Has MasterCard joined the smoke nazis?

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cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
I just got this email from Gene at OutWestTobacco.com, and I thought everyone here should know...
This eMail has some specific information for our customers who have previously used MasterCard for purchases from www.OutwestTobacco.com.
I also feel that all of our customers should be aware of what is going on, so bear with me and read on.
To our customers who have been using MasterCard to purchase tobacco products from us:
MasterCard has informed us that they will no longer allow us to process transactions using MasterCard

unless we register with them. The catch is that they charge a $1,000.00 annual fee to register.
I feel this is excessive, that it is extortion and I have chosen not to meet their demand.
This is yet another effort from the anti-tobacco movement to deny mature adults a simple pleasure in their life.
This leaves you with a choice of using a different credit card or to pay by check or money order. If you use the

check/money order method of payment we must make the decision to either immediately ship the product and hope the

check clears so we get paid, or to delay shipping for a reasonable time to allow the check to clear the bank and then

ship the product.
To use a different card on future orders:
(1)please call me with your card number. It is not safe to send

your credit card number in an eMail. Our toll free number is 1-866-285-6046.
(2) You can enter your other credit card number when you place your next order by completing all of the information in the

shopping cart check out as if this were your first order.
If you want to pay by check, you can either call me and I will make a note in your file, or at the bottom of the

check-out page on your next order you can enter in the Comment Section, "I will mail a check".
Please rest assured that whatever method of payment you use, your accumulated to-date purchases will be preserved so

you will continue to receive your earned discount on your next purchase.
At OutwestTobacco.com we specialize in quality, affordable pipe tobacco and briar pipes for mature adults. Availability

on the internet is important to you because, for a variety of reasons, so many local tobacco shops have been forced to close,

making it difficult for those who enjoy the simple pleasure of smoking a pipe to obtain pipe tobacco.
Restrictions like those imposed by the corporate policy at MasterCard are just some of the obstacles we face on an on-going basis.

We have been, and continue to be confronted with government regulations, absurd tax laws, mis-leading propaganda and corporate

policies that have a common goal of eliminating tobacco from the face of the earth.
Unfortunately, all of this effort by the "Anti-Tobacco" crowd, done under the guise of "Preventing the sale of tobacco to minors"

and "Eliminating a cause of death" is done without a thorough knowledge and understanding of the issues and the industry.

The result is that rules, regulations and policies are made in such a broad sweep under a big umbrella, using false and mis-leading

data and information to support it, that mature adults are subjected to the same rules and regulations as teen-agers.
Do you know of an under-age teenager that smokes a pipe?
The bottom line is that we at OutwestTobacco.com are subject to rules, regulations and exorbitant taxes that have a direct adverse effect

on the price and availability of your pipe tobacco and that affects you and your pocketbook!
Enough is enough. Contact your Representative, Senator, corporate executives that make these absurd decisions and anyone else you

know that should be aware of what is going on.
I appreciate your business and I would like to hear your comments.
Gene A Crawford

1-866-285-6046 (Toll Free)

manager@OutwestTobacco.com

www.OutwestTobacco.com

 

brazz

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 16, 2009
233
0
This has got to stop, are we not adults!! I thought the Govt. was the only one trying to mother me now it's big business. When will it end...

 

onizuka

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 28, 2010
295
0
I wonder if this is just Outwest not taking MC. I'm saddened, my favorite credit card is indeed a MasterCard. Looks like I might have to get myself a new credit card - perhaps a Paypal or Amazon card is in order.

 

jship079

Can't Leave
Oct 17, 2010
457
2
I by no means am standing up for the credit card co. but could this be something master card is doing with everyone to try to make up for the new credit card rules just a thought it might not be just tobbacco co.

 

admin

Smoking a Pipe Right Now
Staff member
Nov 16, 2008
8,773
4,976
St. Petersburg, FL
pipesmagazine.com
I heard this news from Craig Tarlar of Cornell & Diehl a couple of days ago.
It sucks, it is unfair, and it is extortion, but I was not surprised at all.
Having spent years working online, much of it on the "naughty" side of the Internet, it didn't faze me a bit. My reaction was what took so long.
It has nothing to do with the new credit card rules.
It has to do with what MC classifies as "high risk" transactions.
Anything that is under political attack, public scrutiny, or is considered a "sin" item or whatnot is going to get targeted by the credit card companies sooner or later.
Especially anything that is under attack where part of the big lie from the attackers is that it is harmful to children and they are only protecting the children.
Don't tell anybody, but part of my expertise lies in the adult entertainment side of the internet. I don't do much there now, but I still have a few clients there.
On the adult side, first AMEX pulled out completely (no pun intended). You could no longer take AMEX for adult. Then Pay Pal quit when they were bought by e-Bay. I think this was around 2002.
In '02 or '03 Visa started charging a $650 initial, then $350 annual thereafter. Then MC jumped on board with new rules. Your site also has to pass a stringent inspection with rules only rivaled by the US tax code.
Visa is probably going to follow soon on the tobacco side.

 

admin

Smoking a Pipe Right Now
Staff member
Nov 16, 2008
8,773
4,976
St. Petersburg, FL
pipesmagazine.com
Keep in mind that they are not thinking ... hmmm ... pipe tobacco, no kids will ever order that. They are just doing what is normally done by the uneducated, uncaring anti-tobacco populace and just lumping all tobacco together. To them there is no difference between a Marlboro and a bowl of Frog Morton.

 

krgulick

Lifer
Jul 13, 2010
2,241
2
I echo the last 2 posters inthat I am hardly surprised by the annoying tendencies of the major corporations in this country. It is getting to be a sad state of affairs when a credit card company tries to forcibly make decisions for the common person.

 

strongirish

Can't Leave
Aug 20, 2010
343
1
Lake Conroe, TX
Think of all the business they are going to lose to the other card companies. Don't forget there is Discover and PayPal says they don't but I use them all the time. They don't check what your buying.

 

mlaug

Part of the Furniture Now
May 23, 2010
908
2
Iowa
Strongirish - Try buying a firearm related item with Paypal and see what happens. Paypal has policed its use for a long time and firearms and related items are on the watch list.
I'd like to be treated like an adult by my credit card company. This is disappointing.
I'd support my local B&M more, but its a 75 mile trip one way, so I only visit there a couple times a year....online purchasing has been a blessing. I'd hate to see it go away.

 

patiobum

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 5, 2009
661
37
Baytown,Texas
I wonder if this is just Outwest not taking MC. I'm saddened, my favorite credit card is indeed a MasterCard. Looks like I might have to get myself a new credit card - perhaps a Paypal or Amazon card is in order.
I understand that Paypal is owned by Ebay now and the mention of " tobacco " will triger your account to be cancelled.
A sad time indeed when government / credit card companies make up our minds for us.

 

excav8tor

Can't Leave
Aug 28, 2010
447
2
South Devon, England
I'm from the UK and I see it more and more often that you guys in the US can't use credit cards to buy tobacco. I think it is a diabolical liberty.
I don't know what you guys have over in the US but over here we are starting to see more and more pre-paid credit cards. So, if you guys have them over there it might pay to use them. Simply transfer money from your normal credit card onto this card and then use that to pay for your tobacco. Most companies offering these pre-paid cards offer: no credit checks, no links to your bank account, no contracts or tie-in's and no interest or penalties to pay.
I know it might seem a real pain having to do it this way, but where there's a will, there's a way!!!
ps: No, I don't work for any company that offers these cards.

 

unclearthur

Lifer
Mar 9, 2010
6,875
5
All my online buys are with a prepaid card. Had a bad experience or two in the past with regular cards .

 
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