Protect Your Pin Numbers & Know Where Your Cards Are!

Everyday across the county we see cases of theft and fraud.  Recently in Oregon this has happened again in the fueling industry.  These types of events are more common as fuel cost increase.

There are two important things to remember!  1.) Do not write your PIN number on the fuel card, card sleeve, or even place it on a note in a wallet.  2.) Know where your cards are at all times.  Have regular and/or random checks to make sure that each person or vehicle has the appropriate card.

Also take advanage of controls offered to you by cardlock stations such as Pacific Pride.  They can help reduce the chances of theft or fraud.  In the recent Oregon story, the accused stole around 1,800 gallons of gas around an average of $3.43 per gallon.  This is costing taxpayers over $6,000 in lost services.  In addition the accused was reselling the gasoline netting himself a profit of nearly $3,600.

Again, ask yourself two questions:  How did he get the pin?  How did they not realize a card was missing to rack up those kind of numbers?  Click "read more" below to read the short story.

Call Automated Fuels and let them help you develop a fuel purchasing policy that can greatly reduce the risk of this happening to you!

 Fuel Cost Still #1 in the Minds of Fleet Owners & Managers

Does you company own vehicles or pay for employee fuel needs?  In a recent article from Fleet Owner Magazine, a study conducted in late 2011 determined that reducing fuel cost was the #1 initiative for most fleet operators.  (To read the full article, click read more below.)

Automated Fuels can help you design and implement a Fuel Purchasing Plan that can help you control cost and provide you with a wealth of information.  Our comprehensive fuel reports can help alert you to areas in which increased attention or control may be able to save you additional time and money.  Each business, vehicle, and drive has unique needs.  This is why a cookie cutter fuel card solution may not have the best results.

Call Jason Starr at Automated Fuels to discuss a customized solution to meet your company's unique needs.  1-800-AUTOFUEL or info@spencebanks.com

Gallon Limits are a Critical Piece of a Great Fuel Management Program

This story is a great example of why gallon limits are so important for every customer.  This is just one example of an incident where fuel was stolen and has hurt a business on multiple levels.  Do not let this happen to you!

Click "Read More" below to view the full storry.

If you would like to start a fuel mangment program or would like more information, please call (800) AUTOFUEL or email info@spencebanks.com

Credit Card Skimming – What does it mean?

Orange County, FL – Recently it was announced that 36,000 victims in  a major credit card skimming operation.  But are you asking yourself, “What is skimming?” and “How could it affect my company?”

Credit card skimming is a fairly easy and inexpensive crime to commit but can cost the victims tens of thousands of dollars in the course of a just a few days.  How it works is the crooks place a second credit card reader on top of the first one.  When you insert your card it passes though the fraudulent reader and your number is skimmed and stored until the thief returns for the data.  Once the skimmers have your number they can duplicate your card and presto, they are operating on your name and credit.  Once the card hits its limit or has been reported comprised they throw it away and use a new one.

The article goes on to explain the only way to beat this kind of racket is going into the C-Store to let the clerk run the card.  However, this has its own problems for your driver from having to wait in line twice to activate the pump and get a receipt, spending time in the c-store having coffee to running the risk of unauthorized purchase such as drinks and cigarettes making their way onto your credit card disguised as fuel purchases.

While you company can never be truly risk free the best way is to hire a company like Automated Fuels to help you manage your fuel and fuel related expenses.  Implementing simple techniques such as limiting the type of product such as diesel only, daily or weekly limits on the amount of fuel purchased and letting us figure your MPG saves your drives and accounting staff time which equates to a more profitable company.

For more information contact Automated Fuels at 812-234-3538 or info@spencebanks.com.

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Drivers Cut Back on $4 Gas - A Reprinted article from the Wall Street Journal.

I encourage you to read the article"Drivers Cut Back on $4 Gas" by Russell Gold of the Wall Street Journal. The article accurately explains how a reduction in gallons consumed in the U.S. will not have much of an effect on fuel prices.

Why?  Over the last 10 years the United States oil consumption has decreased by 4% while the demands from Brazil, India, China and Saudia Arabia has risen 76%.  This is not a trend that will be reversing any time soon.

What can you do?   While you can't control the cost of gas and diesel  You can lower the over all cost of fueling and tracking their consumption.  With a Pacific Pride Card from Automated Fuels your drivers will be in and out quickly with our wide lanes, high canopies and high fuel nozzels.  Add our with product controls and time restictions to prevent unautorized purchases and the costs to fuel your vehciels drastically decreases.

But don't forget the secondary cost; tracking it.  Ask yourself these questions. How long does it take to review and check my statement?  How long does it take to figure the MPG to account for the gallons? What am I paying the person that produces those reports?  With our detailed statements you will be able to quickly see each fueling event and we automatically figure the MPG all without having to turn in any receipts.

Let us help control your fuel costs.   Contact Scott Culp at 812-234-3538 or scott@spencebanks.com.

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Dealership employee accused of getting $12,000 in gas using stolen purchase orders.

A Frank Boucher Imports employee is accused of stealing more that $12,000 in gasoline by using stolen purchase orders.

Scott R. Tourvill of Racine, WI took the purchase orders from his employer and initially used them to purchase fuel for himself.  After getting away with it a few times he started getting gas for other people and only charing them 1/2 the amount of the total fuel bill.  He is facing felony theft by false representation which carries a fine and 5 years in prison.

Commentary: Giving your employees a purchase order for fuel is really no different than giving them cash or a credit card.  The opportunity for theft is much greater than most businesses realize.  While employees don't have much of a need for paper clips and reams of paper in their personal life, they do have a need for fuel and money.   This makes the temptation all the more likely as the cost of fuel continues to rise.

A Pacific Pride fuel access card from Automated Fuels allows you to put real limits such as product, gallon and time/day restrictions. This attention to detail ensures that your employees know you are watching how they fuel your vehicles.  To take control your fuel call Automated Fuels at 812-234-3538 or email info@spencebanks.com.

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