Discover Card $5 minimum purchase?

[iCarl]

Hi,

I have a Current by Discover Card (one of those prepaid cards, I know, I know...).

 

I'm having a MAJOR issue with one merchant I use very frequently.

 

Say I spend $1.62.

$6.62 comes out of my account.

$5.00 is added to every purchase for some reason...but only at this merchant.

 

I work at the store in question, so I can go into the POS system and look at invoices...they show the correct amount.

 

Both Discover (normal card) and Discover Current customer service show the higher amounts and say it's a merchant issue.

 

I spoke to the person who manages our POS system and he said that my card was the only one doing it.

 

He called Discover Merchant Services and they apparently told him that Discover cards had a $5 minimum and that the cards would auto-decline if the amount is less than $5.

(Sounds like a bunch of crap to me.)

 

I called Discover again and they told me that there is no minimum.

 

...So what's going on?

[GEORGE]

Hi,

I have a Current by Discover Card (one of those prepaid cards, I know, I know...).

 

I'm having a MAJOR issue with one merchant I use very frequently.

 

Say I spend $1.62.

$6.62 comes out of my account.

$5.00 is added to every purchase for some reason...but only at this merchant.

 

I work at the store in question, so I can go into the POS system and look at invoices...they show the correct amount.

 

Both Discover (normal card) and Discover Current customer service show the higher amounts and say it's a merchant issue.

 

I spoke to the person who manages our POS system and he said that my card was the only one doing it.

 

He called Discover Merchant Services and they apparently told him that Discover cards had a $5 minimum and that the cards would auto-decline if the amount is less than $5.

(Sounds like a bunch of crap to me.)

 

I called Discover again and they told me that there is no minimum.

 

...So what's going on?

NO MINIMUM CHARGE FOR A CREDIT CARD

 

NO MAXIMUM CHARGE FOR A CREDIT CARD

 

Always dispute any over-charge

[iCarl]

I thought it might be something to do with the fact that all of the purchases were UNDER $5.

So I went back and put $7 worth of gas in my car. (Just enough to get it back to full.)

I paid inside. Look on my iPhone, BAM, $12.00 from the station.

 

Went up the street to an Exxon station and spent $2.07 on Cheetos. $2.07 is what showed on Discover.

 

It's something with the store.

[GEORGE]

I thought it might be something to do with the fact that all of the purchases were UNDER $5.

So I went back and put $7 worth of gas in my car. (Just enough to get it back to full.)

I paid inside. Look on my iPhone, BAM, $12.00 from the station.

 

Went up the street to an Exxon station and spent $2.07 on Cheetos. $2.07 is what showed on Discover.

 

It's something with the store.

NEVER LET AN OVER-CHARGE SLIDE

[iCarl]

I thought it might be something to do with the fact that all of the purchases were UNDER $5.

So I went back and put $7 worth of gas in my car. (Just enough to get it back to full.)

I paid inside. Look on my iPhone, BAM, $12.00 from the station.

 

Went up the street to an Exxon station and spent $2.07 on Cheetos. $2.07 is what showed on Discover.

 

It's something with the store.

NEVER LET AN OVER-CHARGE SLIDE

 

I'm going to do what Discover said and give it 24-48 hours.

If it's not straight by then, I'll say something.

I left printouts of the Discover site and copies of my receipts on my manager's desk (remember I said I work at the store in question) so she can look into it.

[GEORGE]

THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED A CRIME

 

(even $5.00 is theft)

[improper_validation]

Looks like the store is doing it on purpose and hoping customers don't notice. Dispute all the transactions as unauthorized.

 

You authorized $7, you didn't authorize $12.

 

 

I once used my Discover for $.95. $.95 was charged..

[green2408]

Very interesting!! It has to be the store or the processor. I wonder how much money they've made on that scam over the past year. Maybe the AG would be interested in this.

[Continental]

I thought it might be something to do with the fact that all of the purchases were UNDER $5.

So I went back and put $7 worth of gas in my car. (Just enough to get it back to full.)

