Comments on: Did the Gas Pump Take More Than You Paid For?

By: Paris Hotel

Paris Hotel — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:39:15 +0000

That is why I try to only use cash. Sometimes the way that banks work drives me crazy. But I can understand their reasoning.

By: Cyrus

Cyrus — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:33:12 +0000

I used to have this problem when getting to my part time job driving. But lately, and I must say, smartly, I’ve been getting around town and campus using an electric motor bike. Works like a charm.

By: ann

ann — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 06:20:05 +0000

I just pumped at Sunoco today and they put a &75 hold on my debit card so they are practicing this horrible deal too. Screw Sunoco indeed. I will not go there anymore.

By: stephanie

stephanie — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:00:38 +0000

i pumped at sunoco 2 days ago w/ a debit card and they held 75$–from my business bank account that i use for gas and mailing pkgs–imagine my surprise when i got to the post office and had nothing in my account!!!!!!!!! screw sunoco tooo!

By: Traciatim

Traciatim — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:55:21 +0000

No one has unfair practices SD. This is kind of like wandering in to a grocery store and eating any food you put in your cart and then paying for it after. It just doesn’t make sense, they need to know you have money to pay the bill before giving you the service.

Rental car places do it.
Hotels do it.
Pay at the pumps do it
Restaurants do it for tips (they auth 20% more than the bill usually)

That’s how the cards work, no one is doing anything unfair.

By: SavingDiva

SavingDiva — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:56:11 +0000

I don’t pump with my debit card, but I think I might start going to Sunoco anyway! I think it’s grea that they’re taking a stand against unfair credit practices.

By: Peter Mottola

Peter Mottola — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:13:53 +0000

What’s the deal with Sunoco anyway? Why do people have Sunoco bumper stickers? Is it a cult?

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:12:42 +0000

Another way they take more than you paid for is by not compensating for temperature. Getting gas when it’s hotter than 60 degrees F, means that you’re getting less gas than you think. More details of that practice are outlined here: http://www.richerbytheday.com/2008/03/saving-on-gas.html

By: Meari

Meari — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:34:51 +0000

Yup. I had the same thing happen to me at a gas station last year. Then I went to a store and tried to use my debit card and it was rejected because of the extra “hold” on my account. I knew I had money in there so I called my bank the following Monday and found out what gas stations do. I no longer use my debit card at the pump.

By: Traciatim

Traciatim — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:19:15 +0000

Plus, I would assume Sunoco will reverse their trend when they start having people fill their tanks who don’t have money to pay . . . that will be interesting.

“If you ask me, this is grossly unfair. If you stroll up to the pump with $80 in your account to pay for gas, and then they put a hold on your account for that $80 and then you pump $50 worth of gas - you overdraft!”

What happens if they don’t hold the funds, since their batches will be done nightly . . . then you pump your gas and then go out and buy some new pants? Then the station gets hosed.