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I used my Debit Visa card at Flying J Travel Stop, Exit 277, I-20, Tye, Texas for fuel. I purchased $20.04 in fuel and ran my card as a credit as I did not want to put my pin # in at the pump.

This was on 4-28-11 at approx. 8:15 am. Approx. l hr. later I was at work and decided to look at my bank account. Flying J had not only withheld the $20.04 from my acccount....they withheld $151.00 as well !!! These amounts were both taken out of my 'available' balance, so I had no access to the $151.00 they had withheld. When I called their customer service department, I got the 'run around'! First I was told the $151.00 will drop off within the hour. Well, the hour was already up! Then I was told, oh, it is your bank, call them, they put that on there so they can take it off !! Just to be sure, this guy was full of it, I called my bank and sure enough, they have nothing to do with it. As the girl said, how would the bank know you are getting gas, we don't monitor your account!

I get this guy in 'credit' named Patrick at Flying J back on the line and tell him all this and his response was..."I am just going have to send the bank a letter and turn them in as they do not know what they are talking about and their computer system is just not up to date". Hm....my bank is First Financial Bank, which a HUGE bank in the nation.! When I asked when they could take this off my account, he said if could be 4-5 business days!!! And, that he could not do anything about it!!

I thought, what if I had been traveling and had no access to the internet and had not known they were withholding $151.00 of my available funds, and I needed those funds for gas!!! I would have been stranded and would not have known why as I knew I had the funds in my account !! The $151.00 did not drop off my account until Monday, May 2! I had no access to that money for 4 days!!!

I called the Flying J travel stop in Tye and asked if it was posted on the pumps that they withhold $151.00 on cards. He went out and looked at the pumps and said no it was not. I asked if this procedure was on all cards run as credit or just Visa Debit. He said no, on all, American Express, Mastercard, Discover. Hmmm....Patrick in Credit adamantly told me it was only Visa cards which this happened to as that was their agreement with Visa!!!! Obviously someone is not telling the truth!!

I sent a complaint email to Flying J/Pilot corporate and received an automatic response whereby they will call be in 7 or less business days. I have yet to get a call from them !!! I called them twice and left messages and still have not heard from them to date!!

I sent a letter of complaint to the State of Texas Attorney General's office, and have NOT received a response from them either !! !!

So, I guess the corporate can just screw over the consumer and get away with it!! I think Flying J's business practice is despicable and obviously I will never stop at any of their facilities again.

Location: Clovis, New Mexico

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Guest

This is 2021 and they are still doing it. We purchased $50 in unleaded yesterday and they are holding $150.

Thanks to this thread, now we know to steer clear of this gas station next time we are through there.

FYI - Pilot in Raphine VA. Boo!!!

Guest

It seems as though most of you only have $10 in your checking account maybe you should pay for your $5 worth of gas inside..... or maybe you should ride your bicycle till your government assistance check comes in the mail

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1464479

Your a *** What an *** response to a legitimate problem. How does a guy who goes to get 20 dollars of gas assume they are going to charge him 20 plus 5 more fill ups.

I have a feeling you are the one on welfare. This happened to last night. Thankfully I happened to have the funds at the time.

But *** the Haslems and this BS practice I will never get gas at a pilot ever again. I hope it was worth the hold.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1688835

One time when I was hitch-hiking, I was standing at the on ramp and a young couple came walking up to me and the gentleman told me that he would pay me $20 to go fill up his gas can for him. And then his girlfriend laughed and pointed and said "The gas station is right there!" And they both laughed and he told me that he was going to give me $20 anyway, and he did, and they walked to the gas station to get the gas.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1688835

You do understand that ALL gas stations, Costco and Sam's put holds on your account when you buy gas at the pump. The only way to avoid that is to walk in and buy the exact amount of gas you want.

Saying you want a fill-up, well there's a hold but that shouldn't matter, as a functioning adult, you should know how much gas your car holds. You probably have never noticed them because they fell off fast and/or you have more than a few dollars in your account. This has been a thing for years and is Basic Finance for Non-Losers 101. This is the exact reason high school should offer basic finance as a required course.

In this course, students would learn what real adults already know about credit cards, balancing a checkbook and how to calculate basic interest. You know, take responsibility for your own finances.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1699003

They should teach them that stuff instead of teaching them Algebra, which nobody ever has a use for.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1464479

Maybe they should pick up Hitch-Hikers and charge them "gas money" to help pay for their fuel.

Guest

Guys, this is Pilot (Flying J) common practice of putting a hold of $151.00 no matter how much fuel you purchase (ex. $5.00).

And if you use one of the semi/big rig pumps your hold will be $500.00.

