Are they a surcharge in some gas stations on a debit card used at the pumps?

Question

My sister stopped to buy gas at a Sunoco gas station when she tried to use her debit card it would not let her she went inside the station to see why the pump would not take her card the guy said that they put a $75.00 freeze on her bank account until the payment was cleared and she didn't have the $75.00 in her account she only wanted $20.00 in fuel. They called it a surcharge. Is this really going on in some stations? They claim it is because the fuel is so high priced now.

Answer 1

It's not a surcharge, it's basically insurance for them to make sure they get paid.

Answer 2

Its not a surcharge!!  Its insurance and people like your sister are why we have this practice- there is a lag time between when you buy your gas and when it clears the account when you pay with a debit card.  Sooo, the station puts a limit on what you can buy so they dont get stuck with no $ for the gas you buy.  How do they know your sister ( or anyone for that matter) wont go and spend their last $20 at Wal Mart before they can get their money cleared thru the bank????  As far as I am conerned, its a fair and a good idea.  Besides, if you dont have $75 to spare for gas, you need to stay home and save anyway!!

Answer 3

Some stations (Kroger and QT as an example here in Georgia)  will NOT permit a debit card to purchase OVER 50 bucks or QT at 75 dollars. The pumps are set to that limit. IF your account does not have that much in it then it cannot get a preapproval for that amount and you are denied gas. It is NOT  a surcharge, just the end results of too many programmers stirring the soup and not knowing what is going on. A credit card with enough limit on it will make the purchase OK.

IF you can get the station owner to turn on the pump as a cash pump and dispense only 20 bucks you can THEN pay thee bill with the card. Fat chance gettin' an i***n or a Pakistani to do that for you but other minority staffed stations MIGHT do it.

Answer 4

They authorize your card for more so that they know the money is there. After a few days, the authorization will fall off, and the real charge will post.