A Guide to Effective Fuel Card Purchase Controls

In attempt to minimize fraud, many fuel card service companies offer purchase controls. Setting the right restrictions for your drivers and vehicles can be difficult. Too many controls will constrict them, but begin too lax makes the company more susceptible to fraud.

Here are some guidelines to help you strike the right balance.

Setting Up PINs for Your Fuel Card

Like a debit card, when drivers use their fuel card, they will be prompted to put in their pin or driver ID to complete the transaction. This ensures that only your employees are using the card.

As is with any PIN number, drivers want them to be easy to remember, but not so easy that anyone could guess it. For example, the pin 4321 is an easy code for a driver to remember, but it’s also a code that is easily guessed by an unauthorized user.

A solution to this problem is for drivers to use numbers that mean something to them. It could be the last 4 of their social security number, wedding anniversary, or a kid’s birthday. No matter what numbers they choose, they do not need to be shared with other drivers. This will help protect your company’s sensitive information.

Customize Fleet Card Controls by the Driver

Did you know that you can set restrictions to specific drivers’ cards?  If everyone has the same fueling requirement, you can set all their restrictions to be the same. However, if you have different types of vehicles or longer routes, drivers will need different restrictions. Fortunately, you can customize your fleet card controls as you see fit.

Why You Need to Be Careful with Strict Limits for Your Fleet Card

Being overly strict is not always the best option. While your intentions may to stop abuse and fraud from occurring, you could be encouraging your drivers to stop using their fuel card altogether.

Being too Lax with Your Fleet Fuel Card Can Backfire

You need to find a happy medium when setting your restrictions because they both could cost you a lot of money. When they are too low, you can be delaying your drivers’ schedule, leading to longer hours and costing you more money. If the card’s limit is too high, you can effectively prevent unauthorized purchases. Before it’s too late, utilize these tools to protect your company from any future problems.

Your purchase controls should be customized for your business. Start by understanding what controls are available on your company’s fuel card, and then ask yourself how you expect the cards to be used. You can set alerts that can keep you up-to-date on any suspicious transactions. Most importantly, you need to establish a fuel card policy with your drivers because after they’re the ones using it. If this sounds like something you’re interested in for your fleet, then give Fuelz a call at 855-GO-FUELZ! Start saving money today!