I personally have stopped using these two gas stations for this very reason and have told everyone I know what their common practice is. This "practice" of holding extreme fuel charges can really cause problems with your money available to you for purchases - especially on the weekends when it takes longer for "pending transactions" to drop.You may be interested in this class action lawsuit filed against Pilot......https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/329676-pilot-flying-j-faces-credit-card-hold-class-action-lawsuits/

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1462009

Pilot hold more money because it is a truck stop they are set up for professional drivers and they have much higher fuel limits than regular gas stations. I worked there and got gas there all the time and never had more than $50 held.

It is the bank that you use.

There is a disclaimer on the pump. Kroger gas stations have the same disclaimer on the pump that your bank can hold up to $151

Guest

Stopped at a Flying J on our way to S. Carolina.

We pull a โ€˜40 fifth wheel, so we use the truck pumps. They tried to put a $500.00 hold on our account. Luckily Bank of America blocked it. Cashier said it was my bank that did it.

I told him MY bank did their job and blocked it. Never stopping there again.

Guest

This just happened to me today and now im in the red. I hope this does not cost me any over draft fees!

Im very upset! I will be submitting a complaint first thing in the morning!

Guest

All these people saying it is the bank's fault: That is utter nonsense. I've had the same account for 30 years and monitor it very, very closely.

Flying J sends these charges, they admit it, and it is not even in question. The bank absolutely does not do this. Anybody who says this is either is covering or is unformed. It would be a crime for a bank to put a charge on your account in a retailer's name, without their consent and withhold your money.

They could only put a charge on your account that identifies them as the generation point (which they sometimes do, such as for international exchanges). Flying J does this without question - and for very small, non-gasoline charges, paid for inside the shop (i.e., a $3.00 food cup bought at the counter). The complaints are valid, on-point, and serious. These charges are nowhere near my 'credit limit' but that is not a relevant point either.

They NEED a sign that says," Any charges at this (pump/register/station) will be accompanies by a temporary $151.00 charge." After all car rental companies are very clear about this - before you charge. Clarity is not a big demand.

Guest

My wife bought a $3.00 fruit cup at a Flying J Pilot station. They took the $3.00 and held $151.00.

Outrageous. We will NEVER again use Flying J or Pilot. If Flying J does this for every transaction, that have access to millions of dollars a year. Interesting.

How many little mom/pop local shops would ever think to do this, or would get away with it, or would stay in business.

I have been around for a long time. This practice is wildly abusive.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1352670

Just the goofy name "Flying J" sounds nasty and obscene. Kind of like the name of that scam mail order company "Fingerhut". Both companies are dishonest and unscrupulous!

Guest

This just happened to me today at a Flying J in Idaho. I'm glad I found your story, because I thought my card info was stolen. This is ridiculous!

Guest

From now on, I am going to use the ATM, get the cash/credit and THEN get their gas. Yep, sorry for your troubles.

Guest

My family and I stopped at Pilot Flying J Denny's truck stop. Right after the Ohio Turn Pike on the way home back to Michigan.

We stopped to get gas which cost me only $12. I get alerted from my bank Fidelty. A charge of $151 from the Pilot which I did not authorize. To me that is stealing.

I'm now out $151. Pretty sad consumers are not protected.

It's the big corporation that can control my $151 for the next 24 to 48 hours. Just for $12 in gas.

Guest

i believe its certain stations that do it. i know of two shell station and an arco that will hold between 50 and 170 for up to a week. i advise my daughter to not use these stations. when this first happend all shell would say is to avoid this from happening is to not pay at the pump with your card, go inside and pay. The issue is the gas pumps with diesel with them. so she tried it again, and it happened even at there regular pumps. so if your like me and on limited budget just avoid them all together or pay inside.

these satations are on hwy 84 portland oregon.

Guest

Flying J's in Pembroke,NY put a hold for $381 on a Sunday night,the balance of our account,for $15 gas,total BS

My wife and I drive two vehicles and usually charge/debit gas twice each,every week from various stations and never have been held for more than $50 usually released in an hour or even upon completion of the transaction.A call to J's manager....BLAH policy BLAH BLAH banks fault BLAH."$381? that DOES seem weird" "If its not released by Tuesday call...."TUESDAY?@#% REALLY TUESDAY Kinda sounded like hes heard this one before.

Kinda makes me wonder how much would have been held if there would have been more money in our account.

Stay AWAY from FJ's to save that 5 cents they"ll hold your money then give ya the"BLAH policy BLAH BLAH banks fault BLAH BLAH BLAH" speech

Guest

I have dealt with flying J for many years and never had a problem. I am smart enough to know there are many common problems at almost any gas station and cash is still the best way to pay for fuel especially if you have a limited income.

If a mistake is made the store rectifies it immediatly. THE BANK is the one who commonly screws up so dont go traveling if your last few hundred is in a debit account it takes banks more time to do a credit than a debit. this is not flying J fault. Once the money goes back in the account what do these people want?

more? thats not how it works ask the bank.

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