Woman shocked by 2 sudden triple-digit card holds at Alabama gas station. The station’s response: This is common

Americans have recently watched gas prices rise and fall, so many drivers already feel a little anxious every time they pull up to the pump. But one Alabama gas station customer recently discovered a different surprise: a pair of temporary credit card holds totaling more than $450.

The incident, shared by TikTok creator Mixed_Media (@mixed_media22) and viewed nearly 100k times, sparked a wave of online discussion after she revealed that two separate payment cards triggered fraud alerts. At the same time, she attempted to buy fuel at a Pilot and Buccee’s travel center in Alabama.

In the viral video, Mixed_Media explained that both of her cards were declined after the gas station attempted to place an apparent $226 authorization hold on each card. “I’m at the gas pump somewhere in Alabama, and my cards just declined. And then I get notifications asking me, ‘Is this fraud?’ Because it’s 226,” she said.

She switched cards, same outcome

According to the TikToker, she initially assumed there was a problem with the pump and tried a second card. That card received the same $226 hold request. “Now, I’m sure I have a text message in the middle of doing this. Is gonna ask me if this is fraud or not,” she said.

After receiving fraud alerts from two different banks, she went inside the store to ask what was happening. The employee’s explanation surprised her even more: According to the TikToker, an employee told her the station regularly placed large authorization holds before fuel purchases were finalized.

“She’s like, yeah, every time I go to get gas, it puts $175 hold on mine,” the gas station employee said, according to the post. The video quickly drew comments from viewers who said they had encountered similar situations at gas stations around the country.

One commenter wrote that some stations in the Atlanta area have placed $100 holds on pay-at-the-pump transactions for years, adding that the amount often varies by state and location. Another commenter said Utah stations sometimes place a $150 hold on cards used at the pump, but claimed paying inside the store avoids the issue.

One Alabama resident, however, commented that they had only ever seen the traditional $1 authorization hold. They suggested the issue might be specific to certain stations or chains.

So what is happening?

Large temporary authorization holds at fuel pumps are a common industry practice. Because stations do not know how much fuel a customer will purchase when a card is first inserted, they often place a temporary hold to verify available funds before fueling begins.

The hold usually disappears once the final transaction amount settles. Industry guidance and payment-processing information indicate these holds commonly range from about $100 to $175, though some stations and payment networks authorize even higher amounts.

Pilot operates large travel centers that serve both passenger vehicles and commercial trucking customers. Industry payment systems often place temporary authorization holds before fuel purchases are completed, particularly when the final transaction amount is unknown at the start of fueling.

For drivers concerned about large holds, consumer finance resources frequently recommend paying in the station or using a credit card rather than a debit card, since temporary holds can tie up available funds until the transaction settles, according to Cars.com.

As for Mixed_Media, she remained stunned by the experience. “I’m glad that my bank flagged it and said, ‘No, we’re not gonna authorize the charge because. What? Nah, nah.’ Yo, it’s getting crazy. It’s getting crazy. This is wild,” she said.

The statements and opinions expressed in the video reflect the experiences and views of the TikTok creator and commenters, whose claims have not been independently verified. Pilot and Buccee’s have not publicly commented on the specific incident described in the video.