topic Re: Credit card hold at gas station in Credit Cards

Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 21:42:54 GMT

How to avoid credit card hold charge! Pay at the store using credit card or cash? It does seem ridiculous that the hold is not cancelled immediately upon completion of the transaction, especially considering that the whole process is automated,

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 04:02:57 GMT

Pay inside instead of the pump. Yeah it is ridiculous but the banks always take their time when it is to our benefit.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Creditplz — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 04:19:50 GMT

Yeah, pay inside... the Shell by my house, and by my office usually put a hold for $99 and have at times held it there for 2-3 days!! It's ridiculous! I've started going inside to pay since my local news paper said a Skimmer was found at a local chevron!

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 05:01:30 GMT

Personally I don't mind the hold I usually have plenty of available credit so a $75 hold when I spend $40 on gas isn't that bad.

Actually we just moved to a state where all the gas stations you pump first then pay inside after you pump instead of prepaying. Way better process IMHO

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 05:39:27 GMT

Back in 2011 or 2012 before I got my first credit card I had a WalMart prepaid Visa. I went to a local store to pump $20 in gas and they put a $50 hold on my card for several days. That's when I learned to always go inside to pay for gas. Kinda makes it hard to completely fill your tank up but it is what it is.

At our local WalMart Market Place gas station they make us use a gift card for prepaid gas purchases. They load your credit card purchases on a gift card. So it looks like I am buying a gift card every time I buy gas. I think the reason they do this is to save us 3 cents per gallon when using the card. My Sam's Club MC gives the same 3 cents off per gallon but you can't use both and I don't want that $50 hold on my card either.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

UncleB — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 06:42:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Back in 2011 or 2012 before I got my first credit card I had a WalMart prepaid Visa. I went to a local store to pump $20 in gas and they put a $50 hold on my card for several days. That's when I learned to always go inside to pay for gas. Kinda makes it hard to completely fill your tank up but it is what it is.

At our local WalMart Market Place gas station they make us use a gift card for prepaid gas purchases. They load your credit card purchases on a gift card. So it looks like I am buying a gift card every time I buy gas. I think the reason they do this is to save us 3 cents per gallon when using the card. My Sam's Club MC gives the same 3 cents off per gallon but you can't use both and I don't want that $50 hold on my card either.

That may be part of the reason, but I suspect the major reason is that if you overpay they don't have to worry about refunds or voids... you can simply use the remaining GC value at Walmart or save it for your next refuel.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 07:21:36 GMT

Is this a state thing, or a particular gas station? I've never had this happen.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Creditplz — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 07:25:46 GMT

I've had this done in Washington, California, New York so I would assume all states but I'm not sure

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Loquat — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:04:33 GMT

I'm in the midwest and a lot of the stations here do the exact same thing. I purchase fuel at the local QuikTrip or Mobil. QT will pre-authorize a dollar and then in a day or so the actual charge will post. Mobil on the other hand does it opposite of QT; they pre-authorize $100 and release the excess (if any) in the same time frame.

If you have a lot of available credit then the temp holds aren't a big issue...and as other posters have said, you can avoid this by paying inside. My issue with paying inside is that (and I've tested it at both Mobil and QT) PenFed's 5% Cash Rewards card specially says that they'll only pay the 5% is you purchase at the pump. I've tried paying for fuel inside and it doesn't code the same at QT or Mobil and I lose out so in order to get the 5% I have to pay at the pump.

I don't know why its like that with PenFed as I know my Discover will code anything (inside or out) as fuel and I reap the rewards. American Express is the same, codes at the pump and any purchase inside as fuel...PenFed for some reason just doesn't code the same...some how they know when I've made a purchase inside versus at the pump. Strange...

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

RockinRay — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:44:41 GMT

@Loquat wrote:
I'm in the midwest and a lot of the stations here do the exact same thing. I purchase fuel at the local QuikTrip or Mobil. QT will pre-authorize a dollar and then in a day or so the actual charge will post. Mobil on the other hand does it opposite of QT; they pre-authorize $100 and release the excess (if any) in the same time frame.

If you have a lot of available credit then the temp holds aren't a big issue...and as other posters have said, you can avoid this by paying inside. My issue with paying inside is that (and I've tested it at both Mobil and QT) PenFed's 5% Cash Rewards card specially says that they'll only pay the 5% is you purchase at the pump. I've tried paying for fuel inside and it doesn't code the same at QT or Mobil and I lose out so in order to get the 5% I have to pay at the pump.

I don't know why its like that with PenFed as I know my Discover will code anything (inside or out) as fuel and I reap the rewards. American Express is the same, codes at the pump and any purchase inside as fuel...PenFed for some reason just doesn't code the same...some how they know when I've made a purchase inside versus at the pump. Strange...

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:56:01 GMT

The hold amount at my gas station which is attached to the grocery store I shop at is $160 which is pretty steep. I have have actually seen it higher than that. I'll get some gas today, check after and report back. Typically that hold is on there for 3 days +/- a day.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

fltireguy — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 12:43:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Personally I don't mind the hold I usually have plenty of available credit so a $75 hold when I spend $40 on gas isn't that bad.

Actually we just moved to a state where all the gas stations you pump first then pay inside after you pump instead of prepaying. Way better process IMHO

+1 Matt. I agree with you - It's only an issue if you have low limit cards, etc...

