On Feb 23, 2005, at 4:46 PM, Roy J. Gromlich wrote:

> So I don't see how the confusion could happen - how she was able
> to buy gas on someone else's card without using a PIN.
>
You have your specific vendor credit cards, and you have your general 
purpose credit cards.  The average "Shell" gas station will accept 
either a shell credit card OR a visa card, but ONLY the gas stations 
will accept the shell card, while the visa is good nearly everywhere.  
(there are also general purpose credit cards issued by gas companies.  
I believe I have "shell" mastercard that is issued by shell, suppored 
by mastercard, and good anywhere mastercard is accepted (but with 
special benefits at shell stations.)

It's all silliness caused by the fact that it so profitable to lend 
people money...

BillW
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