Yesterday at the gas station

[Sidewinder]

I tried paying with my BOA Cash Rewards mc (which is neither near limit nor past due) using the Google Wallet app; and it said "DECLINED." 

 

I tried paying with my Chase Freedom Flex card (which is neither near limit nor past due) using Google Wallet and it, too, came back "DECLINED." I went through this one more time with a US Bank card and the same thing happened.

 

Then I paid with my Chase Sapphire Preferred using the Samsung yes SAMSUNG Wallet app, and it worked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is all.

Edited September 9, 2025 by Sidewinder

[MarvBear]

I had to buy gas yesterday after I went to the pharmacy.  I am so afraid of skimmers, I always use Google Pay since it scrambles your credit card number.    I use one of the Amex cards via Tap-to-Pay and pumped like $40.00.  

 

Got home and checked my email and I got an email from AMEX that they just put a hold on $175.00 and advised me to pay it down so I would not be declined.  So, I went and logged into the AMEX account, and it plainly showed the ACTUAL $40.00 charge, and not a $175.00 pending charge.  I am not close to the limit.  So, I passed this off as a fishing expedition.   I guess.

[Kat58]

Wallet Shmallet

 

[Why Chat]

I suggest that both of you Marv and Sidewinder carefully check your accounts that may have been hacked. Gas station units are notorious for being hacked-- the hackers don't need skimmers anymore. I use ONLY my gas card for gas  and never expose any of my other cards anywhere at any public place. I use my debit card in public because I have a small local bank that is closely monitored.

[Glacier]

I usually buy gas at Costo using tap to pay.  If I buy at BP, I use their APP, so no Credit Card used.  

[supern8ural]

On 9/9/2025 at 3:26 PM, MarvBear said:

I had to buy gas yesterday after I went to the pharmacy.  I am so afraid of skimmers, I always use Google Pay since it scrambles your credit card number.    I use one of the Amex cards via Tap-to-Pay and pumped like $40.00.  

 

Got home and checked my email and I got an email from AMEX that they just put a hold on $175.00 and advised me to pay it down so I would not be declined.  So, I went and logged into the AMEX account, and it plainly showed the ACTUAL $40.00 charge, and not a $175.00 pending charge.  I am not close to the limit.  So, I passed this off as a fishing expedition.   I guess.

 

My understanding is that gas stations often can and do put a hold on your credit card before you start pumping for some amount, to make sure that you have enough available credit to cover a tank of gas.  $175 seems like an awful lot though.

 

https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9230/~/costco-gas-station-faqs

 

Costco says "up to $150".  That also seems like a lot, but I'm in a state where gas is hovering around $3/gallon, I know it's not that low everywhere - and I think my Jeep has a 17 gallon tank - but if I still had my old F-150 with the dual tanks I guess I probably could rack up a pretty good bill.

 

Usually this whole process is invisible to the customer unless a) you are within the hold amount of your credit limit or b) something like what happens to you happens - I am assuming that if you look now you have only been charged the $40 and the $175 has completely disappeared?  I'm not sure why AmEx would have sent that email however unless you were within $175 of your CL.

[TheVig]

A couple of weeks ago at a Shell station, I got a temp hold of $250. It immediately fell off though. I was using Amex.

 

I don't know how true it is, but I'm told with some bank debit cards, the hold don't drop off until the real charge posts.

[MP80]

My gut feeling is that I will always consider a contactless option at any available gas station. 

As a precaution to protect from a skimmer or shimmer device inserted inside the card reader slot that intercepts data from the card's EMV chip or the magnetic stripe.

 

Generally, the service station authorized a charge of $200 before refueling, and the charge will be adjusted for deduction once refueling is complete.

 

 

[shifter]

Always pay at the pump and never had my card compromised. A lot of fear is old wives tales. 

[hdporter]

Ditto re "always / never".  At 66 y.o., that's a lot of swipes.

 

Still, I don't discount that the activity happens.  

 

I had new cards pilfered from my mailbox, activated and fraudulently used on two occasions.  I doubt that this is something that occurs frequently either.

 

 (USPS later froze my "Informed Delivery" login, required I create a new login and confirmed that an individual had spuriously gained access to multiple households mail details in the neighborhood.)

[ShawnPY1972]

On 9/9/2025 at 9:34 AM, Sidewinder said:

I tried paying with my BOA Cash Rewards mc (which is neither near limit nor past due) using the Google Wallet app; and it said "DECLINED." 

 

I tried paying with my Chase Freedom Flex card (which is neither near limit nor past due) using Google Wallet and it, too, came back "DECLINED." I went through this one more time with a US Bank card and the same thing happened.

 

Then I paid with my Chase Sapphire Preferred using the Samsung yes SAMSUNG Wallet app, and it worked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is all.

 

I've tried using my Bank of America card at the gas station to pay for a car wash several times and it had been declined.  I've had that problem with a few different credit cards. Most of them have a zero balance.