I have been using my debit/credit card for many years and have never had something like that happen. It's very common for a place to put a $1 charge on when you get gas, but it goes away in a day or so when then actual charge is posted.

Good thing about my bank is that I can call and dispute a charge, they will immediately remove it from my account and investigate. If some yo-yo gas station ever did that to me, you can bet I'd be on the phone immediately disputing the charge and calling it fraud.

 

The local Quick Trip stations here started putting a $75.00 hold on all prepays. It lasted about a month, until they lost enough business to convince them that it was total BS. No one here does it anymore, just the standard $1.00 to verify the card is active.

 

Yeah, I can't see any business getting away with that for very long before losing all customers.

 

The manager of the one close to the house told me that they lost about $3000 a day in sales when they started this, and have not recovered since they stopped, BUT the Race Track Station right next door to them seem to be selling gas like hot cakes (but I will not shop there, but that is another story)

 

The $100 is an authorization by the service station that you have that much available. This is not that uncommon these days, they are just making sure that if you fill up your 30 gallon tank (I know your bike does not have that size tank, but in this case one size has to fit all) at $3 per gallon they do not get burned. The actual charge goes through for the amount of the gas purchase. The credit/debit company does not know if additional charges up to that $100 is coming through or not, hence the hold. The merchant can call and get it released, but usually just a regular clerk cannot do this.

Most hotels do the same thing, and I know that in most of the places that I stay they recommend that you do not use a debit card for this very reason. A lot of them have signs stating such at the front desk.

It certainly can be a pain, and I know where you are coming from because I have been in the same financial situation at another time in my life. You may want to go inside and leave your debit card with them asking them to turn on the pump. Usually that way they only run it when you finish and you are only charged what you purchased. Doesn't always work, but it is worth a try when money is tight.

 

I use a debit card for gas every single time I get gas, at a variety of stations all over the country, have for many years - that has never happened to me.

 

another way innocent people pay for what criminals choose to do


I recall during the really high gas prices it would take $130-150 to fill up my F150 w/ 36gal tank ... so I usually had to swipe my card twice because the pump shut off when the sale reached $75 - the stations need to limit their potential losses, but again ... "we" pay for what thieves choose to do. Stiffer penalties for drive-offs and deadbeats would at least even the score a little

 

Yep, they're working the float on the cash. The longer they can run on your cash the better they look. The practice sounds pretty unethical to me though.

 

You are correct, good sir. With a debit transaction, I have seen it happen for the station to block out an amount of money and not necessarily the amount of purchase.

With a credit transaction, it is for the amount of purchase only.

I also have several stations near me in south Texas that will not accept a debit card at the pump -- you have to select "credit card" at the pump or it refuses the transaction.

Since most debit cards also work as a credit card, just select "credit", enter your zip code (or whatever is needed), pump the gas, and go. Depending upon how you have your accounts set up, it'll come out of the account just like a debit transaction.

 

It happens only if you run it as a Debit...Always use you card as a credit transaction and it won't happen.