# Anyone familiar with this?



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Saturday, I went on my m/c ride. I stopped at a gas station that I've patronized before. I usually just use my Wells Fargo debit card to buy the gas. Never an issue.

This time though, I used my American Express card so that my account would show some activity. It's one of my credit cards that doesn't get used all that often. Anyways, I just needed to top off my fuel tank, so I pumped $4.01 worth of gas. I got my receipt at the pump and I left.

When I returned home Saturday, after a couple of hours, I checked my e-mail. American Express had sent me a large purchase alert approval notice. The alert was for $125.00. I'm thinking what the Hell.

It was from the gas station that I had stopped at. I called AE and asked them about it. They told me it was a pre-authorization charge. They said not to worry and within a few days, it would be dropped and the actual amount of the purchase would be reflected ($4.01) on my account. The guy I was speaking to, was of Indian accent, as in India. He tried to explain to me why it was done that way, but he failed in his attempt.

I then called the gas station and the manager wasn't on duty. I spoke to a gal that was in charge of the pizza deli. They bake, sell, and deliver pizza too. She took my name and said the manager would get back to me. I called back today (Sunday) and was told the manager would not be in until Monday.

I've been driving and buying gas since age 15.5. Got my first credit cards in my early 20's. I've never had a merchant do that to an account of mine. The only time I experienced anything similar, was a few years ago, at a Chevron Station not far from my house. If I used a credit card there other than one of their own, they'd tack on a buck or two as a pre-authorization fee. But.....it would be removed within a few days.

I've never had any business, other than a gas station, do this sort of thing. It's crazy as Hell. Supposedly, the $125.00 charge will be removed tomorrow sometime. It just doesn't make any sense to me as to why this particular gas station feels the need to do this.

Any of you experience anything similar to this? I'm curious if anyone can explain why it's done in the first place.?


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

TThose type of charges started out at $25.00 then when gas went to $4.00 + per gallon went way up. Usually it is small companies that do it, still today but you do need to ask before you use your card some even have it posted on the pumps you can use your card at. A local grocery store chain has gas pumps if you use a bank card or credit card and don't have a open balance of $50.00 dollars or more pay at the pump will refuse your card. My daughter has had that happen several times, the manager says it is to protect them from people buying more gas than they have money available


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I've purchased gas at many different locations in my area. Not one of them did what this gas station in question did. And, as many do, I've purchased gas completely out of my area, as in other states, while on road trips.

Anyways, I'm going to call tomorrow and speak to the station manager. I'm going to get to the bottom of it.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

Most gas stations in my location charge a $1.00 pre-authorization charge. $125.00? I'd be calling the proprietor after I called the police to tell them I'm filing a credit card fraud charge. I believe AE charges retailers a 3% fee for purchases. What is that? 12 cents on a $4.01 purchase,


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## high pockets (Apr 25, 2011)

I am not familiar of this activity on a credit card. I always understood this "pre-authorization" charge to be associated with debit cards. I am definitely going to have to watch my credit activity much more carefully.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I checked my AE account this morning. 

The $125.00 pre-authorization charge has been removed, and the actual purchase amount of $4.01 has been posted. 

I spoke to my step-son and he said he has experienced the same thing, but not in the amount of $125.00 though. 

Maybe it was because I used my AE card there for the first time, and they wanted to verify that it was a legit account? Who knows for sure.


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> I checked my AE account this morning.
> 
> The $125.00 pre-authorization charge has been removed, and the actual purchase amount of $4.01 has been posted.
> 
> ...


Or they're trying to give you a coronary so your son will put the funeral on your AE card.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

At least it was a learning experience for me. Now I know that it can happen and what to expect. 

My blood pressure is high enough already. I don't need stuff like that happening to raise it even more.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Aha!
You've hit on the explanation!
Your cardiologist had ordered a stress test, and your credit-card provider had agreed to administer it.


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Aha!
> You've hit on the explanation!
> Your cardiologist had ordered a stress test, and your credit-card provider had agreed to administer it.


