# Are gas stations starting to charge more for pay at the pump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gas-stations-starting-to-charge-more-for-pay-at-the-pump/243483 "2004-05-04T16:42:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gas-stations-starting-to-charge-more-for-pay-at-the-pump/243483/1 "2004-05-04T16:42:28Z")
Are you allowed to answer your own question in GQ? I just received this from a friend that is notorious for passing on urban legends. > [@](#): > > I just want to inform you of something my husband and I found out this > weekend. We stopped at the BP(old Amoco) gas station last week and we used > our bank card as usual to buy gas and a car wash. This weekend we noticed a > $10 charge from a TXXXX SXXXX on our on line bank statement and > called the bank thinking someone had used our card without authorization. > Lo and behold the bank informed us that gas stations are starting to > charge you $10 to use your card at the pump. The bank said that the > authorization flashes very quick on the little screen (we didn’t see it). > It does not show on your receipt either. It only shows up on your bank > statement. So if you only want $5.00 worth of gas it will cost you $15.00. > How many people are bouncing checks because they don’t know this? > > Here is the address of the station that we know does this > > BP > ADDRESS > Bloomington, MN > > I checked with the web site for low gas prices in the area and they were > listed at $1.69 but with a $10 charge if you use your card to buy it. > > What a rip off!!! PLEASE > INFORM AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN ABOUT THIS. Snopes doesn’t have it yet, so I took in upon myself to contact the owners of the company and see if this is true. After some legwork, I managed to do so, and verified that this is **NOT** true. So if you see this, please let people know that it is not true (at least for this service station, and has been verified by someone who at least has an e-mail address. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gas-stations-starting-to-charge-more-for-pay-at-the-pump/243483/2 "2004-05-04T17:09:38Z")
Did you submit it to Snopes? Maybe they just haven’t seen it yet. You could be the first to send it in! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gas-stations-starting-to-charge-more-for-pay-at-the-pump/243483/3 "2004-05-04T17:15:59Z")
“Since this story aired, we did speak with representatives from Visa and Mastercard who told us this practice is protection for consumers and merchants. They liken it to a paper check not being a guarantee of available funds. As a result, funds from paper checks can take several days to appear in your account. Similarly, this credit card surcharge is held for up to 72 hours as well. Visa and Mastercard tell us the surcharge is added at express checkout facilities like restaurants, hotels, and pay-at-the-pump gas stations. The AMOUNT of the held money is calculated by the issuer of your particular card…i.e., your bank. All held monies are required to be reinstated into your account within 72 hours. All of the information regarding this policy and your particular credit card should be in the original credit card contract agreement.” [http://www.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=1247706](http://www.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=1247706) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gas-stations-starting-to-charge-more-for-pay-at-the-pump/243483/4 "2004-05-04T17:45:10Z")
A similar thing happens when you eat and pay by credit at restaurants. If a careless employee-read boss-forgets to forward the final charges to visa or mc on time, he or she might find the completed charge rejected. ---
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gas-stations-starting-to-charge-more-for-pay-at-the-pump/243483/5 "2004-05-04T18:41:42Z")
> [@](#): > > From **Scarlett67** > Did you submit it to Snopes? Maybe they just haven’t seen it yet. You could be the first to send it in! I didn’t think of it then. I’ve submitted it now…