{"id":229,"date":"2022-10-20T15:09:04","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T15:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/?page_id=229"},"modified":"2024-06-26T20:54:36","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T20:54:36","slug":"what-is-this-charge-on-my-credit-card","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/credit-cards\/what-is-this-charge-on-my-credit-card","title":{"rendered":"What Is This Random Charge On My Credit Card?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’ve been reviewing your credit card statements<\/a> online, you might have occasionally noticed a random $1 charge \u2014 often noted as ‘pending’ \u2014 among your list of purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some scammers<\/a> and fraudsters might do a trial run on victims’ stolen credit cards<\/a>, charging $1 to $5 to see whether anyone notices before they run up larger charges. But often, a small charge is legit \u2014 at least temporarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where do those small charges come from?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you look at your list of pending transactions<\/a>, you\u2019ll probably discover that a random charge bumps right up against a charge from a petrol station, hotel, rental car or rideshare company like Uber or Ola. That’s because the small charge is actually a ‘temporary pre-authorisation hold’ from your credit card company<\/a>. Basically, this gives the merchant the green light to charge your card for the full amount when the final purchase is made. By pre-authorising<\/a> your card for a small amount like $1, the card company doesn’t have to place a larger hold against your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charge disappears when the final amount you\u2019ve spent with that merchant is no longer pending processing<\/a>. The pre-authorisation is lifted, and that random charge doesn\u2019t show up on your final statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Getting your first credit card?<\/strong> Whether you’re a beginner or a credit card pro, make sure you know how to handle a credit card responsibly<\/a>. It’ll save you time, money and frustration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why do I only see it with certain purchases?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some kinds of merchants require preauthorisation, while others don’t. Certain retailers \u2014 typically Amazon, as well as petrol stations, hotels and rent-a-car companies \u2014 don\u2019t yet know the final cost of your purchase when they accept your credit card<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, when you swipe your card at a petrol pump, the station doesn’t know how much it’ll actually take to fill your tank. So, the merchant pre-authorises your card. That way, they’ll be pretty sure that you won\u2019t charge more than your credit limit<\/a> will allow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00bb MORE:<\/strong> How to request a chargeback on a credit card<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should I worry about a $1 charge?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The $1 charged to your card when you rent a car or stay at a hotel should automatically drop off of your account when your final purchase shows up on your statement. In fact, once the final charge is no longer pending, you shouldn\u2019t see the $1 pending charge anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you notice that the small charge doesn\u2019t automatically disappear or you see multiple charges on your final credit card statement, it\u2019s time to contact your bank and find out what’s going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The takeaway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those funny little $1 charges that keep popping up on your credit card account are usually nothing to worry about. They should disappear before you\u2019re required to make a payment. Just be sure not to ignore any unauthorised $1 costs that stick around. Those could indicate a problem.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in the United States, read <\/em>this article<\/em><\/a> on the NerdWallet US site.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\tAbout the Author\t\t<\/h4>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKatia Iervasi<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Katia Iervasi is an assistant assigning editor and spokesperson at NerdWallet US. An insurance authority, she previously spent over six years covering insurance topics as a writer, where she loved…<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Katia Iervasi and explore their articles<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\tDIVE EVEN DEEPER\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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\n\t\n\t\tHow To Apply For A Credit Card In 5 Steps\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t
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Understand your credit score, debt and income, and apply for a card that fits your profile. Make your credit card application a no-brainer for the banks.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\"\"Amanda Smith<\/a>Georgia Rose profile photoGeorgia Rose<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n
\n\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\"How\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n

\n\t\n\t\tHow To Calculate Credit Card Interest\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t
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Knowing how to calculate credit card interest puts you in a better position to take charge of your interest.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\"\"Katia Iervasi<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n
\n\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\"What\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n

\n\t\n\t\tWhat Affects Your Credit Score?\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t
\n\t\t

Your credit scores are determined by several factors, such as whether you pay bills on time and the length of time you’ve used credit.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\"\"Amanda Smith<\/a>Georgia Rose profile photoGeorgia Rose<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\"7\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\n\t\t7 Money Management Skills To Master ASAP\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t
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Set yourself on the path to financial freedom by developing these key money management skills.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\"\"Amanda Smith<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It can mean credit card theft, but there are legitimate reasons for them to appear on your statement, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":232,"parent":159,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/article-sidebar.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","_nw_pros_cons_block_schema":""},"content-classification":[4],"topic":[117],"cluster":[160],"pp_author":[88],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is this charge on my credit card? - NerdWallet Australia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are small, random charges on your credit card a sign of fraud? 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