What could cause a pending transaction or authorization amount to be different from my final or actual purchase amount?
A pending transaction or an authorization amount may vary from the final or actual purchase amount in situations where there is an estimated authorization amount or a tip is involved. The following three examples show how a pending transaction or authorization amount might be different from the final amount:
- At a restaurant, an authorization is requested prior to a tip being added. The final purchase amount will include a tip you add. Some restaurants may add an estimated tip to the transaction total when requesting authorization. Because of this practice, your final purchase may vary from the authorized amount.
- At the gas pump, the station requests an initial authorization prior to dispensing fuel and determining the final amount of the purchase. Many pay-at-the-pump gas purchases are initially authorized for $1 no matter what the final purchase amount is.
- At a hotel, they are allowed to request an authorization for an amount based on the length of your stay and applicable taxes. An estimated amount for incidentals may also be made. Cruise lines and car rental companies may also follow this practice.
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