My debit card ripped me off (UPDATED 3X)
Here we go again.
On the way home from work today, I stopped at Huck’s Convenient Store, 6818 N War Memorial Dr, located at the Willow Knolls shopping center in North Peoria, to buy couple of gallons of gasoline for the errands I needed to run.
The total price for 2.058 gallons of premium gasoline was $7.32. I used my debit card at the pump. I never entered the store. And no, smart asses, I didn’t drive off without paying this time.
I stopped at Walgreen’s and bought my medication ($97, it’s a good thing insurance coverage starts in December) and stopped at the Sav-A-Lot to get some groceries.
The debit card was declined.
Impossible.
I conceded the possibility that my estimate of how much I had left in my account might have been off by a dollar or two, but not by the more than $125 I KNEW I still had remaining on that card
Regardless, I felt about two feet tall, and there ain’t nothing worse than feeling like the most pathetic person in line at the Sav-A-Lot.
I came home, checked my balance and discovered a paltry $4.34 remaining. I checked the day’s transactions and found the cause: TWO separate charges from Huck’s, 6818 N. War Memorial Dr. The first charge was for the aforementioned $7.32. The second: $125.
Folks, my car won’t hold $125 worth of gasoline, premium or otherwise.
The transaction is listed as “pending” which I have discovered means two things: The charge might very well not go through on it’s own, but it’s gonna take a day or two for the problem to shake itself out; and my debit card company will not process any sort of dispute until the transaction is finished processing.
Naturally, I did what any red-blooded American consumer would do: Called the store to raise Hell with the manager. And if who the Hell ever is working at the place ever bothers to answer the phone, I’ll do just that.
So I did what any red-blooded American blogger would do. You are reading it.
Also, don’t you think this would make a great story on tomorrow’s evening news? I am available for interviews.
Meanwhile, anyone else with this experience at Huck’s, feel free to unload with a comment or two or five.
Huck’s phone number is 693-1380. If any of my readers knows the store manager, you MIGHT want to let him or her know.
Since, apparently, they don’t believe in answering their phone.
UPDATED: Commenter Brent is correct. I finally got through and gave my tale of woe to the clerk, who was sympathetic, but could do little herself. She called the manager, who passed along this information: The debit card people did it. It was explained that the debit card company has no idea how much gas I am going to pump, so they took $125 out of MY account just in case I tried to buy more gas than I could afford. The money is supposed to be returned sometimes tomorrow.
UPDATED: It’s 5:39 a.m. on Saturday, approximately 38 hours after the transaction. The debit card still hasn’t credited the $125 back to my account. Were I between paychecks right now, I would be in deep trouble.
UPDATED: I had to talk to three different non-English speakers, but I finally convinced someone that I didn’t pump $125 worth of gas into the 10-gallon tank of my Ford Focus immediately before pumping an additional $7.32 worth of gas. Once I was able to pound some clarity into their thick skulls, it took three seconds for them to fix their mistake.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I thought you had already decided not to go back to Hucks?
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
This would have happened at any gas station. They always put a large temporary charge. THis is because the credit card company won’t tell the gas station how much you have available, but the gas station doesn’t want you to go over your credit limit.
However, the gas station won’t actually run the transaction until the end of the day (it’s cheaper that way for them–less transaction fees). THen the temporary charge gets changed to the actual amount.
Moral of the story: never use a debit card when you pay at the pump.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
That was Road Ranger at the corner of War Drive and University. And I haven’t been back there.
And I finally got someone at that station to answer the phone. Naturally, the manager is the only person who can help me, and she is gone. I left a message. Apparently, the policy is for them to require proof that I didn’t buy anything.
I have a feeling that by the time I get to talk to this manager, I will be beyond the ability to reason.
How can there not be a policy in place to deal with credit card mishaps?
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Brent: Are you serious? What you described HAS to be against the law.
OK, it’s official. I’m contacting the Illinois Attorney General’s office Friday if this isn’t resolved. Hell, I think I’ll call them during my first break tomorrow.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Could have been a pump malfunction where the next car used your card as well. I don’t really know how those systems work, but, that sounds like a reasonable explanation to me. I wouldn’t say that Hucks ripped you off. At least not intentionally. I’d bet that if you handle it in a calm, cool manner, you’ll get your $125 back. If not,,, *then* come out with both barrels blazing.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Don’t waste your time on hold with the Attorney General’s Office.
Just read the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_hold
As a frequent traveler, I NEVER utilize a debit card for hotel, rental car, or gasoline purchases. Not that my balance can’t handle it – but that I don’t like dealing with the holds. Plus a credit card always gives you better protection in instances of dispute.
This “authorization hold” is a very common practice.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Most places that I’ve been to have charged just $75…I had a hissy fit the first time it happened too, until the bank explained it the same way Brent did. Though we always carry enough in the checking account that it doesn’t overdraw us, I always go inside to pay now.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:35 pm
This is not illegal or immoral or anything.
The bank has no idea how much gas you are going to pump, so they get approval for an amount that you most likely will not exceed. That amount is ‘reserved’.
THEN, once the transaction is over, they charge your card for the actual amount and the reserved amount is released. Usually, this happens quickly but sometimes this kind of thing happens. This is one of the “costs” of the ‘convenience’ of using pay-at-the-pump.
SO, if you are going to deal in small amounts like this, you should use cash. (I mean, 2 gallons?)
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
James sez: “I thought you had already decided not to go back to Hucks?”
I sez: No, that was downtown Peoria.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I can defend myself. Were I to take cash out at the ATM, I would be charged by the ATM people and the debit card people. I am not dinged for purchases.
And I decided it was wrong to punish all the pushcart operators because of the nitpicky attitude of the traffic dicks.
