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15th March 2023
05:06pm GMT
Tesco is launching a new petrol policy that takes £120 out of your account no matter how much you fill your tank with.
The policy left one motorist "gobsmacked" after filled up his car with £15 worth of petrol before noticing that £120 had left his bank account.
The driver, named Scott, had visited the Esso Tesco in Ardwick Green, and paid at the pump. But when he checked his account later that day he was shocked to find £120 had been taken instead of the £15 his fuel had been worth.
Another driver was also left "absolutely fuming" after she noticed the same thing had happened to her after visiting the same petrol station last week.
Unable to contact his bank, Scott decided to drive back to the petrol station, where he noticed a sign inside the shop warning customers about the charge.
Staff had put up a sign at the cash desk saying: "Please note, paying at pump with your card will automatically charge £120 then refund the difference back to your account from your fuel total."
It's a new policy being rolled out across the UK due to the rising cost of fuel in the hopes that it will stop motorists either driving off without paying for fuel or filling up their car with more than they can afford.
However, the move has been slammed by drivers across the country who accused the supermarket giant of "robbery."
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Scott said law-abiding customers shouldn't be penalised.
He said: "I was gobsmacked, the financial implications of this are huge. They shouldn’t be putting this in in the first place. Have more security at pumps if that is the issue.
"What if there was a family filling up on their way to Tesco and only had £120 left in their bank and then went to try and do a food shop and couldn't pay?"
"It is crazy. The sign is inside the shop so how is someone supposed to know about it if they pay at the pump? I'm lucky that I have access to funds until the money comes back into my account but it’s the principle."
Scott said it was the first time he'd used the petrol station and only topped up £15 as his petrol light had come on and he didn't have time to find somewhere cheaper.
When he returned to the petrol station he spoke with staff and was told "it could take up to three days for the money to go back into my account."
Scott said that despite being assured the money would be refunded to his account quickly, he had been left waiting over 12 hours and still hadn't received the funds.
Some Tesco petrol garages still only take £1 from accounts, but the new £120 checking system will be rolled out to all of them by the end of the year.
Tesco explained that the fee is in line with with Mastercard and Visa requirements, adding that the money should be released back to the account immediately but if this does not happen, customers are advised to speak to their bank.
Mastercard told The Sun: "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."
In response to Scott's story, a Tesco spokesman said: "We’re really sorry to hear about this. The funds that are reserved whilst a customer refuels at Pay at Pump should be immediately released back into the customer’s account."
"If this has not happened, we would recommend that the customer contacts their card issuer to resolve the issue."
This £120 payment only affects transactions at the pumps themselves, Tesco customers who go in and pay at the kiosk will only be charged for the amount of petrol that they used.
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