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DRIVERS have blasted Tesco for taking £120 from their debit or credit cards when paying at petrol pumps – even if they spend much less.
The so-called “pre-authorisation checks” have risen from £100 in the last month, causing a backlash from motorists who are worried about not having enough money left in their account.
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The £120 is meant to be returned immediately, less the cost of the fuel.
But some drivers say they have waited several days for the balance to be released.
The measure – where a temporary hold of £120 is applied to a customer’s account – is intended to stop people driving off without paying for fuel, or filling their car with more than they can afford.
One driver wrote on Twitter: “You took £120 on Friday plus £17.51 for fuel. It’s now Monday and I still don’t have it back.
“Please explain how this makes sense and why anyone should continue to use this system?”
Another wrote this week: “Can I ask why you are now taking £120 when (I) fill car up with fuel?
“If it’s to check people have money what if people only want £10 fuel coz that’s all they’ve got?!”
Tesco said the new system was due to Visa and Mastercard’s payment rules.
Last year the retailer and other major supermarkets changed the way customers pay for their fuel at a small number of forecourts.
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It would involve “reserving” either £99 or £100 in their account when they paid at the pump. Before that it reserved just £1.
Some Tesco petrol garages still only take £1 from accounts – but the new checks will be rolled out to all of them by the end of the year.
It’s understood that due to the fact fuel is so expensive, the amount customers can pay in one fill-up has risen from £99 to £120 at Tesco and Esso Alliance forecourts, so the pre-authorisation figure has also risen to £120.
Tesco said if a customer does not have £120 available in their account, the pump will tell them how much they have available and allow them to refuel up to this amount.
Asda and Sainsbury’s still only pre-authorise £99 and £100 respectively.
Mastercard said: “Although customers may notice in their banking Apps an initial transaction for a higher ‘pre-authorised’ amount than the fuel they bought, this is very temporary, as almost immediately after the sale is made the exact value of fuel dispensed is withdrawn from their account, and any remainder of the pre-authorised amount is released for use.
“Should cardholders experience any issues or have any questions regarding this new process they should contact their bank.”
This is not the first time Tesco has come under fire for price increases on the forecourts.
In June one man took three trips to the pumps after seeing only £1 had seemingly come out, but he was bitterly disappointed to learn it was the pre-authorisation check.
