Euro pumps charge double

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On our way to spain we used three unattended stations they took debit card payment for fuel and the same amount again left pending we have been on to fraud at metro bank and we were told this is new legislation that has just come in force beware
 
You get the pending amount refunded once payment has been processed and in their account.
Then wait about a week for your refund.
Card payments aren't instant.
 
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Sounds like another, give ourselves an interest free loan scam.
Yes, they might pay it back, but time will have passed before they do.
Multiply that by a few million motorists and you have a nice fat on-going lump of money sat in an account. Im sure they've figured out a way to use your money while its pending.

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Yes charged twice left me overdrawn metro bank fraud said it should be back in our account within 7days
 
I really can't see the point, I fund's aren't available to cover the fuel it certainly isn't available to cover the 'deposit' as well.
What do they gain.
 
Un manned pumps have been doing this for ages. I have a specific creditcard I just use for fuel. Its set to pay off full amount each so easy to tell what Ive spent. The pending payment usually goes in a couple of days but sometimes take a week to go. Theres no cost to me of these pending payments.
The only other solution is not to use unmanned pumps which would be very difficult in France.
 
When I used my monzo card the other day it did this but then refunded within a day so it’s not really an issue.

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When we first came across this ( about 5 years ago) it was when the pump declined payment from my credit card. I tried again and it worked fine.
while checking the credit card statement online, there were two pending payments and the fuel charge.
we rang the credit card company to query this but both pending payments disappeared as we were talking.
now I know what happens, I don’t worry about it anymore.
When you use a card at an unattended pump, it reserves a preset amount to ensure you have enough to pay for the fuel you take. Then it takes payment for the fuel you dispense. Then it refunds the reserved amount.
most times it does this instantly, we have never noticed it taking more than a few minutes and we rarely use the payment kiosks, except when we buy GPL.
 
I recently changed credit card to Tesco. Filled up at my local shell in UK before leaving ony trip and had the same. One went through as a payment, the other was pending but then disappeared next day.
I know for years when you used a self serve in France it took something like €100 as a holding amount then when you filled it later took the correct amount. Using a credit card should give no issues but maybe people using debit or pre paid cards could come unstuck.
 
I always use a credit card and have never seen this, are debit card and credit cards treated differently?
 
That's why I use my spanish cards if I have to use the French auto pumps as they return the pending amount immediately/same day as otherwise the Spanish bank can institute criminal proceedings.
What you should also be aware of is that if you decline or stop after it has indicated the 120e maximum spend & start again it will authorise another 120e.
 
I always use a credit card and have never seen this, are debit card and credit cards treated differently?



No,I only use debit cards. It always ring fences the 120e maximum spend then debits the actual amount.

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I filled up in Irun March this year at a unattended pump I had to pay a prepayment of €100 filled with fuel then the balanced refunded to my card later.
 
If you look at the pump when the transaction has been authorised it will tell you the maximum amount you can take, usually up to £100/€120 or similar.
That is the amount they have charged your account.
If you take less fuel in value the balance is retuned in a day or two.
It’s been like that as far back as I can remember with self serve ‘pay at pump’ sites.

Richard
 
As long as I have a choice I would't buy pizza from a vending machine either. Whether at a supermarket checkout or garage forecourt, I would prefer a transaction involving a real person who greets me with "bonjour monsieur" etc. When you are a solo traveller you appreciate that friendly face. Also the option to pay by cash.

I did use a totally unmanned Esso diesel pump in a small French town this year, only because the tank was getting towards red. The soulless experience supports my attitude towards robotised commerce. This is not a type of progress I want to support. Whether I was charged twice at the time I will never know because my credit card bill shows only one payment to Esso on that date. It wasn't cheaper per litre by a long margin.

Dinosaur, moi?
 
Our local filling station has been like this for a few years since it became 24 hour/unmanned, this is in Scotland and nothing to do with legislation.
 
So where can I and everyone else read this new legislation, is it EU law or some thing thought up by fuel stations

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Had the same in France last week on Halifax clarity card. Showed 120 euro and then the total of the fuel 95 euro in pending transactions. Next day 120 euro recredited
 
It happen in the UK too. If you use the pay at pump facility . Only ever had to pay the amount spent , the pending payment on my debit card shows a £0.00. or 01p
 
Sounds like a right money making scam to me, I always use cash and don't let the fuel go below a 1/4 of a tank.
 
This is exactly the same as the shell app to pay at the pump in the UK. I set a "limit" amount in the setup page. I've got mine set at £150, so you rock up to the pump, it pre authorises £150 but then if the van only takes £90 that day to fill then I get the difference returned in a few days. Nothing shady about this at all
 
On our way to spain we used three unattended stations they took debit card payment for fuel and the same amount again left pending we have been on to fraud at metro bank and we were told this is new legislation that has just come in force beware

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The system has been in use for many years
I first noticed it in 2001 on the way to Italy on the bike
 
Still waiting for 2 payments of 206 pounds to be put back my account
 
There’s nothing shady about this, they are just checking you’ve got the money to pay for whatever fuel you want. Filling my RV in the UK can involve putting the card in three times. :gum:

Conversely, in Europe they will often let me fill in one go.
 

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