It seems that one gas station in my area started putting a pending charge of $200 on any gas purchase. They used to run $1 to make sure the card was active. I don't have an issue with it because I don't keep a balance on any credit cards but I know of people that it has caused issues for. The $200 is locked up, even on debit cards and that caused the people to get an overdrawn fee on bills. Apparently, some businesses now also charge $40 like a NSF check fee. It seems a little excessive on both ends. Not too many cars have 40 gallon tanks and I don't think it costs a business anything for a declined card.

Are you sure it isn't just for debit cards alone? Gas stations typically only put holds like that on debit cards.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Are you sure it isn't just for debit cards alone? Gas stations typically only put holds like that on debit cards.

Yeah, it's on my Discover card.

There's a notice on the gas pumps where I buy most of my gas that they may do this, but they've never done it to me.

OTOH, I don't use debit cards at gas stations.

I just had a retail merchant (which I've shopped with many times over the course of many years) authorize my card for my purchase ($300-something) and then when my purchase ended up going in two shipments, I was charged $120-something and $200-something while the original authorization was still pending! I was pissed and let them know about it. They were all like "well, the authorization will fall off in a few days, so there's nothing to worry about".

Nice to let me know in advance that you're doing this now. So next time I shop with you, I'll make sure I have twice the amount of my purchase available to be tied up for a while.



-Rob

On a different note, I've noticed that some restaurants split up your payment into two different charges. The first charge that appears on your card is for the amount of the purchase.

Then that one goes away a couple of days later and a new one appears that's the amount of purchase plus the tip.

Seems odd to me and extra work that doesn't seem to have a lot of benefit for the restaurant.

Apparently this is only if you pay at the pump. If you go in the store you won't get hit with the preauthorization charge.

As a gas station owner, let me explain. When you run your card, especially a debit card, they check your account for funds before starting the pump. At our station, your account has to have $150 before it will authorize the pump. Usually within 24 hrs, the pending charge will go away. Otherwise, you will need to see the cashier and prepay.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
On a different note, I've noticed that some restaurants split up your payment into two different charges. The first charge that appears on your card is for the amount of the purchase.

Then that one goes away a couple of days later and a new one appears that's the amount of purchase plus the tip.

Seems odd to me and extra work that doesn't seem to have a lot of benefit for the restaurant.

If a paper receipt where you're handwriting the tip in, I get it.
Cashier runs card & charges the meal amount.
Then later goes back to add the tip amount.

In credit card land, I've never noticed a pending charge affect limits, but I guess some banks might. For that reason I don't care at all if the pending charge is $1 or $1,000 as long as proper actual posts.

It makes sense on dedit cards though, I guess, since they have little recourse if the account is overdrawn other than an NSF charge and pursuing a second payment, same as if you hand them a bad check. Compounded by fact that this environment in particular (gas stations) don't take checks from pretty much anyone unless you're well known or in a tiny town.

$200 is certainly excessive with current prices, but not for a large tank and prices earlier. Probably a PITA for stores to reprogram, and most folks using credit cards so don't care.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
On a different note, I've noticed that some restaurants split up your payment into two different charges. The first charge that appears on your card is for the amount of the purchase.

Then that one goes away a couple of days later and a new one appears that's the amount of purchase plus the tip.

Seems odd to me and extra work that doesn't seem to have a lot of benefit for the restaurant.

If a paper receipt where you're handwriting the tip in, I get it.
Cashier runs card & charges the meal amount.
Then later goes back to add the tip amount.

That's exactly the situation. Since I wasn't getting a notification on my cell that there was a charge for the meal alone, then a separate one later for meal plus tip, it didn't occur to me that was the case.

I guess they'd run the card but not process it, then later process both the charges.

quote:

That's exactly the situation. Since I wasn't getting a notification on my cell that there was a charge for the meal alone, then a separate one later for meal plus tip, it didn't occur to me that was the case.

I guess they'd run the card but not process it, then later process both the charges.

I never have that problem with cash. In fact I have never overdrawn cash either. Since I have reverted back to cash or using Samsung Pay with my phone. I have not been hacked.

quote:

Originally posted by Anush:
I never have that problem with cash.

I have. I blew a transmission in the wife's Mercedes years ago and had to fly back and pick it up after it was repaired.

They told me they wouldn't take cash or American Express or even Mastercard.

Visa only. Take it or leave it.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
On a different note, I've noticed that some restaurants split up your payment into two different charges. The first charge that appears on your card is for the amount of the purchase.

Then that one goes away a couple of days later and a new one appears that's the amount of purchase plus the tip.

Seems odd to me and extra work that doesn't seem to have a lot of benefit for the restaurant.

I can understand how that happens but maybe the first charge and the second and final charge straddles the night like they wait until the end of shift to enter the final amounts with the tips.

One restaurant here prints out the receipt but without the tip. This is just a walk up, place the order, pay, and sit down at a table and wait for your food. I have to ask specifically for them to print the receipt with the tip I entered at the tablet.

I enter my credit card charges manually on Quicken and wait for the electronic matching transaction. When I reconcile the statement is when I destroy the receipts unless it's a big-ticket receipt that I need to keep for warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:
Apparently this is only if you pay at the pump. If you go in the store you won't get hit with the preauthorization charge.

I had it backwards. I went to pay inside for some reason like maybe their pump card reader didn't accept my card. I had to tell them how much I want to pump; I said, I want to pump until it's full. This was during one of my cross country drives. We ended up with some large amount like $100 and the guy said it will wash out after a couple of days.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
OTOH, I don't use debit cards at gas stations.

it’s not a debit card.

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:
Apparently this is only if you pay at the pump. If you go in the store you won't get hit with the preauthorization charge.

I generally don’t stand behind the cigarette and lottery people and I don’t buy candy or soda pop. No point in going in.

quote:

Originally posted by simmy952:
As a gas station owner, let me explain. When you run your card, especially a debit card, they check your account for funds before starting the pump. At our station, your account has to have $150 before it will authorize the pump. Usually within 24 hrs, the pending charge will go away. Otherwise, you will need to see the cashier and prepay.

I got gas the next day in my wife’s car at my regular gas station and their pending charge is $1. Same card.

I’m not saying i got ripped off, I’m advocating for those that are in a position that I was in just a few years ago. $200 would have been excessive to be locked up for 48 hours.

quote:

Originally posted by Anush:
I never have that problem with cash. In fact I have never overdrawn cash either. Since I have reverted back to cash or using Samsung Pay with my phone. I have not been hacked.

Around here the pending charge has been there for years.
$100.00. Usually lasts for a day or two.