bought the latest vehicle at Luther but haven't run in to the zip code thing int he last few months.

my name is Amanda said...

I found that pretty annoying once when I was in a hurry and the pump wouldn't register my correct zip because I'd never been to that specific BP before (on Lyndale and 36th-ish) - it forced me to go into the station and interact with HU-MANS. *Did not like it.*

Although, in general I think of it as a triviality compared to Vegas, where you have to sign and show ID for every credit card purchase, even if you're just buying a latte!

Rocketstar said...

I'd love to see the analysis behind this feature to learn why thye do this. I wonder what happens when you enter a wrong zip code.

MaryBeth Houlihan said...

i agree, it is lame-o.

SS+1 said...

Now now now....no need to be TOO harsh...Afterall, it's just one more small thing requested of us to make us all feel a little better inside.

HA! Who am I kidding?! Yeah, it's lame.

Aunt Katherine said...

Here's the scoop, Bs & Gs. If you are paying at the pump with a CREDIT CARD, you (sometimes) need to also input your zip code to verify the card holder's billing address. Yep. That's the reason. Lotta venting goin on here about a small thing..... meanwhile thousands of children throughout the Twin Cities are homeless and don't have a permanent zip code.

Aunt Katherine said...

Rocketstar: I tried that, the wrong zip code, and my credit card was declined.

Thomas said...

I was at the movie theatre a few weeks ago. When the box office attendant asked what my ZIP code was, I said "12345". She softly said "Refusal" to herself before letting me go on my way.

Aunt Katherine said...

A number of stores I shop at ask for my zip code upon check out. The company uses that valuable demographic info for marketing purposes. Bugged me at first, but if it were my company, I'd do the same thing.