gas pump pain beyond high prices: Gas stations are also offering great holds of up to $175 on customers’ cards by swiping.
When drivers insert a credit or debit card at the pump, the gas station does not know how much fuel they will purchase and it withholds to account for the amount set by the gas station. Merchants authorize the payment network to lift the hold after the final total of payments has been determined, although it can take hours and sometimes longer to settle the hold – risking overdraft penalties for debit-card users and the risk of overdraft penalties for the hold. Eating within the credit limit during