Gas credit card charged an additional $1

[widgeon13]

Looks like a transaction fee on my Mastercard. I had to drive to Utica, NY and stopped on the way to get some gas so I could make my destination. I look at the charges on the card today and there is a separate $1 charge along with the gas charge. When I got to Utica I topped off the tank at a cheaper place and there is also a $1 charge at that place. I know the gas charges are legit but why the $1 charge. Anyone experience this with Mastercard or other credit cards?

[john walker's workshop]

didn't the gov'mt just pass a law allowing businesses to add the % that the c/card companies charge them?

[sc_rufctr]

Cash money!

[stomachmonkey]

Credit or Debit card? Debit's/check cards do whacky stuff sometimes.

Could also be a pre charge, validating the card before you pump $100 in gas and the card turns out bad.

The charge may go away on it's own in 24-48 hours.

Call your card provider and ask.

[kanadary]

ya that's usually the case. they will put a precharge on the cc and after your real charge goes thru it will go away. check to see if the $1 is pending or an actual charge.

[Zeke]

B of A has been nicking my wife at the pump for a couple years now at some stations, but not others, We blamed the oil company, but the station owner denies it. However. I told her now that it costs over 60 bucks for a fill up, what's a buck compared to driving a mile out of her way?

[speeder]

There is always a pre-charge of $1.00 on a cc when you swipe it at a gas pump, to validate the card. It will erase from your statement.

[widgeon13]

Thanks for the input. I'll check in a day or so and see if it's still there. CC is convenient but I may start using more cash.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

My local gas station puts $150 hold on my AmEx if I pay at the pump. If I walk inside and pay they apply the actual amount of the transaction. If I use my debit card at the pump the hold is $1 until the actual amount is applied.

The Chevron by my office sticks me for $165

Here's my question: do they get interest or some other benefit, other than possible fraud prevention, from doing that?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by speeder

There is always a pre-charge of $1.00 on a cc when you swipe it at a gas pump, to validate the card. It will erase from your statement.

BTW, this was on a debit card. And it does stand. CC's, never a charge that we see.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Zeke

BTW, this was on a debit card. And it does stand. CC's, never a charge that we see.

What I use for fuel is one of 3 different debit cards with Visa or MC logo on them. I buy a lot of fuel. None of them charge me an extra $1.00 but all of them show a $1.00 charge on my online statement until the actual amount comes through. Are you seeing a separate $1.00 charge on statement after the actual amount of the transaction shows on statement?

If so, you should be talking to your bank or whomever issued the debit card. The oil companies are not charging you $1.00 to use your card.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by widebody911

The Chevron by my office sticks me for $165

Here's my question: do they get interest or some other benefit, other than possible fraud prevention, from doing that?

No, there are different stages of CC transactions.

Authorize and Capture.

In any transaction you first need to Authorize. Basically verifying the availability of and placing funds on hold/reserving them.

Next is Capture where the funds are actually transferred.

Auth/capture can happen at the same time, (really one immediately after the other) or you can auth a charge and not capture it for up to 30 days.

So if all they are doing is the auth part then they derive no monetary benefit.

It also does not make sense for them to capture $1.

Every transaction is subject to a fee, 10-20% and ~$0.20 per transaction, refunds count as a transaction. Rates depend on merchant volume. It's why some merchants have a minimum amount for CC transactions.

If they capture the $1 and then refund it they get hit with 2 transactions fees. They would actually lose ~$0.50 for every $1.

[speeder]

Yep. The $1.00 is only an authorisation on debit cards to make sure there is something in the account.

[Rick Lee]

IIRC, Arco charges something like a $.45 fee for using a debit card. They don't take credit cards and prefer cash. That $.45 fee stands, so just divide it by the number of gallons you buy and add that to the price per gallon. Doesn't turn out to be a good deal on the motorcycle.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

IIRC, Arco charges something like a $.45 fee for using a debit card. They don't take credit cards and prefer cash. That $.45 fee stands, so just divide it by the number of gallons you buy and add that to the price per gallon. Doesn't turn out to be a good deal on the motorcycle.

No, they took the fee away a while back. They've been spamming it all over TV.
But.. then they (at least, my local stations) started charging more for debit useage than cash for gas, liek many other stations Now, Debit use at Arco costs more than the gas at a Shell station just down the road... by 5 cents/gallon
After a fill-up, the additional price comes out to more than the old .45 cent fee anyways.

I wrote then a nastygram about it a few weeks back.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by speeder

What I use for fuel is one of 3 different debit cards with Visa or MC logo on them. I buy a lot of fuel. None of them charge me an extra $1.00 but all of them show a $1.00 charge on my online statement until the actual amount comes through. Are you seeing a separate $1.00 charge on statement after the actual amount of the transaction shows on statement?

If so, you should be talking to your bank or whomever issued the debit card. The oil companies are not charging you $1.00 to use your card.

I'll have her take a look. I use 90% cash. I see a lot of businesses that won't take bills over $20. So, when I need change, I get some gas and use a 100.

Or stop at the Home Defect and buy a tube of caulk or something I can always use and stick a 100 in the self check out. Grocery market is another stop that I can always make and they have no problems with any kind of transaction. Even cash back. The store always has something I can use from hot coffee to lunch.

[T77911S]

i have seen gas stations with 2 seperate rates for years. one for cash and one for credit. the debit card is the same as cash.

BP did this years ago. and what REALLY pissed me off is they charged me MORE for using THEIR BP card at THEIR station. i trashed the card and now refuse to buy BP gas. have not been in one on over 15 years.

there is a "pre" charge on the cards to check to see if it is a good card.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by T77911S

i have seen gas stations with 2 seperate rates for years. one for cash and one for credit. the debit card is the same as cash.

BP did this years ago. and what REALLY pissed me off is they charged me MORE for using THEIR BP card at THEIR station. i trashed the card and now refuse to buy BP gas. have not been in one on over 15 years.

there is a "pre" charge on the cards to check to see if it is a good card.

It's because it costs the merchant money to accept a card.

They are not allowed to charge more, pass the cost along to the consumer, for using a CC but can offer a discount for cash which in my mind is just a way of saying they can charge more for using a CC without actually saying it.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by T77911S

i have seen gas stations with 2 seperate rates for years. one for cash and one for credit. the debit card is the same as cash.
.

Around here, they consider debit to be the same as credit cards.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Cash money!

Nothing beats CASH.

Why do you guys play their way? Fuche em I say.