If you notice an amount higher than your actual purchase displayed in the app, it is not necessarily an overcharge, it is often a temporary preauthorisation.
This mechanism is common for certain types of payments such as petrol stations, hotels, rental agencies, etc.
What is a preauthorisation?
A preauthorisation is a temporarily blocked amount placed by the merchant (petrol station, hotel, rental agency, etc.) on your card.
It is used to verify that your balance is sufficient to cover the final payment.
Example:
When refuelling, a petrol station may block €120 to €150 on your card before knowing the exact fuel amount.
Once the transaction is confirmed, the actual amount (e.g. €48.90) is charged, and the remaining amount is automatically released.
When will the final amount be corrected?
The exact transaction amount will appear in your history once the merchant submits the final payment to Visa, or when the preauthorisation is released.
This process can take up to 7 to 10 working days. During this time, the preauthorisation may appear as a “pending payment”.
You may consult our article: Why was my card payment declined or marked as pending?
Good to know
- The blocked amount is not necessarily the amount that will be charged.
- Your balance will become available again as soon as the final payment is validated by the merchant.
- If the amount remains blocked beyond 10 working days, contact our customer support with proof of the final payment (fuel receipt, invoice, etc.) so that we can assist you.