For the next ten minutes, Victor jumped through hoops. He confirmed his last transaction (a coffee at “Brew & Bean”). He recited the code sent to his old, crack-screen phone. He even had to name the first street he lived on as a child.

Victor hung up. He waited exactly five minutes, then tapped his card at the pump.

He pulled into a rest stop and called the number on the back of the card. A robotic voice answered. “For a blocked card, press 5.”