Gas Station Authorization "Holds"

[MIChessGuy]

I was at the filling station this week and my payment card was declined at the pump when the $175 authorization hold did not go through.

Is this a common hold amount for pay-at-the-pump these days? Just my own ignorance, I suppose, but I had no idea they were applying a hold anywhere near that amount. My vague recollection was that fuel pumps would hold maybe $100 or so, but I'm clearly living in the past. If $175 is typical across fuel brands, that can be rather burdensome if it takes forever (as it seems to) for these holds to drop off the account. I wish it was easier for the consumer to know the details of these obscure processes ahead of an actual purchase. I've decided to buy some filling station gift cards for my trip to Orlando next month so that I can still pay at the pump, but not have a ton of money stuck in credit card limbo.

 

[_19disnA]

Once in a great while I have seen a gas station charge my credit card $1 to make sure it goes through before letting me pump gas. I think this is more specific to areas where they have had a lot of fraud or other issues. The vast majority of time when I buy gas none of that takes place. When traveling out of town, I have had some gas pumps ask me to enter my billing zip code before accepting it as a way to verify card isn't stolen. Likely if the card was stolen they would not know your billing zip code, so I have no problem entering that.

I have seen some gas stations with signs saying there is $ amount limit for gas purchases late at night, but I always buy gas during the day not sure how that works.

 

[Moliphino]

I got gas this morning, I only see a $1 test charge and credit in my pending charges, along with the actual charge.

 

[china mom]

I bought gas yesterday. If I pit my credit card in the slot, it does not say anything abou a hold. Yesterday I tapped and it warned me that there would be a $200 hold. I just pulled up my account and don't see any hold so it was less than 24 hours.

 

[tvguy]

I only use my credit card or cash to buy gas, and I have never seen a hold, but it does ask my zip code at the pump. I have heard of holds if you use a debit card, but I don't use my debit card. A $175 hold is higher than I had heard about, but as I recall when gasoline prices soared about $5 a gallon gas stations had to raise the hold amount.
I have had hotels this year tell me they are putting a $75 hold on my card when I checked in. Well, one hotel we stayed at 3 weeks ago for 3 nights charged me for the entire 3 nights as soon as I checked in.
Never been an issue for me as my credit limit is about 6 times what I typically charge per month on my credit card.

 

[Skippy918]

That sounds typical when using a debit card. It’s safer to use a credit card at the pump because gas pumps have known to be hacked with skimmers.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Yes pay at the pump holds on debit cards seems very common.

It seems like debit cards in general are not very appealing. When I worked in a branch side of banking, those things provided a constant stream of people coming in with problems. These problems ranged from the chips going bad, all the way up to people's accounts getting cleaned out (and then some).

My personal policy on debit cards is:

1. Do not keep any more in the account than you are willing to lose, or have tied up for a long time.
2. Opt out of any/all "courtesy pay" type features, Reg E, or anything that will "allow" you to go into the negative.
3. Do not set up any "recurring payments" with a merchant
4. AND for heavens's sake DO NOT USE IT ONLINE

I know debit cards come with pretty much any checking acct. For my "main account" I have the debit card, and I NEVER use it because I know the problems that they bring. For my "play money account", I have a debit card that I treat as a reloadable giftcard.

 

[lynxstch]

$1 hold is the standard at our gas stations here. Have never had them hold more than that, and it falls off the next day

 

[EACarlson]

This is very common, especially at stations that offer fuel for big rigs also. The amount varies, but I've seen $1, 25, 75, 100, 150, and 175. Depending on how the charge is configured, you may never see the authorization as it drops off and is replaced with the actual charge amount. In some cases it's a separate authorization charge and will hang out for up to a week in addition to the actual charge amount.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I was vaguely aware that this was being done. But, that was the first time I ever experienced a 'decline' as well as my first experience with a hold in such a high amount. My reaction to that, just as a consumer, was very negative indeed. And on top of that, I see a lot of news reports about fraud at the pumps with hidden data-capturing devices and the like. Somehow I'm supposed to know what a 'suspicious' payment terminal looks like and avoid it.

 

[Anthony1971]

I have only seen 1 which is always for me in all states on a credit card... My son used his debit card-before he had a credit card (18 so things take time) a few times and same was a 1 hold. I would strongly suggest if at all possible to use credit cards only at a gas station if not use cash. It is very easy to have a skimmer on open credit card readers like that...