[Alberta's Child]

That is, they put a hold on $75. Why, I don’t know, but one station owner tried to explain it to me and it sounded like BS.

This is totally legitimate. Credit card companies do this to offset the risk they take by allowing you to pay for a purchase with your credit card without signing any receipt as you would with any other purchase. This is why there are different financial processes in place if you pay inside the at the counter instead of paying at the pump.

[Graymatter]

Oh, I've no doubt it's legal. Everything banks do is legal too. :) I just didn't cotton to posting a bond of $70 for a $5 purchase.

[regularperson]

This can really be a problem w/ debit card use. Swipe the card and they put a hold on about $100 dollars, so they make sure there’s enough in the acct. to cover the purchase.
If you then buy $20 worth of gas, that’s what’s shown on the statement, but it takes about a day to get the ‘hold’ money credited back.
Same holds true if using a debit card to secure a hotel room. They put a hold on more money than the room usually, and it doesn’t get credited back until after your stay.

[regularperson]

This can really be a problem w/ debit card use. Swipe the card and they put a hold on about $100 dollars, so they make sure there’s enough in the acct. to cover the purchase.
If you then buy $20 worth of gas, that’s what’s shown on the statement, but it takes about a day to get the ‘hold’ money credited back.
Same holds true if using a debit card to secure a hotel room. They put a hold on more money than the room usually, and it doesn’t get credited back until after your stay.