Credit card issue at Swiss gas station
Dilip is facing an issue with a large charge on his credit card after refueling at a gas station near Visp. He filled 15 liters of petrol, but 150 CHF was deducted instead of the expected amount. He seeks advice on resolving this situation.
- Don't panic if you see a large initial charge on your credit card at gas stations; it usually adjusts to the correct amount within a few days.
- For the next refueling, consider obtaining a receipt by using the card again at the pump, or better yet, opt for gas stations with attendants to avoid similar issues.
- Using public transport can save you from unexpected charges at self-service stations.
AI-generated summary-
Hi Everyone,
We rented a car for a day, before returning we refilled the gas from SIMPLONBLICK STATION around 7kms before Visp. We filled 15 liters of unleaded 95 petrol. It showed on the kiosk that the price is 1.59 per liter.
But 150 CHF was deducted from my credit card.
We are unable to understand why this much of amount is deducted.
Please help.
Thanks
Dilip.
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This happens sometimes. The card reader at the petrol pump does not « communicate » in real time with the bank, so initially a withdrawal in the magnitude of a maximum refill of a large tank is made. Things should be sorted out within a few hours. So don’t panic.
The next time obtain a receipt (insert your card again in the card reader), or, even better, use public transport.
Hi Dilu,
I’m sorry you had this happened during your travel.
My guess is it’s probably a glitch like what Snowman mentioned. You should check with your credit card issuer, and see if there have been similar complaints from other customers.
I hope you will get this sorted out somehow. Sorry I’m not much of a help 🙁
Anna
From my experiences the money will credit back to your card with in a couple days. 150 CHF – (15*1.59) = 126.15 CHF.
I ran into exactly the same phenomenon at a gas station (Tankstelle) in Brienz a year or two ago. Saw the charge on line, but, by the time my statement issued for the month, it was fixed.
Slowpoke
Hello Dilu,
I am sorry about your experience with Swiss gas stations. However, don’t worry, this is standard procedure for self-service gas stations in Switzerland. Give it a day or so to check back with your credit card again. You should be able to see the actual amount of gas you purchased on your card and the 150CHF should already be credited on your credit card.
I would suggest in the future if you need to get gas, try to find a gas station that has an attendant that can process your purchase- that way they just charge the actual amount. The only thing you need to remember is which pump you were at when they ask you, and they confirm the amount of gas purchased.
I hope that helps!
Best regards,
Suzanne
Hi,
this is normal. The credit card reserves 150 chf on starting to pump to allow you to fill up and to make sure you have enough credit. Similar as the hotels do to make sure you do not rob the mini bar.
The actual amount is what the pump shows when you finished.
On new card like revolut you instantly see this, with the traditional monthly bill, this would go unnoticed.
Traveling Switzerland by train saves you from such surprises 😉
Have a nice trip.
Lothar
Hi,
This happens to me in Gstaad this summer, even in a petrol station with several attendants. Fortunately, I was staying in Gstaad for a few more days when I found out about the large charge. The manager was quite perplexed, and made several calls to ascertain the error, but assured me they would get to the bottom of it. It was as the other commenters suggested and fixed on my account within a few days.
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