automatic petrol stations

[eric hobson]

Hi, can anyone shed any light on the following? Filled up with fuel on two occasions at ASDA auto petrol pumps. Later looking at my visa account saw a pending amount of £2. My visa supplier says this a practice used by many companies on both online sales and automated pumps to check if the account holds sufficient funds. I posed the question to ASDA who re-iterate this saying it is common practice to first check with a £1 sale but whilst the visa supplier say the £2 will drop off the account after 5 days ASDA say it will show the sale as two amounts eg. £40 sale as £1 and £39. My account actually shows £40 cost of fuel and £2 pending. I have never before had this happen and wonder if anyone else has. ASDA state that it is for security reasons but I don,t understand as it doesn,t protect me from someone else using my card and ASDA are protected anyway as it,s visa credit and their costs are guaranteed.I would just like some clarification as neither my visa supplier nor ASDA have given a reasonable explanation. Thanks in advance.

[snowie]

Hi Eric;

I don't have any experience of this, but I'm sure you are correct regarding the security aspect.

It just occurs to me that £1 or £2 on short term deposit for 5 days would be a nice little earner when you consider how many cardholders are being affected; every little helps keep their profits healthy!!

hope you get a plausible explanation

regards

alan b

[spospe]

I have had this happen, but it is unusual to see anything on the statement, as the whole process takes place behind the scenes.

 

As suggested, the idea is one that is used to check the validity of the card being used by making a temporary call on the card, which is then cancelled.