I have been seeing Chevron/Texaco, as well as Shell settle the transactions immediately though. So, as soon as the transaction is finalized at the pump, the hold is being released, and the sale shows up immediately online with my cards

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

fltireguy — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 12:46:43 GMT

@Loquat wrote:
I'm in the midwest and a lot of the stations here do the exact same thing. I purchase fuel at the local QuikTrip or Mobil. QT will pre-authorize a dollar and then in a day or so the actual charge will post. Mobil on the other hand does it opposite of QT; they pre-authorize $100 and release the excess (if any) in the same time frame.

If you have a lot of available credit then the temp holds aren't a big issue...and as other posters have said, you can avoid this by paying inside. My issue with paying inside is that (and I've tested it at both Mobil and QT) PenFed's 5% Cash Rewards card specially says that they'll only pay the 5% is you purchase at the pump. I've tried paying for fuel inside and it doesn't code the same at QT or Mobil and I lose out so in order to get the 5% I have to pay at the pump.

I don't know why its like that with PenFed as I know my Discover will code anything (inside or out) as fuel and I reap the rewards. American Express is the same, codes at the pump and any purchase inside as fuel...PenFed for some reason just doesn't code the same...some how they know when I've made a purchase inside versus at the pump. Strange...

BUT, on the other hand. (MOST of the Circle K locations in the Tampa and Orlando areas are branded Shell at this point) PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa will code for the 5% both in the store, and at the pump. Also, BoA 3-2-1 will do the same as well. I've also noticed that 7-11 codes as grocery for INSIDE purchases, which is great with my BCP - IF I pay inside, or buy a 7-11 GC to use outside, I am getting 6% !!!!!!

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Loquat — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 12:51:37 GMT

@fltireguy wrote:
@Loquat wrote:
I'm in the midwest and a lot of the stations here do the exact same thing. I purchase fuel at the local QuikTrip or Mobil. QT will pre-authorize a dollar and then in a day or so the actual charge will post. Mobil on the other hand does it opposite of QT; they pre-authorize $100 and release the excess (if any) in the same time frame.

If you have a lot of available credit then the temp holds aren't a big issue...and as other posters have said, you can avoid this by paying inside. My issue with paying inside is that (and I've tested it at both Mobil and QT) PenFed's 5% Cash Rewards card specially says that they'll only pay the 5% is you purchase at the pump. I've tried paying for fuel inside and it doesn't code the same at QT or Mobil and I lose out so in order to get the 5% I have to pay at the pump.

I don't know why its like that with PenFed as I know my Discover will code anything (inside or out) as fuel and I reap the rewards. American Express is the same, codes at the pump and any purchase inside as fuel...PenFed for some reason just doesn't code the same...some how they know when I've made a purchase inside versus at the pump. Strange...

BUT, on the other hand. (MOST of the Circle K locations in the Tampa and Orlando areas are branded Shell at this point) PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa will code for the 5% both in the store, and at the pump. Also, BoA 3-2-1 will do the same as well. I've also noticed that 7-11 codes as grocery for INSIDE purchases, which is great with my BCP - IF I pay inside, or buy a 7-11 GC to use outside, I am getting 6% !!!!!!

Interesting that their Platinum Rewards will code as 5% inside and out but the Cash Rewards will only code at the pump.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

HeavenOhio — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 15:23:16 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Is this a state thing, or a particular gas station? I've never had this happen.

Me neither. I get $1 holds. And they drop out of the pending payment list within a few hours. Sometimes, all it takes is an hour or so. If I catch it at the right time, I might see a $1 hold and a $1 pending refund. But most of the time, I miss this stuff entirely, and all I see is the amount I paid for gas.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

jamesdwi — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 17:40:16 GMT

Get them all the time, more likely in worse neigbhorhoods, and places with frequent drive-offs.

having a bad day and get a pump with issues, its possible to get 2 or more holds of a $100 or more. Just another example of how the less fortunate get slammed. Imagine having 2-3 holds of $100 or more on a debit card for upto 7 days, when you earn minimum wage.

I always pay at the pump, less hassle, less temptation to add on the candy bar or a soda.no long time. and 3% back on my BCP card, pay inside and its only 1%.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 18:20:32 GMT

@HeavenOhio wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Is this a state thing, or a particular gas station? I've never had this happen.
Me neither. I get $1 holds. And they drop out of the pending payment list within a few hours. Sometimes, all it takes is an hour or so. If I catch it at the right time, I might see a $1 hold and a $1 pending refund. But most of the time, I miss this stuff entirely, and all I see is the amount I paid for gas.

Same here. I've never had anything more than a dollar show up initially. I live in Georgia, but South Carolina seems to be the same. I would be so angry if I got home and found a $100 hold for $15-$20 worth of gas.

BTW...that $1 isn't a hold. It's a pre-authorization. They run a dollar through to verify the card is valid.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 18:31:04 GMT

I'm in California.

I always see a $99 hold on my card which is super annoying. I'll start paying inside instead of at the pump if that solves it!

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 18:58:33 GMT

I don't think the hold is a state thing or even a brand thing. Some of my local stations charge it some don't and the amount is normally $1, $50, or $100 never experienced any other amounts. I think some even go so far as to charge different amounts depending on the card used. Good neighborhood or bad I myself can't find any pattern. In fact a local station near me recently stopped charging the hold. Leads me to believe it is up to the local business or franchise.
Personally it doesn't bother me as a $100 hold is about 0.5% of my utilization on whichever cards I normally use. Definitely not worth the trouble of going inside and waiting in line.

Re: Credit card hold at gas station

Discover2016 — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 19:00:48 GMT

Back when my first card had a limit of $500 (Discover), I would always worry about the hold at a gas station, I would also worry and research the security hold when I would rent a car. Now that my Discover has a limit of $11,400, I don't worry about, but this thread brings back memories.