Flying J charges ethical/legal or not?

[JohnBoyToo]

for sure, the hold does lower your available balance AND be ready for a inattentive waitress @ a restaurant to key something like $855.65 for an $85.65 bill !!!... odd that something like that happened to me twice in one week while vacationing...

and had I not had limits set @ the bank to email me with 'odd' transactions - I would not have have known for a few days, because the receipt only showed the $85...

first time it got reversed while there, second time I had already left and took the 4 or 5 days.... I got a free gift certificate for that one !

[slapfoot]

I've had a similar thing happen at a motel. I was excited for a while also. Actual billing comes through a little later. I no longer worry about it. Just the way of doing business these days I guess.

[BFlinn181]

A tempest in a teapot, IMHO. A 'hold' doesn't give anyone access to your money, it's the creditor's check that you are good for the amount they are 'loaning' to you. The hold reserves that amount of your approved credit with the CC company or bank. Not surprising that the hold goes on immediately, that hold was put on automatically by ultrafast, efficient networks of computers so we don't have to wait for approval of the charge. (A person waiting for a credit check is likely to terminate the sale if they have to wait more than 30 seconds!) The removal of the hold happens when the business gets around to submitting the actual charges. It is not a conspiracy.

If you don't have a sufficiently padded credit line, ask to have it increased, use cash, or stop spending so much!

[MickBrennan]

pend·ing (pndng)
adj.
1. Not yet decided or settled; awaiting conclusion or confirmation.
2. Impending; imminent.
prep.
1. While in the process of; during.
2. While awaiting; until.

It is not a charge, relax a little.

Ethical? Sure, why not?

[dons2346]

According to the OP's statement, there is one less guy in front of me when I go ini for a fillup.

[calhyatt]

Originally Posted by redeldo

Running low on fuel in my pickup yesterday so I stopped at a Flying J exit 320 on I-75 in Georgia. The price was right at $3.43/gallon so I used my credit card, operated the pump and proceeded to gas up. Got the receipt, it showed $35.00 and off I went.

Checked my credit card balance this morning and it showed: PILOT $150.00 PENDING. What the heck is going on? I rarely ever stop at Flying J or Pilot, and if this is the way they do business I WILL NEVER AGAIN STOP AT FLYING J!!!!!

Is this ethical and why are they doing this? If they think I don't have sufficient limits to cover $35.00 then why would they charge the card 3 times that much?

Has anyone had this done before and how did you get it corrected?

Redeldo
01 Dynasty
01 Dakota

It's legal, it's normal and it happens all the time. Wait a couple of days and the hold will be released. All will be well. Take care, seeya on the road.

[Gary RVRoamer]

There are legitimate reasons for the merchant to put in the hold, as others have already described. The irritant is that the credit card company often keeps the hold for 24-48 hours even though the merchant releases it immediately when the final charge is processed. For a time you may even have both the hold and the actual charge showing on your account! The card companys have a lot of excuses for doing this, but I'm confident that the real reason is that they get to show it on their accounts receivable. Even though they haven't actually charged you the amount (and never will), it appears on their books as an asset for awhile. If you add up all these floating holds, they get many millions (billions?) of extra dollars on their balance sheet every day and they can use that in the financial system just like real money.

[Sprdtyf350]

All I ever see when using a Credit card is a $1.00 Pending charge. Only time I have seen them put a hold for more is if I use the card as Debit.

[johnsong3]

If you are worried about the merchant holding your funds just do what cash buyers do and give them a total to put on your card. You may have to stop to purchase fuel more often if you underestimate but you won't have these worries.

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by johnsong3

If you are worried about the merchant holding your funds just do what cash buyers do and give them a total to put on your card. You may have to stop to purchase fuel more often if you underestimate but you won't have these worries.

The person at the cash regester is not the one doing this, it is the credit card compnay, they will not (can't) put a "sale" amount that has not passed through the cash regester yet. They have held my card inside till I am done pumping then when I go back inside they will swipe my card and finish the transaction. The amount that is in question here is the amount that is "pending" online on your credit card's website that most people never see due to the small window that it stays in the "pending mode" then alls that is seen is the actual amount you purchased.

[MaxTurner1]

I'm surprised no one has brought up the other pain at the pump. You can't fill an RV for $ 75, $ 100 or even $ 150, but all pumps shut you down regardless of your credit, and make you go inside, stand in line and start the process again. If you go to a Flying hook, use their discount card, (not much discount), they know you are likely going to buy a lot of fuel. Fueling should be an easy thing, not a major transaction loaded with road blocks.

[super_rep]

This type of "HOLD" is quit common. Most hotels and motels do it also.

The one thing to keep in mind, it does reduce your credit max. limit for the two-three days it is on your card.

[cronin069]

it is both the credit card company and flying j. all but the 35 dollars should be put back on the card

[FlyingDiver]

Originally Posted by cronin069

it is both the credit card company and flying j. all but the 35 dollars should be put back on the card

You might want to read the whole thread. The OP posted the next day (#18) that the hold was removed and all that remained was the $35 charge.