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Billy, premium gasoline? What kind of fancy Italian sports car are you driving that your car required premium gasoline?
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Billy –
It happens at restaurants, too. Lets say your dinner was $20 and you put it on a credit card. The card company might pre-approve and “hold” $30 in case you put the tip on the card. When they add the tip onto the card during the final batch report the correct dinner and tip amount is then processed.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Get a credit card, Billy. Consumer advocates have been warning people off debits since gas prices started skyrocketing and, with them, the size of the authorization hold at gas stations.
And debit’s just not as secure as credit anyway.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
“THEN, once the transaction is over, they charge your card for the actual amount and the reserved amount is released. Usually, this happens quickly but sometimes this kind of thing happens.”
Mouse, this is actually ridiculously common with debit cards. Many of them hold for 48 hours as a matter of course. People have been stuck with holds lasting FOUR DAYS for a simple gas purchase!
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
That’s bullshit. They’ve no right holding your money for what you “might” purchase. That’s called theft, and they ought to be fined for it.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 am
This happened to me at Casey’s on Farmington Rd. yesterday. $ 125.
I spoke with South Side Bank but they couldn’t view it today because it was also still pending. arrgh. I just viewed it tonight and it cleared with the proper total.
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:13 am
As the assistant manager of a gas station, we get people all the time that complain that their debit card was declined at the pump…the only reason it’s declined is if there’s not at least $100 in the account. If you use the card as credit at the pump, or come inside and use it as a debit after you pump, there is no hold. As a merchant, we prefer debit, because it costs us less to process than credit. Your best bet is to either use your debit card inside afterwards, or use it as a credit card at the pump. We are actually allowed up to 7 business days to return the authorization charge, however 99 times out of a hundred, it’s immedate.
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:25 am
I use CEFCU debit card and NEVER had this happen ever over the last 4 years I have had it. I never use the card as a debit card where you have to enter a PIN. I use it as a credit card and have never had more put on “Hold” than what I charged. I don’t know what bank you are using Billy but I have never seen anyone have so much trouble with gas staions.
Even when eating out, I have never had a problem and they have never held out more $$ than what the actual cost of the meal plus tip was.
Amazing, maybe you should quit Mickey Mouse Bank and find another.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:11 am
UPDATE: It’s 11a.m. and the $125 still has not been restored.
October 4th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Federal Reserve Notes are a very convenient way to purchase everyday items.
October 4th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Really? Where does one go to get those?
October 4th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
This happened to my mom on Wednesday at Casey’s in Mackinaw. She got her bank to take the charge off the next day. The manager at Casey’s said that it was a mistake and that it happened to all of their debit customers who paid at the pump that day. Casey’s has admitted that it was their computer error and not the banks of the card holder.
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/purchase_18822___article.html/douglas_debit.htmlorderby=TimeStampDescending&oncommentsPage=1&showRecommendedOnly=0
October 5th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Well there you go Billy, that’s your problem. Bad things will happen to people who drive Fords. Its the price you pay for not buying a decent GM vehicle.
October 5th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
anotherexjser sez: “Federal Reserve Notes are a very convenient way to purchase everyday items.”
I sez: To Bill, that’s just the Dead Tree Edition of money and no one uses that anymore.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
We are at the mercy of big businesses. At Lowe’s today the clerk asked for my phone number. I inquired as to why she needed it. “So we can track your purchases – if you come in to return something without a receipt we can look it up by your phone number. They tell me they do not use these numbers for marketing or sell them. I hope I am right in telling you this.” She spoke with such honesty and sincerity.
We put such faith in big corporations – it is rather frightening.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Tulip, no offense but the same people who complain about having to give their phone numbers are also usually the ones who complain about the inability of stores to process a return at full price without a receipt (I know that from having spent many early years working for that kind of operation). You aren’t at the mercy of big business, you can buy the same things at Carter lumber or some other small time hardware/lumberyard. You opt in to these agreements by choosing to do business with them. Same with Billy and his debit card, although in this case the company really did mess up.
October 5th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
The trick is to keep your receipt. For everything. I’m not a fanatic about it, but I put all my receipts int he same place. That way, I can at least dig for it if needed.
October 5th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I didn’t exactly complain. I just said I questioned the clerk and she gave a qualified, hesitant response. I don’t usually make a lot of returns, so with me it’s not a big issue. At Lowe’s today, I bought tulip and crocus bulbs, a nice indoor/outdoor mat to collect dirt, seed cakes for the birds this winter, and other items. Does Carter’s offer all this stuff? Lowe’s offers a great variety of products, so in that respect it’s a good, convenient place to shop. I just wonder what we give up for that convenience.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Yeah, I still think that should be illegal.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
“I had to talk to three different non-English speakers, but I finally convinced someone that I didn’t pump $125 worth of gas into the 10-gallon tank of my Ford Focus immediately before pumping an additional $7.32 worth of gas. Once I was able to pound some clarity into their thick skulls, it took three seconds for them to fix their mistake.”
I would think that you would have just as hard of a time convincing an english speaking person that you only put 2.058 gallons in your tank. I was going to hold my tongue, but taking a cheap shot at “non-english speakers” I think give me the right. I usually enjoy reading your take on the happenings in Peoria, but really – how much do we have take from a guy who can’t even afford 10 gallons of gas – at any price.
November 28th, 2008 at 10:24 am
I typed ‘$125 hucks’ into google after this happened to me. And behold… the exact same location and exact same problem. I filled up Tuesday or Wednesday at the war memorial gas station. THEY CHARGED ME $125 TWICE!!!!!!!!! So I bought $25 worth of gas and now I’m down $250. Something is wrong with this system even if they eventually find their error. What if I needed that cash?
I’m out of town so there is nothing I can do at this point.