The test is in two stages: you've had the first stage. The second will be when your cardiologist's bill hits your AE card.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Saw on the nat'l. news last night, that 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

paratrooper said:


> Saw on the nat'l. news last night, that 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure.


I've never been in three people*, but I do have high blood pressure.
Maybe it's because I stayed at a Holiday Inn?

*Well, not all at once, anyway.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Does 1 out of 3 sound better?

It does to me.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

paratrooper said:


> Does 1 out of 3 sound better?
> ...


Is that another covert orgy joke?
(Like mine was, that is.)


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Is that another covert orgy joke?
> (Like mine was, that is.)


I suppose it depends upon what your definition of is................is.


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## 54rambler (Oct 15, 2018)

I opened a new account with a local credit union last summer. I have seen stickers on gas pumps for years but never been charged. The 1st time I used the debit card with my new account, I got charged $75. The teller at the credit union said it was the company that issues the cards(a 3rd company that handles cards for banks and credit unions). The only way to avoid it is to go inside and pay at the cashier. Then it is just a standard purchase and there's no $75 charge.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I suppose beings I'm 64 yrs. old and the 1st time it's ever happened to me, I shouldn't be too very distressed.

Been using credit cards responsibly since age 22 or so. Never any issues of this kind before. I do plan to go back in the near future, buy some more gas, and see if it occurs again. If it does, I now know it will correct itself within a day or so.

And, I will go back to using my WF debit card instead of my AE credit card. This particular gas station is conveniently located near a highway that I often use to ride my favorite loops.

So, no longer using it is out of the question.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

Never happened to me, but I've never had an American Express card - only MC & Visa. If that did happen, the first thing I'd do is file a charge dispute. I get really irritated when anyone pulls crap like this. I feel like they're trying to con me into buying something or just putting a bogus charge on my bill & hope I won't notice it & just pay.
Reminds me of that Sirus Radio crap. After I get a new car, I'm automatically enrolled in a free 3-month trial subscription, then they start sending me bills which I ignore. Then they call me & ask why I haven't been paying. I ask "when did I order the subscription?" They say "You automatically subscribed after your 3-month trial period." I say, "If I didn't order it, you can't charge me for it, so I'm not paying for it." Ooooh, do they get pissed! A few years ago, the moron on the phone tried to imply that I was "taking advantage of them by using the Sirus & not paying for it." Before hanging up on her, I said, "How awful - that little tiny pea brain all alone in that great, big head." 
Same crap with magazine subscriptions. I'll start getting a magazine I never ordered, then when I ignore the bills, they call, asking why I'm not paying.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

win231 said:


> Never happened to me, but I've never had an American Express card - only MC & Visa. If that did happen, the first thing I'd do is file a charge dispute. I get really irritated when anyone pulls crap like this. I feel like they're trying to con me into buying something or just putting a bogus charge on my bill & hope I won't notice it & just pay.
> Reminds me of that Sirus Radio crap. After I get a new car, I'm automatically enrolled in a free 3-month trial subscription, then they start sending me bills which I ignore. Then they call me & ask why I haven't been paying. I ask "when did I order the subscription?" They say "You automatically subscribed after your 3-month trial period." I say, "If I didn't order it, you can't charge me for it, so I'm not paying for it." Ooooh, do they get pissed! A few years ago, the moron on the phone tried to imply that I was "taking advantage of them by using the Sirus & not paying for it." Before hanging up on her, I said, "How awful - that little tiny pea brain all alone in that great, big head."
> Same crap with magazine subscriptions. I'll start getting a magazine I never ordered, then when I ignore the bills, they call, asking why I'm not paying.


I used to be a Sirius subscriber. That was when they offered 6 months of service for $25.00

Problem was, if you didn't call in to cancel the subscription at or near that 6 month period, your membership would automatically be renewed.

Even if I called in to cancel, chances were good, they'd still renew your membership. I fought them tooth & nail over that more than once.

I finally got to the point, I'd just call the credit card company I was using to pay for the membership. They would in-turn, get my money back.

I finally told Sirius to F-off. I still get mailers asking that I come back as a member, offering me special rates to entice me.

