10 Things You Need to Know Before Getting a Credit Card

Authorization Holds and Security Holds

Planning to use your credit card during a vacation? Bring a backup payment method just in case authorization holds eat up your available spending limit or a security hold locks down your card. Canadian and American businesses, such as hotels and rental car agencies, commonly place large holds on credit cards.

The security hold is a safety feature in case your card is stolen. A security hold tends to be an automatic hold that is applied when your card is used in an unusual place and will require a call from you to release it. Even traveling from one state to another without informing your credit card company can lead to holds being placed. It could be very inconvenient to head out on a road trip and stop for gas in the next state only to find you cannot authorize the purchase on your credit card.

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