I’m curious if others knew about this and I’m just late to the party…
Yesterday I decided to try a self-service pump at the gas station. I got 100NT of gas (I have a scooter) and used the Visa feature of my Bank of Taiwan debit card to pay. Today I noticed that my balance didn’t look right and discovered a 1,500NT visa debit that I assumed to be some kind of fraud. I called the bank who informed me that 1,500 is deducted any time you use the self-service pump at a gas station, and that the $1,400 overage will be credited back into my account “in 3 to 5 days when the gas station submits the charge.”
You would think, what with modern computers and all. I told the rep as calmly as possible that I thought it was ridiculous, and who could I complain to. She didn’t give me any contact info, just reiterated that that was the SOP for them.
It’s perfectly normal. The system charges in case your card doesn’t have enough money to pay for the gas. - so you don’t fill up and leave…
When I was in the US it was normal for gas stations to hold $50USD to $100USD.
That’s why it’s best to not use the self serve unless you have a credit card with a decent limit. (something that is a lot easier for foreigners to get these days) - Plus also I don’t think you get the gas self serve discounts if you don’t use a credit card either…
It’s strange because when I use the Visa debit feature at Carrefour or Mia C’bon self-serve registers it debits the exact amount right away; they don’t need to hold a random amount. I guess gas stations work differently.
I did receive the discount ($100 for $103 worth of gas).
Now I know. I try not to use my credit card for small purchases like this. Oh well, live and learn.
Never used a debit card in the NE but I can’t see why it would be that way. You pump the gas, return the nozzle to the machine, it calculates how much gas you actually took, and you pay that amount.
Simple, tell then NT$500, then it will debit NT$500, the reason for the higher amount for gas, after the gas is out of pump its hard get it back. At Carefour self check out, if the transaction fails you just can not take out the goods, car petro is hard get back
Some of my friends who don’t have credit cards will go into the station counter and prepay. Whatever they don’t use gets refunded.
I have heard many lower income people who can’t afford to have $50 usd withheld for 1 day do this. I am not sure if you can do this in Taiwan though. But could be an option for some people.
Thanks for the replies. See, this is why I’ve learned to vent here first: I can get my thinking adjusted before I go full Karen on someone and look foolish.
Honestly mate, I know it may be annoying. But you will get it back quickly. I also suggest using a credit card as it would be put on the “hold” category and won’t even touch your bill meaning it never touches your money at all.
I don’t think people running away with a tankful will be a big problem in Taiwan.
In the Uk, you fill up and then walk in the gas station and pay. Or you did. Is that still the case?
Saying that, when I was a kid, police turned up at my house because a car my dad had recently sold had been going up and down the country filling up and legging it.
Yeah this is how it works in the US as well. For gas, you’re pre-authorizing payment before you get the goods, so you can’t just take off without paying. At Carrefour and other stores, they know exactly how much to charge you and no pre-authorization is required.
Well that’s a very nice and succinct way to describe this issue!
I for one think it is stupid and ridiculous. Since the system should know how much gas you get by the end, it should be able to charge you the exact amount then. Sure, it might block 1500 for a few minutes at the credit card company, but then immediately return the difference by the time you hang up the gas nozzle. Bullshit.
I agree. It’s probably just another aspect of Taiwan’s archaic banking industry, but pending charges like this on my UK cards usually get refunded/corrected within a few hours, or later the same day say.
It’s not that uncommon. When you book a flight a pre-authorisation is done before the full amount is charged so you don’t get issued a ticket you haven’t paid for. You just don’t notice because the pre-authorisation is the exact amount.
At petrol stations in Taiwan the pre-authorisation is $1,500 but you only use say $100ish so you need to wait for the credit card to know that only $100 of the $1,500 pre authorised amount was used.
Often when you check into a hotel they will also pre authorise your card for more than the room cost to cover some of the room service/extras. Then when you check put only the amount you spent is charged.
So you aren’t actually ‘charged’ $1,500 you have just authorised the business to charge up to $1,500.
It’s usually done when exact amounts aren’t yet known or there is some need to KNOW the transaction will be approved before the amount is charged to the card.
Hotels are another example where if you paid for the room up front then the room bond is pre-authorised onto the card. If you don’t break anything, the pre-authorisation just lapses and no money changes hands. It’s a win-win.
It sucks when you use a debit card though cos you are pre-authorising your own money rather than a banks. But money still doesn’t change hands, it’s just tied up for a few days.
They should use linepay or something the self service petrol system is beyond ridiculous here. Super confusing. I avoid it like the plague PLUS I hate pumping my own gas. So peasant like. Why try to break something that works.
LOLZ I usually wait until I need around 70 liters of diesel for my 4x4 Wildtrak. Diesel in Sydney is around NT$42 a liter compared to the 27.5 here. Fuel in Australia is quite expensive, not as much as in the EU though. I just let the attendant fill the vehicle. Actually can’t say the last time I saw a self serve station.