Hi, since there are a lot of British holiday goers to France, and I don't speak French, maybe some of you have experience with French automated petrol stations. I was passing through France on my way home 2 days ago, and filled up just 22 eur at one of those machine pumps (it was the only one I could find, and needed only enough to get me across to Switzerland) Now that I got home i went to check my credit and I see one of these pumps took 150 eur off my card. I have a receipt that says 22.01 eur, it's an Ecomarche pump (some kind of supermarket I think) I've searched around and found that some say this is normal, and that these pumps reserve a maximum amount to fill up, and then refund the remaining unpumped gas later, but also found some that say this is not normal for French pumps. This seems a bit fishy to me... anyone know anything more about this? Don't know if i should wait and see or contact my bank. Thanks!
The €150 was most likely the maximum you could of taken in fuel. Check your account of the card you used in a few days and you should find you have been credited back the difference. This is what I've read on expat forums. I assume you use an English card, whether this is something they do with only foreign cards I don't know. Hope this helps.
This is usual. Do not panic If you call your credit card company they will answer that it is a pending amount but the amount taken will be the €22. I have experienced this. Most people don't check between fuelling up and the correct amount being applied to their card.
Thanks for the reassurance, i've used other automated pumps, and they didn't do this (not the same company though) I have a Croatian bank card, but it's a Maestro. Those machines are very confusing for me and i'm always paranoid when using them as it is, but in some places you don't have any choice.
We were overcharged every time we filled up petrol is so expensive in France even if you use supermarkets, some places diesel was 40 cents a liter cheaper which is about 1.80 euros a gallon cheaper, Steve,
I use automated ones all the time but never been charged the top end???? I do have a French bank card...
Like I said it won't appear on monthly statement it will only appear you have been overcharged if you check online or at an ATM in between paying and statement time.
Just to confirm, the difference was refunded like you said. It did take 4 days though. I will avoid those stations in the future, i don't like it. what if i went in the red or wanted to buy something else and was 130 eur short?
Ecomarche I think its part of a large group that includes Intermarche and E Leclerc but the filling station said Ecomarche it was in Neuville Sur Ain Google street view of the one i used: https://www.google.com/maps/preview#!q=01160 neuville sur ain ecomarche&data=!1m8!1m3!1d3!2d5.37632!3d46.07433!2m2!1f120.91!2f81.91!4f75!2m4!1e1!2m2!1sYZVC66yIJa8x9VeRsNpOSA!2e0!4m10!1m9!4m8!1m3!1d48077!2d5.370162!3d46.0909125!3m2!1i1280!2i834!4f13.1&fid=5
