Looking at a credit card charge label like “EXXONMOBIL CAT OUTSIDE” might make you believe that it is from Exxonmobil company, which is correct in this case. But that doesn’t explain anything about the charge itself, like, why is it there on YOUR credit card bill? That’s the main question! So, let’s understand it all in a much better way and find out a lot more about it. Here we go.
What Is the Real Meaning of “EXXONMOBIL CAT OUTSIDE”?
It’s simple once you break it down:
- EXXONMOBIL represents the name of the gas station.
- CAT is the shorter version for Cardholder-Activated Terminal, which, by definition, a self-service pump has been addressed.
- OUTSIDE, in simple terms, is only that the transaction took place at the pump, not in the store.
Then, if you notice that, it means you are registered in the system as a person who has used the card for the transaction at an outdoor pump.
Why Is There a Hold on Your Card?
Every time you go to a self-service pump, your bank can’t be sure of how much gas you are going to dispense. That’s why a temporary authorization hold is created on the card to make sure the balance is available. This charge of “CAT OUTSIDE” that you see first is only temporary and is not the amount of your final charge.
Why Is the Hold Amount So High?
At gas stations, the hold amount is usually decided by a system that is somewhere between $75 and $175. The aim is to have an amount over the user’s expenditure in the short run in case of a gas price rise. Note that it’s only for the time being. The hold will be canceled, and only the real charge will remain after the gas amount has been calculated.
From Pending to Final Transaction
At first, the sum will be shown as a pending transaction. Subsequently, when ExxonMobil charges the right amount for the fuel you purchased, that hold as pending is removed. The statement then shows up with the exact amount. Mostly, this refreshing of the data occurs in 1 to 3 business days.
How to Check If the Charge Is Correct
Want to double-check things? Here’s what you can do:
- Look at your receipt for the date, time, and amount.
- Scan through, if you made use of the ExxonMobil app for transaction information, the statement should be open to view the information.
- See if the station ID on your receipt is the same as the one on your statement.
- It will definitely be possible to say that the charge is honest and it is related to your refuelling by only doing so.
What to Do If Something Looks Off
If a charge doesn’t look right or you don’t recognize it:
- Get in touch with your bank or card issuer without a second thought.
- When it comes to credit cards, there is usually a period of up to 60 days for the problem to be communicated.
- As regards debit cards, the time interval is considerably less, sometimes only a few days.
You must also be sure that you have your receipt or app screenshot with you when you want to make a complaint. Your bank will be able to help you through the dispute process in that case.
