Never seen this before

[Shannow]

And it's a pain in the arse.

Went to the motel the other night, and they scanned my Visa, just like normal. Paid the following morning, just like normal.

Checked my balance yesterday, ant thought my balance was down $350 on what it should have been.

Logged in, and there's $284 paid to the motel for the room. There's another $334 committed to the motel (yet to be paid). Ring the motel, and they reckon that when they scan the card, the room cost plus $50 for bar, broken stuff etc. is notified to the bank, and it then comes off the "available balance", pending clearance of the room..."It will clear in a few days, and you can access your money".

It's a pain, as it takes my balance below the threshold at which I pay no fees.

Who are they to retain my money just in case ?

I can see the scenario where if they did this 10 years ago, I wouldn't have had the funds to clear the payment in the morning, because of what they were retaining for the room.

Guess that rules out Novotel as a place to stay in future.

 

[moribundman]

I've never heard of anything like this before. It's totally unacceptable.

 

[XS650]

I think the motel clocked things up. As I understand it, the actual charge should have been taken out of the hold so you should only be waiting for $50 to clear.

Call your credit card company to be sure you don't get charged fees because of the motels screw-up.

 

[Pablo]

Yeah well they pull those stunts all over the world. China. USA. Brazil. Sounds like it's a bit much though.....

 

[posty]

Dont use a debit card for paying. They have access to all the money in your account and your bank wont stop them from taking it !!!

 

[JustinH]

It is a very common practice.

When you check into a hotel, they want to make sure you don't trash the place.

Its spelled out right at the front desk, its usually $250 dollars.

Use a regular credit card for hotels, car rentals, and the like.

Never a debit card.

 

[Pablo]

Oh this is a debit card??? Yikes. No limit on theft with those!!

 

[Shannow]

Justin,
nothing spelled out anywhere on the desk. Could have been in the two page doc that you sign and hand back, but I didn't read the lot (yeah, my bad).

A mate on another board had similar happen on a promo night when he was staying there free. He "paid" for the room for a week.

What's the diff between debit and credit cards ?

 

[Drew99GT]

Debit cards come directly from your bank account - and if it's a debit card other than say, the Visa Check card, it works just like an ACH withdrawal (like if you give your account and routing number to pay for something online).

If this is a Visa, or a Visa check card, then I have that happen all the time, where my available balance differs from my balance - and many times it's all out of whack. But it clears within a few days. many times, my available balance will immediately be down by the amount of a charge, the charge will post within a day or 2, but my available balance won't reflect that until a day or 2 later.

 

[XS650]

A debit card draws money directly from your checking account.

A credit card, the credit card company loans you the money. Usually at no interest in the US if you pay in full every month.

With a debit card, it's your money the bad guys have, so the bank is less interested in helping you if there is a problem.

 

[sciphi]

Debit allows them to hold a certain amount of money in your account to ensure you have enough to pay, and to cover any other stuff that happens to the room. Not the same thing with credit, since the banks are going to loan you the money to cover that stuff by using their card.

 

[Drew99GT]

But a Visa check card, essentially a debit card, goes through the Visa network and not through the ACH - which makes it safer. At least with mine, I can dispute charges and what not just like my credit card.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
But a Visa check card, essentially a debit card, goes through the Visa network and not through the ACH - which makes it safer. At least with mine, I can dispute charges and what not just like my credit card.


I've lost track of what is being done with check cards. Do they all work that way now?

 

[Drew99GT]

Depends on what you have. If it's a check card from a credit card company, it goes through the credit card network. If it's your ATM card/regular debit card, it goes through the ACH system via various debit card/ATM networks (if a retailer has the machine) - the STAR network, the PLUS network, or Cirrus for example.

Ever had a moron at a business try and send your Visa check card through the debit network and have it fail everytime? I have! That's why they're supposed to ask you whether a debit card is "debit or credit". Or if you want it sent through VISA or ACH (in the case of an all in one card like I have - combo Visa check card/ATM and traditional debit card).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debit_card#FSA_debit_cards

 

[javacontour]

Pay at the pump gas stations do this too. They put a hold of some figure they determine against your card and turn on the pump.

When gas doubled from about $1.50/gallon to $3/gallon, customers were running into this limit and their pumps would stop at this amount, since the pre-authorization was for this amount.

I don't use debit. I like to keep my cash and use the banks for free each month.

 

[XS650]

Looks like there are combinations of those.

My bank issued ATM card is a VISA check card that also will use Cirrus and Star networks. The card says debit in small print under the last for digits.

I've never used it as a debit card for purchases so don't know how the clerks handle it.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Looks like there are combinations of those.

My bank issued ATM card is a VISA check card that also will use Cirrus and Star networks.


Mines the same. I was thoroughly confused when i first got it. Couldn't remember my pin number and kept pushing debit at the gas pump thinking I was using the "Visa check" portion of the card and it kept asking my for my pin.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: XS650
Looks like there are combinations of those.

My bank issued ATM card is a VISA check card that also will use Cirrus and Star networks.


Mines the same. I was thoroughly confused when i first got it. Couldn't remember my pin number and kept pushing debit at the gas pump thinking I was using the "Visa check" portion of the card and it kept asking my for my pin.


Will it work at all at a debit only gas pump? ARCO stations around here are usually debit only. I usually avoid them but sometimes I pull off the freeway and the ARCO is a lot cheaper so I get it. I don't think I have tried that since they replaced my ATM only car with this card.

 

[Drew99GT]

If they are part of Star and Cirrus (as you say that's who your bank is affiliated with) and you know your pin, sure it'll work.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Will it work at all at a debit only gas pump? ARCO stations around here are usually debit only. I usually avoid them but sometimes I pull off the freeway and the ARCO is a lot cheaper so I get it. I don't think I have tried that since they replaced my ATM only car with this card.

I don't use debit cards or credit cards at Arco, only cash. ARCO charges a transaction fee and it's a rip-off.