Pilot Travel Center faces two potential class action lawsuits stemming over allegations that the gas and convenient store chain engages in a credit card scheme by placing authorization “holds” on fuel purchases that are significantly greater than the actual cost.
Lead plaintiffs Laurie Anderson and Chase Mosely both of Tennessee filed separate, but nearly identical Pilot Flying J class action lawsuits yesterday, claiming that Pilot intentionally conceals its credit card “holds” from paying customers.
Anderson and Mosely say they used a “pay-at-the-pump” machine to purchase gas at different Tennessee Pilot Travel Center locations only to discover that the company placed a hold on their credit card that caused a portion of the plaintiffs’ credit line to be artificially frozen for several days after.
The Pilot class action lawsuit states that while a typical credit card hold is $75 for a passenger vehicle, Pilot routinely holds onto $500 for semi-truck customers who who use their stations to fill-up.
According to the lawsuit, Pilot does not warn its customers of the impending holds on their credit cards despite the ample opportunity to do so. The plaintiffs point to the actual fuel pumps which are “littered” with signs, stickers and video screens which advertise various products. They believe Pilot could have used those machines to inform customers of its “hold” practices, but they do not.
“Little does the average customer know, however, that behind the scenes, as he or she stares at the ‘authorizing’ message on the card-reader on the pay-at-the-pump machine, computers are already imposing a ‘block’ or a ‘hold’ on their credit accounts – reserving a substantially larger portion of their available credit card balances than necessary to complete their fuel purchases,” the Pilot class action lawsuit states.
Anderson and Mosely accuse Pilot of fraudulent concealment stating that the gas station chain has a duty to inform customers of its credit card hold policy because the details are only known to them. The plaintiffs also bring claims of breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
If approved, Anderson seeks to represent a Class of Tennessee Pilot Flying J customers who purchased fuel using a Visa or MasterCard who were not informed that Pilot would require a preauthorization hold in an amount greater than the actual purchase of fuel. Mosely also wants to represent a Class of Tennessee residents who used an American Express credit card at Tennessee Pilot locations.
Both Anderson and Mosely are represented by Gordon Ball of Gordon Ball, PLLC; Thomas C. Jessee of Jessee & Jessee; and Lance K. Baker of The Baker Law Firm.
The Pilot Flying J Excessive Credit Card Holds Class Action Lawsuits are Laurie Anderson, et al. v. Pilot Corporation, et al., Case No. 24663 in the Circuit Court for Jefferson County, Tennessee and Chase Mosely, et al. v. Pilot Corporation, et al., Case No. 16-cv-137 in the Circuity Court for Sevier County, Tennessee.
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61 thoughts onPilot Travel Center Faces Credit Card ‘Hold’ Class Action Lawsuits
This happened to me today at Pilot in SC! I googled “why is there a pending $500 charge after fuel purchase?”, and I found this site. I am extremely angry. I want my money back!!!
yea…. I’m not a stranger to this, but over 100 on a passenger car is very excessive. Most gas stations just set the pumps to limit the fuel pumped to A preset amount of fuel. I used my prepaid card at A pilot in TN. Here we are 6 days later i still haven’t seen my money back. Mean while bills go past due, and late fees start adding up. Can I hold pilots lack of information on their excessive fees accountable.
3 $500 and 1 $151 “holds” put on my card in 3 days at Pilot/FlyingJ’s in NM and TX.
Now my card is over-limit till June 15 when they drop off.
WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR CLASS ACTION?!!
Travelling through North NM & TX.
Paid at pump with Visa at three Pilot/FlyingJ locations on three consecutive days. In addition to gas and snack purchases our card was charged $500 “authorization” on each day, AND additonal $151 on one of those days!
Now my card is over-limit for several days till those charges expire.
WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR CLASS ACTION!!
Same here in Utah, 151.00 hold on a 25.00 gas purchase, No notice given at the pump, Theft of my money for 2 days. That’s not flying J money, it is mine.
This just happened to my son in SC at a pilot station for a hold of $151. It is dangerous for people traveling to have such practices happen…thankfully we had plenty of credit.it is a terrible and underhanded practice.
Just tried to use a cash back credit card for the first time yesterday at a Pilot in Junction, Texas. Received message to see cashier. Received an email that the $151 hold was declined due to insufficient funds. ?!? Called the credit card company and they said it was the merchant. I would like to very much join this class action suit.
This just happened to me at Flying J in Sayre, OK. Would like to know the status of this legal action.
I posted a previous post but when I saw the post it had alot of + after each word so I am posting again. I went to a pilot gas station in murfreesboro tn. I charged $10. worth of gas. When I checked my credit card statement it showed a $151. hold. Called pilot and was told the credit card company put that hold on it. I called credit card company and was told the merchant does that. A $151. hold for a $10. purchase that is sad. Was told it would drop off in a few days. Thats not the point they should have never put a hold for that amount thats over 80% of the cost. I will never purchase from pilot again.
Fred Meyer in WA state d I especially this also . They hold up to $125.00, for $20-30.00 in gas. This usually c ok ears in a day. I had to call the bank when I first noticed this and they explained what is going on. Nice scam to make some interest on everyone else’s money, I think.