I paid inside. Look on my iPhone, BAM, $12.00 from the station.

 

Went up the street to an Exxon station and spent $2.07 on Cheetos. $2.07 is what showed on Discover.

 

It's something with the store.

NO MINIMUMS

 

NO MAXIMUMS

 

**NO SURCHARGES**

 

NO ID

 

…And if any store ever attempts to pull any of these stunts, immediately call 1-800-VISA-911.

 

http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=265954

[centex]

I thought it might be something to do with the fact that all of the purchases were UNDER $5.

So I went back and put $7 worth of gas in my car. (Just enough to get it back to full.)

I paid inside. Look on my iPhone, BAM, $12.00 from the station.

 

Went up the street to an Exxon station and spent $2.07 on Cheetos. $2.07 is what showed on Discover.

 

It's something with the store.

NO MINIMUMS

 

NO MAXIMUMS

 

**NO SURCHARGES**

 

NO ID

 

…And if any store ever attempts to pull any of these stunts, immediately call 1-800-VISA-911.

 

http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=265954

 

 

Hey cut-n-paste boy, since when does Visa give a tinker's damn about Discover practices?

[GEORGE]

Any update abut the $5.00 rip-off

 

Maybe somebody programmed the system to charge a $5.00 TIP on each sale

 

Edited July 5, 2009 by GEORGE

[iCarl]

No update.

The charges still haven't "posted" and the place is STILL charging $5 extra...

I used my card today just to see.

[BBQ123]

Merchant is programmed wrong... and this is fraud... you sign to OK $1.50 and get charged $6.50 = fraud.

[webworm98]

What happens after 7 business days? Does the extra $5.00 charge drop off or does it get hard posted?

 

The merchant provider or merchant may have the authorization system set at $5.00 not $1.00

 

I purchased a credit report that cost $9.00 but the amount that was take out was $18 but the $9.00 got credited back after a week.

[iCarl]

I should update...

 

The charges are posting properly.

 

Still showing $5 extra, but after it fully posts, it straightens out.

[centex]

I should update...

 

The charges are posting properly.

 

Still showing $5 extra, but after it fully posts, it straightens out.

 

Gee...guess some of those claiming it was fraud need to come back and retract their statements. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting on it to occur though.

 

Glad to hear that it is a hold issue and that, like other CC holds, it resolves itself within a few days...

[GEORGE]

I should update...

 

The charges are posting properly.

 

Still showing $5 extra, but after it fully posts, it straightens out.

So what is WRONG WITH THEIR SYSTEM that they charge people $5.00 extra then later it self corrects later???

[webworm98]

I should update...

 

The charges are posting properly.

 

Still showing $5 extra, but after it fully posts, it straightens out.

So what is WRONG WITH THEIR SYSTEM that they charge people $5.00 extra then later it self corrects later???

 

Nothing is wrong with their system. No offense, meant George. Since you know so much about credit cards, you should know about holds. Instead of $1.00 hold, it is actually doing a $5.00 hold. When the paperwork comes in. The hold is removed and the correct charge is applied. It does not violate the credit card companies agreement.

[GEORGE]

I should update...

 

The charges are posting properly.

 

Still showing $5 extra, but after it fully posts, it straightens out.

So what is WRONG WITH THEIR SYSTEM that they charge people $5.00 extra then later it self corrects later???

 

Nothing is wrong with their system. No offense, meant George. Since you know so much about credit cards, you should know about holds. Instead of $1.00 hold, it is actually doing a $5.00 hold. When the paperwork comes in. The hold is removed and the correct charge is applied. It does not violate the credit card companies agreement.

It was not stated as a $5.00 HOLD

 

It was stated at $1.62 + $5.00

 

A $5.00 hold would be exactly $5.00 not $6.62 and the $5.00 later dropped off

Edited July 9, 2009 by GEORGE

[GEORGE]

IS IT FIXED YET

[GEORGE]

...AND

[Continental]

This is not a Discover practice.