# Pending Transactions on Credit Card



## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Just returned from a few weeks in France and on checking credit card statement online noticed a pending transaction amount. We only used the cc twice and both times for diesel, one at a Carrefour and one at an Intermarche. Both times we used the pay at the pump method. The pending amounts are for far more than we spent on the deisel. Anyone else had similar experience of this? It has happened to us once before but the pending amount went with only actual amount spent taken from our account so just wondering if when you use the card at the pump it gives a maximum amount to spend and does the company presume this until the actual amount spent is processed.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

I believe that the pump payment gives you fuel up to a maximum cash amount then takes payment for the actual cost of the fuel you have taken.
I use a card now for all my fuel when in France and to date have never seen a pending amount on my card statement.

I believe this has been previously mentioned here.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Pretty sure you are correct about the pending transaction.
Normally when using the card pump you will get a notification of the maximum monetary amount you will be allowed to use, this will be held as a pending transaction until the system sorts itself out and actually charges you for what you dispensed.
I would think that there is a beneficial element to this for the vendor, for as you have noticed there will be a fair delay between the purchase and the reconciliation of the amounts.
.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Yes this is what it is. Normally there's only a couple of days, even internationally (between UK and my SA card - 3 bus days max). I have never seen an item "pending transaction" for the full fuel reserve. It just makes an adjustment to available balance, not actual balance. Maybe your card provider allocates it differently.

If it doesn't resolve quickly, I'd check with your card issuer.


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