why will charges disappear from my debit card then reappear

Question

I have made a few large purchases (ex: computer, flight tickets) in the past with my debit card, and for the most part the charges go onto my card and that's the end of it; other times I will see the charges go onto the card then go away, only to reaper a week or two later. If I saw something like a charge for a smaller amount like a dollar, then I would not question it since I know the actual charge will be replacing it soon. could anyone tell me why this happens.

(I have had accounts with different banks, and still have the same type of problem)

Answer 1

Sometime the vendor uses a small charge like a dollar to establish the link to the account. Other times they use larger amount. Gas stations frequently put a hold equal to the maximum amount they will allow on a credit card or debit card. This may be $50 or $75, or even higher if they actually see the card before the transaction. Hotels may do the same thing, they will put a hold equal to the first nights rate, a restaurant will put an amount equal to the bill before tax.

The hold is generally replaced by the actual transaction, but sometimes it isn't and it will eventually expire. I have seen cases where the hold value appears instantly and is removed quickly, but the final transaction doesn't hit the system for days. I have no idea why some vendors are slow.