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Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!

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drkaje
Senior Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!


@Anonymous wrote:

@I use my BCP for gas (except when Discover rotating category is gas @5%) and the station I go to always pre-auth 100, and it takes about 2-4 days to be posted to my acct., I've never seen the sticker on the pump saying what the pre-auth will be, hmmmm.

 

Happy Holidays.


I was totally ignorant of the practice until a few weeks ago. Happened to read a sticker on the pump advising debit card users about the hold and that it may take up to 7 days to be released.

 

Basically, curiosity got the better of me. Smiley Happy I monitored the USAA Amex and it took a full 6 days for the hold to be released. Perhaps it's a quirk of USAA because the hold was listed as pending. I believe the actual charge was paid two days later, when it posted.

 

I've never noticed this with Chase Freedom. 


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Message 41 of 79
clownfico
Valued Member

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!

It seems that CCCs are allowing the market to determine who holds a "prime" card or CL or not. 

 

I recall passing my AMEX over the counter to  a clerk at a fuel station. She without much thought asked me, "...credit or DEBIT?"  

 

 

Message 42 of 79
n777ua
Established Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!

FYI the $250 pre-auth fell off this AM and the actual charge of $43 and change posted, trans date 12/23.

About $215,000 total credit among 11 cards
Message 43 of 79
BlueNightStar
Regular Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!

I pretty much use only one station near my house. They always use a $1 pending charge for my debit (which I no longer use) or my Chase CC. Oddly, Cap 1 never has a pending amount in my charges but reduces by CL by the exact amount of gas I pumped almost immediately. I feel fortunate - for two years I had no other funding except my debit card and a large hold would have been very bad.

Message 44 of 79
drkaje
Senior Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!


@clownfico wrote:

It seems that CCCs are allowing the market to determine who holds a "prime" card or CL or not. 

 

I recall passing my AMEX over the counter to  a clerk at a fuel station. She without much thought asked me, "...credit or DEBIT?"  

 

 


Amex has pre-paid and gift cards, now. 


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Message 45 of 79
clownfico
Valued Member

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!


@drkaje wrote:

@clownfico wrote:

It seems that CCCs are allowing the market to determine who holds a "prime" card or CL or not. 

 

I recall passing my AMEX over the counter to  a clerk at a fuel station. She without much thought asked me, "...credit or DEBIT?"  

 

 


Amex has pre-paid and gift cards, now. 


I agree that Amex does offer pre-paid as well as gift cards, but these products clearly state that they are such.  An Amex Zync, Green, or Platinum  neither has "pre-paid" or "gift" on the card.  Moreover, using a pre-paid or gift card at a fuel pump will require one to pre-pay. 

 

My point was that it has become far too commonplace to assume a card is simply a DEBIT by merchants. It is simply a pet-peeve.

Message 46 of 79
IOBA
Senior Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!

Another note about Amex - all "pending charges" fall off (automatically) one week - seven days - after  they are put through if the vendor does nothing with the pre-authorization.   The vendor must finalize the charge or it falls off.

 

A vendor has up to one year from the date of the pre-authorization to submit the final charge and Amex will honor it.   If it's done on the 366th day - Amex won't accept it.   It will not show as a pending charge during that time, past the one week limit.

Message 47 of 79
PetRaccoon
New Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!

I'd really hate it if Chase accepted Auths like that..

 

My dad keeps buying around $12 of gas (almost once a day) instead of filling up cause of the bonus..

 

One swipe = 10 points

$10 = 1 point

 

with Chase Checking promo..

TU08:: 754 (4/14) EQ: 745 (6/14) 753 (1/13) Ex: 766 (12/11)
Goal: 800! Then Keep it there and keep growing!~
Card(s): HSBC Premier WMC: 5,000 (7/09), Chase Freedom 6,000 (11/11) BCE 3,200 (12/11) Chase Saph: 5,000 (5/12)
Message 48 of 79
tengtengvn
Frequent Contributor

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!


@clownfico wrote:

@drkaje wrote:

@clownfico wrote:

It seems that CCCs are allowing the market to determine who holds a "prime" card or CL or not. 

 

I recall passing my AMEX over the counter to  a clerk at a fuel station. She without much thought asked me, "...credit or DEBIT?"  

 

 


Amex has pre-paid and gift cards, now. 


I agree that Amex does offer pre-paid as well as gift cards, but these products clearly state that they are such.  An Amex Zync, Green, or Platinum  neither has "pre-paid" or "gift" on the card.  Moreover, using a pre-paid or gift card at a fuel pump will require one to pre-pay. 

 

My point was that it has become far too commonplace to assume a card is simply a DEBIT by merchants. It is simply a pet-peeve.


I don't think they care that you have a Zync, green or whatever.

What's in your wallet?
-Not Capital One.
Message 49 of 79
clownfico
Valued Member

Re: Amex Fuel Pre-Auth Now $250?!


@tengtengvn wrote:

I don't think they care that you have a Zync, green or whatever.

I did not imply that the merchant cared. It just rather mindless to inquire whether the card is CREDIT or DEBIT when presented with purely a CREDIT card. IME, most debit and gift cards clearly say so on the card. Just as a observant clerk might notice whether a card is signed or not; it would be equally appreciated to identify a credit card over a debit. That's strictly my point. 
I'm reminded of a CS rep via phone who inquires whether the card is a MC, VISA, DISC, or AMEX: "aahh,...the first digit should be a clue!"  

 

Message 50 of 79
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