Canadian Tire MasterCard Useless at US Gas Pump -- Customer Treated like Crap by CTFS

The article below first appeared in The National Post --Man says he might never have been robbed in Detroit if Canadian credit card had been accepted at pump| National Post
Even though MasterCard's PR man says that the banks were told of a work-around solution, CTFS never advised its cardholders...and in a letter to the victim, basically told him, in no uncertain terms, to get lost. Of course the card was never sent to the approval centre, the processor wouldn't even accept it without a zip code. And why would a CTFS cardholder, whose contract is with CTFS, bother to go to the franchisor's website to see on some back hidden page if they had posted about said workaround? The Detroit Police say that his chances of robbery and injury were increased substantially because he could not pay at the pump...and CTFS was clearly negligent by withholding such critical safety and security information to their clients. Any normal, respectful, professional company would have done the honourable thing...perhaps offered a store credit, perhaps reduced his balance on his card, work out some favourable agreement that would have kept the lawyers away...but not the money-hungry vultures at Billes Tire, who, knowing he was injured and not working made sure to tell him "pay us as soon as possible you deadbeat". Nice attitude, Martha.

I've seen your posts on CT's facebook page. You will find many complaints on here about Crappy Tire.

I have driven through the US many times, and the trick of using one's postal code and "00" isn't well known. It's easy to assume that one simply cannot pay-at-the-pump with a Canadian credit card, since the screens usually asks for a zip code.

I have also driven in Detroit, and there are some pretty scary areas. Also Buffalo and any other major US city.

It's terrible what happened to this gentleman, but at least this story will alert many Canadians to the dangers of crime in American cities, the risks of going into a gas station in bad areas, and the work-around for Canadian credit cards.

Thanks, CT Challenger. It is clear that CTFS was negligent in not sharing that workaround solution with their cardholders. Correct, it is NOT well known. Saying that "oh, it's on MasterCard's webpage" is insufficient. Who would look on the site of the concept franchisor, when their contract is with a particular bank? The station in question I have passed myself...it is on the I-75, it has a huge sign that beckons travelers off of the highway, and being right by the border must get significant Canadian business, so, having that type of pump is disingenuous to say the least. I am appalled by the callous attitude of CTFS, including an employee who sends a letter using a seemingly-fake name, "J. Miller" -- too afraid to tell us what the "J." stands for? I have reviewed his correspondence, and he was polite, made his case, wasn't asking for much, and the response from CTFS was sanctimonius and arrogant to say the least. I have told him to file as many complaints as he can with regulatory bodies and take them to court. Already I am sure that the negative media coverage is valued higher than the cost of having settled.

I have been communicating on-line with the victim. You should see the arrogant, aggressive letter someone who is too scared to use their full or real name, "J. Miller", sent him! Telling him, in effect, we are Canadian Tire, we can do what we want, and even though you were injured and can't work, we still want our money "as soon as possible" so that Martha Billes can buy a new fur coat. Absolutely unbelievable! I have never seen such a rotten attitude towards customer service in my 60+ years on this earth. No wonder they unceremoniously pushed out poor Dean Muncaster, an honourable man who would never have let this become the PR backlash story to be studied as NOT to handle a situation in future business school cases.