A credit card pre-authorization is much like any other charge to a credit card, except instead of actually debiting funds from the cardholder, the merchant just puts a temporary “hold” on the funds in order to confirm that you have sufficient funds to cover the purchase.

Once a credit card has been pre-authorized the cardholder cannot go and spend this money anywhere. However, at the same time the charge doesn’t actually show up on their credit-card statement.

Why do I see a pre-authorized transaction on my card?

While there are several scenarios that could result in an outstanding authorization the two most common are the following:

1. Merchant offers a service prior to payment – In the case of gas stations, for example, choosing to pay “at the pump” will often result in a set amount placed on hold, separate from your actual gas purchase. This is done to verify you have enough money in your account to fill up a tank of gas.
2. Incomplete transactions – Sometimes when a merchant tries to charge your card, the transaction does not go through – technical reasons for example. Refunding the buyer is done automatically by the merchants system, however you may see the initial pre-authorization in your account for a few days until it expires (usually no more than 5-7 days) and your funds will be released back to your card.

How do I know there is a pre-authorized transaction on my account?

You can easily view the outstanding authorizations on your Payoneer Prepaid Mastercard® by performing the following steps:

1. Log in to Payoneer 
2. Select Activity from the menu and then Transaction History
3. Find the link titled Click here to view pending authorizations located above your transactions list

I have a pre-authorized transaction on my card, what next?

With pre-authorized transactions, patience is the name of the game, since the hold is being placed by the merchant. In some cases, Payoneer Customer Care can be of assistance, so feel free to get in touch.

It is important to realize that there is an entire process occurring behind the scenes until the transaction is settled which takes time. You will need to wait at least 7 business days from the date of the transaction for the funds to be released back into your available balance.

Should the funds remain on hold after that time period, you are welcome to contact our customer care team for further assistance on that matter.