What IS going on?

[Emancipation 2]

What is going on with the $1.00 charges when you use a Visa card? I'm looking in my bank account (and it happens in my husbands account) and on top of the gas we buy (and one internet purchase I made) is a $1.00 fees from same vendor (separate transaction). Where I come from that is illegal (to post a charge when a customer is not aware of said fees) or completely illegal (to charge a fee for using a debit card). What gives?

[symbiosis 0]

What is going on with the $1.00 charges when you use a Visa card? I'm looking in my bank account (and it happens in my husbands account) and on top of the gas we buy (and one internet purchase I made) is a $1.00 fees from same vendor (separate transaction). Where I come from that is illegal (to post a charge when a customer is not aware of said fees) or completely illegal (to charge a fee for using a debit card). What gives?

many vendors, especially gas stations, "ping" visa with a $1 charge to "authorize" the card (i.e., verify that it exists and the balance is OK for the purchase). Only later, often days later, is the full charge (charge - $1) put to the card. With credit cards, it's typically not a problem, but with Debit or ATM cards, it can be a problem (result in NSFs) if you're not keeping close tabs.

[Emancipation 2]

Gah.. I Think i figured it out.. US banking is WACKIDOODLE!

What is going on with the $1.00 charges when you use a Visa card? I'm looking in my bank account (and it happens in my husbands account) and on top of the gas we buy (and one internet purchase I made) is a $1.00 fees from same vendor (separate transaction). Where I come from that is illegal (to post a charge when a customer is not aware of said fees) or completely illegal (to charge a fee for using a debit card). What gives?

many vendors, especially gas stations, "ping" visa with a $1 charge to "authorize" the card (i.e., verify that it exists and the balance is OK for the purchase). Only later, often days later, is the full charge (charge - $1) put to the card. With credit cards, it's typically not a problem, but with Debit or ATM cards, it can be a problem (result in NSFs) if you're not keeping close tabs.

Thanks.. holy flip.. I think that's what's going on.. Yesterday there were charges posted to my account, and today they are not there, there's no refund, the charges just vanished. US banking is SO over my head.

[Laura+Tom 2]

I asked Tom the same thing the other day when he sent me a bank statement (to show we were in the same place at the same time).

[Amby 490]

I've noticed a lot of gas stations in my area do $5 not $1

[Emancipation 2]

I guess it's a bit better than what they do at home (but it's only with debit cards), to preauthorize $100.00 that is released only after a few business days. So you could have purchased $40.00 in gas, but they preauthorize it for $100.00 and then give you back the $60.00 a few days later when the transaction clears. It makes more sence though than "pinging" $1.00 - that gets you a few gas vapors!

Still have no idea where the transaction from Teva went. The transaction was posted to my account yesterday morning but is not there this morning (no refund there either). I WANT MY FLIP FLOPS!

[almaty 19]

it has been policy for awhile with BP and other gas stations..

[Otto 83]

Most folks don't realize that merchants have to pay for the privilege of accepting charge/debit cards - larger merchants typically get a flat fee per transaction, while smaller ones pay a percentage, so it understandable why they pass that along to the consumer. P.S. - do a refund and it's the same fee all over again ...

[SpiritAlight 1]

In a world that is becoming increasingly cashless, we (unfortunately) rely on plastic.

So it feels at this point like you get convinced (addicted) to the "new ways" and then you get fleeced by the very system you have been taught to rely on.

Sounds like a drug user and his/her pusher type of relationship. Bahahaha!

[Emancipation 2]

Most folks don't realize that merchants have to pay for the privilege of accepting charge/debit cards - larger merchants typically get a flat fee per transaction, while smaller ones pay a percentage, so it understandable why they pass that along to the consumer. P.S. - do a refund and it's the same fee all over again ...

I'm totally aware of the fees that are associated with credit cards.. gas stations in our area charge one price for "credit" and another for "cash" that's the way to handle that and NOT to pass along a convenience "fee" to the customer.. Work it into the price of the goods for heaven's sake, and suck it up.. don't tack on fees.. that's illegal from where I come from. PLUS if you reward people for using cash, or refuse to take credit cards all together (which a lot of smaller businesses do) - people will find cash if they need to, have a cash only policy and have an ATM machine in house charging absorbent fees.. that's another way I've seen it done. But if you take VISA, you take it.. suck it up fees are par for the course for the vendor and i don't have sympathy for the vendor in that regard.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I still can't believe you have to pay "loyalty charges" for using another bank's ATM, or pay fees for checkbooks.

[Amby 490]

I know that when I looked into credit card processing for my business there were soooo many different ways they did it. One of them that I thought was the biggest jip was charging per transaction (I think it was $.17) and then also a percentage (maybe 11-13%) of the purchase as well.

eta: a lot of the companies also charged for sending the money to your bank account. I think the most expensive one I found was $1.00 per deposit into your account

Edited September 26, 2008 by Amby

[*julez* 124]

I guess it's a bit better than what they do at home (but it's only with debit cards), to preauthorize $100.00 that is released only after a few business days. So you could have purchased $40.00 in gas, but they preauthorize it for $100.00 and then give you back the $60.00 a few days later when the transaction clears. It makes more sence though than "pinging" $1.00 - that gets you a few gas vapors!

Still have no idea where the transaction from Teva went. The transaction was posted to my account yesterday morning but is not there this morning (no refund there either). I WANT MY FLIP FLOPS!

I work for a bank and in regard to the Teva purchase, what often happens is that the merchant authorizes the transaction when you make the purchase, but because it takes a few days to process the order the authorization will "fall off" but be placed back on the account once the transaction is completed, i.e. shipped to you.

Hope that makes sense.

[SteveLaura 0]

I hate the 'convenience' charge for paying for things online. #######, I just saved you money! Give me a break. Bastards.

[Emancipation 2]

I guess it's a bit better than what they do at home (but it's only with debit cards), to preauthorize $100.00 that is released only after a few business days. So you could have purchased $40.00 in gas, but they preauthorize it for $100.00 and then give you back the $60.00 a few days later when the transaction clears. It makes more sence though than "pinging" $1.00 - that gets you a few gas vapors!

Still have no idea where the transaction from Teva went. The transaction was posted to my account yesterday morning but is not there this morning (no refund there either). I WANT MY FLIP FLOPS!

I work for a bank and in regard to the Teva purchase, what often happens is that the merchant authorizes the transaction when you make the purchase, but because it takes a few days to process the order the authorization will "fall off" but be placed back on the account once the transaction is completed, i.e. shipped to you.

Hope that makes sense.

I guess.. it doesn't really make sense.. but I understand what you are saying tee hee..