Sep. 28, 2009 (PR Newswire) -- HOUSTON, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As consumers have looked for ways to manage their budgets more efficiently in the past year, debit card usage has risen in popularity(1). To fill this need, Shell introduced the Shell $aver Card(SM), a non-credit payment product that acts like a debit card, in January of this year. It provides consumers with a convenient and secure way to pay for purchases as well as earnings on fuel pumped at Shell-branded stations. Starting today, Shell is bringing back their popular 5 cents per gallon discount for all Shell gasoline and diesel purchases with the Shell Saver Card through December 31 for all new and existing cardholders.

"When it comes to saving on everyday purchases, we see consumers making a 'shift to thrift' while looking for ways to get the most out of their methods of payment," says Mark Theobald, US Consumer Cards, Shell Oil Products US. "The Shell Saver Card offers more than just earnings, it also has an added layer of security for those who are gravitating more towards these types of payment products."

Through Telecheck® and the use of personal PIN numbers, the Shell Saver Card offers safety mechanisms that enhance consumer security. Also, since the Shell Saver Card directly links to a checking account, there's no impact to consumer credit scores, nor are there any application or annual fees. Additionally, it makes organizing personal budgets easier by making all gasoline purchases on one card that also offers earnings every time it is used to buy fuel, allowing consumers to get the most out of every drop of Shell gasoline.

SECURITY FIRST

According to a recent ACI Study(2), 18 percent of consumers have been victims of credit or debit card fraud in the past five years. With increasing card usage, signature-based fraudulent activity can be a consumer concern. To combat this type of identity theft, the Shell Saver Card was designed to only be used with PIN-based (Personal Identity Number) transactions, so if the card is lost or stolen, no one can use it without the owner's private PIN.

Since data security is a concern for any card user, below are tips to help consumers prevent and protect themselves from identity theft:

--  Pinpoint a PIN:  Consumers should use a PIN that is not obvious to the
card user's identity (i.e., date of birth, anniversary).  Also, keep it
private and do not use the same one for all accounts.
--  Keep Receipts Close:  Develop good privacy habits and always take your
receipts with you.