(WBRE/WYOU) — Have you ever used your debit card to pay for gas at a pump and noticed an extra charge?
Many gas stations will put holds on customers' debit cards, this is why this is happening and how you can avoid it.
According to the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, certain types of purchases including gas, hotels, car rentals, and more require a pre-authorization that temporarily puts a hold on your debit card balance.
These charges can be greater than the transaction amount.
The Sheetz FAQ section says the hold amounts are usually $75 at their pumps, but could be for other amounts ranging from $25 to $200.
Here are some tips from AARP to help avoid the holds:
Pay with cash
Use a credit card, instead of a debit card
Pay in the store and input your debit card's PIN, the hold clears nearly instantaneously once the transition is complete. There is potential you could still be prevented from getting gas if the hold amount is too high
28/22 News reached out to other local gas station franchises but has not heard back at this time.
