Comments on: Why I Won’t Be Using My Debit Card To Purchase Gas Anymore

By: pretty lady

pretty lady — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:09:54 +0000

this happen to me i was so upset….i wont be using my debit card for gas i only purchased $15.00.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:09:07 +0000

I have worked in Banking for over 12years and I spend allot of my time dealing with upset customers on this issue. What most people do not understand is that it is not the station that you getting gas from that places the hold nor is it the bank, but the clearing house that the credit or debit card is insured through. This was put into place when the pumps would only hold a $1.00 and customer would pump $25.00 and only had $10.00 in their account. In the same since – when a customer would pay by check trying to float their money for a few days trying to give themselves a little more time for their paycheck to be deposited. I understand all the concerns but it was put in place to protect the consumer, retailer and the customer. Just wanted to clear everything for all you guys…

By: Sundevilsfan

Sundevilsfan — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:02:51 +0000

I don’t recall ever having this problem…. Even when I moved across the country twice. Both times I used my debit card. I didnt even have a credit card come to think about it.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:49:17 +0000

Another point I should have mentioned is that the AMOUNT of the hold the bank places on an account is what the MERCHANT reports! And why would you think it’s OK for a rental car agency or a hotel to place a hold on your account and not a gas station? It costs $75 to fill my car – fortunately I don’t have to fill it as often as lots of others do…but I have rented a car for less than $75!! I do need to say that Mr Not Made of Money does have lots of other great tips and ideas and thanks for passing them along!! I just felt like you needed to know your bank is not the bad guy!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:20:34 +0000

While a hold may be placed on a debit card transaction in excess of the purchase amount by the merchant, an overdraft fee will only be incurred when actual items POST to the account in an amount in excess of the account BALANCE on that day. I happen to work in a bank and what we see most often from pay at the pump debit card purchases is a $1.00 hold. The only real risk one runs when using a debit card with a low account balance is that an attempt to use the card (later in the day after a hold has been placed for your debit purchase) could be denied if it is going to exceed the account balance. Actually, your credit card is going to work the same way! The hold is just going to be on your available credit limit. Most banks have programs in place depending on the age of your account and the responsible use of the debit or credit account which may override an account balance or credit limit by a small percentage so that responsible cardholders are not usually affected by a hold placed on their accounts.