Argh!

On Thursday I went Chanukah shopping, and I went among other things to a gaming store where I know most of the people pretty well (the wife of the owner waited on me and she had gamed with me for years). I did two charges that day, one for a little over $30 (picking up something for a friend where he'll reimburse me) and one nearly $70 (for presents and a second book he wanted). When I went to pay that charge, the machine apparently timed out and she had to run it again.

Unfortunately, the machine didn't really time out, and when I checked my online bank account last night, there were two charges for $67.62 there in the pending column. I called the bank first thing this morning (as did every other panicked account holder, apparently, as I was on hold for awhile) and was told that the merchant can call and give some information to them and they can take the hold off. If that doesn't happen, then it will have to post and then we can dispute it. I have another debit going out sometime today or tomorrow that would overdraft my account if that money isn't made available. (Yes, I'm balancing my chequebook well, but having an additional spurious charge throws everything off). At least the double charge shouldn't post till midnight.

So I have to call the store today and have them call my bank, and hope that they will and can explain what the bank needs. Fortunately I know the people who run it, but still....