Pre-authorization hold keeps Elk Grove teen from buying school supplies
ELK GROVE - When an Elk Grove teen got stuck without his money after using his debit card at the gas pump, it was time to call Kurtis.
Sharon, his mother, reached out to Call Kurtis, upset about what had happened. Her son took a simple trip to get gas and was left without his own money for days.
"He put in $40 worth of gas, which posted pretty much right away," she wrote. "He noticed there was an additional gas charge of $125, and this fee put his account into the negative."
He's a college student, and those funds were needed for school supplies, she said.
Here's the thing, the second you swipe a credit or debit card for something like gas, a hotel, or a rental car, they can put a pre-authorization hold on your card, and this could take a few days to come off. But, during that time, if it's tied to your bank account, you can't touch your own money.
It's why Kurtis isn't fond of debit cards. If you use a credit card tied to a bank account, those holds are released long before a bill arrives, and you don't have to fight to access your own money.
Have a consumer problem you can't solve? Maybe Kurtis can.
Go to www.cbs13.com/callkurtis and fill out our form.
