Q: We purchased gas at a Bradley Petro station where we had to pay first or leave our credit card and driver’s license with the attendant. We didn’t want to leave our ID, but lots of people do. Is this company policy? — Vivienne Kramer, Denver
A: You were right not to leave your driver’s license along with your credit card because the folks as Bradley say it is not their policy to require both, and they’re checking into it.
Security features at gasoline stations vary, and what is practice at one location within a chain might not be so at another. Some of that has to do with the equipment being used — some older gas pumps do not have the credit-card readers that allow you to pay, so you must enter the store — and in other cases it’s more to do with the store location.
One of the more common crimes at gas stations is the “drive-off,” where an individual pumps the gas and takes off without paying. It’s common for stores to require prepayment in those locales where drive-offs are frequent or, in the case of a patron wanting a fill-up, to require leaving a form of ID to prevent the drive-off.
My concern is that some Colorado driver’s licenses still have an individual’s Social Security number on them. If yours does, change it by contacting the state Department of Revenue, which issues the license.
In Bradley’s case, some stores will require a driver’s license, but never the credit card as well. If there is a drive-off, there is a photo and other information to allow police to catch the offender. The fine is hefty, too: loss of your driver’s license, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
A majority of gasoline retailers now use credit-card readers that require a ZIP code as secure proof the user is the owner, according to the Colorado-Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association. Best bet if you need to go into the store and leave an ID: Prepay a specific amount, so neither your card nor driver’s license is left behind and you’ll have peace of mind.