The day I agree, will be the same day I go out and buy a brand-new Harley-Davidson.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

I don't know whether this is true or not, but I read somewhere from a person that hadn't used his CC for awhile(don't know if it was an AE card) but if you go inside to pre-pay with the card the pre-authorization doesn't happen, only at the pump. I assume if you under pump the gas amount it goes back to the card, or you get a refund for what you didn't pump?


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## Slowalkintexan (Feb 6, 2007)

I don’t understand why people have American Express cards any more, Yes, I had one back in the day, maybe 40 years ago,,,,,but see no reason to have one now, except to maybe show off.....”Dude, I have American Express”


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

I had one trip over to Knoxville Tn. and used my card to fill up my little pickup and the pump cut off at $100.00 because that was the preapproval I had to go inside and prepay for $30.00 to finish filling up.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Slowalkintexan said:


> I don't understand why people have American Express cards any more, Yes, I had one back in the day, maybe 40 years ago,,,,,but see no reason to have one now, except to maybe show off....."Dude, I have American Express"


I applied for mine back in Nov. of 2015. Received a flyer in the mail stating that new customers would receive a $250.00 cash back / account credit for any purchase of $1000.00 or more within 3 months of receiving the card.

I had a chainsaw in mind that I wanted to buy. I did some research and found a dealer in Oregon. No sales tax there, and he told me he'd give me $100.00 off the MSRP. I have a younger brother that lives in OR. and the same town the dealer was in. He picked it up for me and brought it to me when he visited during Christmas that year.

To me, a credit card is a credit card. The name of a card doesn't mean squat to me. AE offered a very good deal and I accepted. It was just that simple.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

denner12 said:


> I don't know whether this is true or not, but I read somewhere from a person that hadn't used his CC for awhile(don't know if it was an AE card) but if you go inside to pre-pay with the card the pre-authorization doesn't happen, only at the pump. I assume if you under pump the gas amount it goes back to the card, or you get a refund for what you didn't pump?


Most credit cards will let you know when the account inactivity period approaches their time limit. That happens to me from time to time. Some will simply close the account due to a lengthy inactivity period. They may or may not let you know.

I'm getting much better at rotating my cards, so that they all show some account activity. I'm down to about 5 or 6 cards now.

I've never been denied a purchase of any kind due to a low authorization limit. I rarely if ever, carry a balance due on my cards.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Mine purchase was not denied but the card company when pay at the pump had a pre-approval limit of $100.00 for every one using a card at the pump.


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## RoadRamblerNJ (Mar 3, 2018)

paratrooper said:


> I used to be a Sirius subscriber. That was when they offered 6 months of service for $25.00
> 
> Problem was, if you didn't call in to cancel the subscription at or near that 6 month period, your membership would automatically be renewed.
> 
> ...


You don't need radio on a Harley. It'll sing sweet bah-doop-pah, bah-doop-pah to you the whole time! Unless it's fueI injected, then it's bi-du, bi-du, bi-du, bi-du.


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## RoadRamblerNJ (Mar 3, 2018)

paratrooper said:


> I applied for mine back in Nov. of 2015. Received a flyer in the mail stating that new customers would receive a $250.00 cash back / account credit for any purchase of $1000.00 or more within 3 months of receiving the card.
> 
> I had a chainsaw in mind that I wanted to buy. I did some research and found a dealer in Oregon. No sales tax there, and he told me he'd give me $100.00 off the MSRP. I have a younger brother that lives in OR. and the same town the dealer was in. He picked it up for me and brought it to me when he visited during Christmas that year.
> 
> To me, a credit card is a credit card. The name of a card doesn't mean squat to me. AE offered a very good deal and I accepted. It was just that simple.


Same here. Wife said we get $200 cash to open it. I don't use it, but I got it. She's been doing that fairly regularly for 30 yrs or so now. Haven't kept track but we must be a couple grand to the good by now. Heck, she just opened one 2 days ago! Must have 15 open cards, some going back 25 yrs.

We will not get any card with an annual fee.

We pay our bill every month. Never pay interest. Never.

And if you're worried about having too many cards and messing up your credit score, Credit-Karma has us at 825 & 827.


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