People often ask me how to get a refund when a flight goes belly-up. Belly-up covers drama from Sandy or that Nor'easter-when airlines are the ones canceling flights-to you falling ill and scrubbing your own trip.
It may be that the company placed a block â or a hold â on your card for the estimated total of your bill. Merchants use blocks to make sure you have sufficient funds to pay your bill. If youâre near your credit limit or you have a low balance in your bank account when a block is placed, your card could be declined for additional purchases. To avoid surprises at the cash register, ask your card issuer and the merchant if they use blocking.
Please note that when you pay by debit card without using a PIN, some gas stations put a hold of up to $75 on your card. That means that up to $75 of your checking account can be off limits (in addition to the price you paid for gas). The time of the hold can vary and depends on your bank. (i.e. 72 hours, 5 days, etc.) This could cause overdrafts fees, bounced checks, or insufficient funds on your account.