OT Credit card charging

micky · 2016-12-27T01:47:52+00:00

I've used nothing but a debit card most of the time, and only need a credit card for renting a car. So I got one, The debit card is set up to notify me when a charge is made over their minimum amount, which is $100. I figured until I got used to the credit card, I would set that limit to their minimimum amount, $10. So last Thursday I bought gas. My tank holds a little over 16 gallons. An email comes shortly afterwards saying there is a pending charge on the card of $85, but I can't put $85 worth of gas in the car. And ~48 hours later, it becomes a permanent charge of $31. I understand that when someone rents something, or maybe stays in a hotel with room service or one of those very expensive vending machines, that the seller wants to reserve a fairly large amount of money, to cover future charges. In case the car isn't returned the day the renter says it will be, or so they won't have to interrupt the drunk guy spending $20 for a candy bar to make him put more money on his account. But when I pump gas, they may not know how much I'll pump when I start, but 5 or 10 minutes later, they know. Why did they keep $85 on reserve for two days?. What if someone is at the edge of his wallet and his credit and he needs to spend that 50?. I don't think anyone notifies anyone of this practice. If I didn't have the notification set below 100, I wouldn't know about this and I'll bet most people don't know. Even I don't know who all does it. Is it all gas stations? Only Shell? Only Maryland? Is it the opera? What if you get more popcorn there than you and they anticipate?

Dec 27, 2016 60 Replies

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micky 9 years ago

I would go in and discuss it with the gas station, and even complain, except,

a) the guy there won't know anything about it. b) if I get a stupid answer, I'll get angry. c) just as I never get down to zero I can make sure I never get down to

d) I'm happy they are finally printing receipts. Several times over weeks the pump had no paper or something, and I was about to complain about that. But it seems to be fixed.

Micky

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