Debit cards and holds for gas

[marybeth200]

I was wondering if anyone has had issues with gas stations putting holds on our debit card when you get gas? I know this is possible but how often does it happen? And is this dictated by the bank or the gas station? At home I always use my debit card for gas and have never had a hold placed.

A friend happened to bring this up and I hadnt thought about it before. My husband and I are leaving in exactly one month from today . We have been saving for quite sometime to not only pay for this trip all in cash but to pay off our credit cards. I know it sounds crazy but we are quite proud that nothing would go on a credit card. But now that I'm thinking about this phantom hold it might be in our best interest to swallow pride and use a credit card for gas while on the trip. And of course pay off the balance as soon as we get home! But honestly I'd prefer to just leave the credit card hidden away for a true emergency. I am a recovering credit card junkie and don't want to tempt myself.

Any thoughts??

Thanks for your time!
Mary

 

[Pikezh638]

Some gas stations do it. I think they do where I live, but I am not sure. I think it is a gas station "policy". I would say count on it happening, and if it doesn't then woo hoo.

 

[Bethannk511]

Ok here's your answer from the banker herself!

It's not a bank thing, it's a gas station thing. If you go to a pump where the swipe is at the pump, they need to make sure that you have enough in your account before they start pumping. They do this by placing a hold on the account for the maximum amount that that pump will sell. Usually $50 or $75. Back when gas was $5 it was more like $100. Anyway, they put that hold on your account and sometimes it comes off quickly and you don't notice and sometimes not. Again, it depends on the station and how often they reconcile their credit card transactions. Even if you ask for $10 in gas, they'll hold $50. The only time there is no hold is when you have an older station that has to run the card after the gas is pumped.

Here's your biggest tip. Gas stations are the #1 place that most debit card fraud starts from. So, use a credit card or cash. In NJ, we don't pump our own gas so they crazy people that work with the fumes all day long are usually the reason why our card numbers are stolen, however, gas station's computer programs are not always the best and they're frequently hacked, cause mass debit card fraud. Hope this helps! PM me if you have any more questions!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I know it sounds crazy but we are quite proud that nothing would go on a credit card. But now that I'm thinking about this phantom hold it might be in our best interest to swallow pride and use a credit card for gas while on the trip. And of course pay off the balance as soon as we get home! But honestly I'd prefer to just leave the credit card hidden away for a true emergency. I am a recovering credit card junkie and don't want to tempt myself.

Any thoughts??

Thanks for your time!
Mary

I don't think anyone outside of you and your husband cares how you pay for gas. I prefer using a credit card because you have so many more legal protections if something goes wrong, but to each his own. If you pay off the balance right after your trip, why wouldn't you use a cc rather than a debit card?

 

[mom2brooke76]

Wow, I live in Alabama and I always pay at the pump with my debit card and have never had more than a $1 hold. $50 or $100 sounds crazy!

OP- have you consider doing a prepaid Visa? I've used them before for gas at stations. Either that or just using cash.

 

[Poohs100AcreWood]

I have had issues recently with this. I thought there was something wrong with my debit card and took it to my bank, who assured me it was fine. But it had been declined at two gas stations when I had almost $100 in my account.

Turns out the gas stations have been trying to put a $100 hold on my account, and because I had less, it was declined. I have figured out that it has only been at Arco stations (which have the cheapest gas around here, grr!). I either take money out to get gas now or frequent a non-Arco station.

 

[gmeh1]

The most any gas station has held in any gas station I have used here in Orlando and Kissimmee has been 1.00. Which drops off after a couple of days. I work in the airport and generally use the gas stations close to that location.
Word of warning!!!! IF you happen to use the north exit to get gas before returning the car DO NOT USE THE FIRST STATIONS YOU SEE. There are two very close to the airport access road, one on each side of RT. 436. They literally gouge people, prices well over 5.00 a gallon. Drive about a mile down the road and you will see 7 eleven with prices about 3.46 per gallon. There is also a Race Track a bit further down with prices a couple of pennies less expensive.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Credit cards offer far more protections for fraud and offer more transaction flexibility (assuming your card is not maxed).

Personally I would never consider using a debit card to rent a car, purchase gas or buy food where I need to hand my card to someone to run a tip.

 

[ancestry]

We just did a road trip. I discovered that gas stations are holding anywhere between $100-$125 anytime you swipe your card. We didn't realize this at first and sometimes the car only took $20 to top it off but yet there was a $125 hold placed for several days. Very frustrating. After that we started filling up only when we were near empty.

 

[Brian Noble]

Gas stations are the #1 place that most debit card fraud starts from. So, use a credit card or cash.

I second this. Many gas pumps nationwide use *exactly the same key* to open them, so anyone with that key can put a credit card skimmer in a pump. Here's an article that gives you an idea how this works:
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/mo...mming-at-gas-pumps-called-crime-of-the-future

I know that not using a credit card would be a nice victory for you, but the credit card provides *much* more protection. If someone fraudulently charges to your debit card, you are out the money until the bank deals with it. Hopefully, that will be fast, but it might not be. If someone fraudulently charges to your credit card, the card issuer (i.e. the bank) is out the money until they deal with it.

When I was a graduate student (and literally living paycheck to paycheck) I recorded credit card charges in my checkbook as if I had written a check for it, and subtracted it from the running balance. Technically, I used Quicken to do this for me, but the effect is the same---as far as I was concerned, the money was "gone" as soon as I "spent" it. Then, at the end of the month, I *knew* I had enough in my checking account to pay off the card in full, so there were no finance or other charges. It took a little more effort to reconcile (which is why I used Quicken) but allowed me to have the safety of a credit card with the discipline of a debit card.

If you don't think this is something you can stick to on vacation, use cash at a gas station. Please don't use your debit card.

 

[malibuconlee]

How about this...

You should know ~about~ how much your car will take in gas. If you are THAT concerned about it, just go in and pre-pay with your debit card for say $40 in gas or $50 in gas , then pump it, just make sure you are estimating on the low end don't want to have paid more than your car will take. You might not get completely filled, but hey then you are using just your debit card and not having any holds.

If it were me, I'd just use the credit card, but you know you best. If you don't trust yourself to JUST do the gas, then yeah, just do as above. Kind of like prepaying if you are using cash.