Pilot Truck Stops & Travel Centers Over Chargers at the Pump - BEWARE!!!

In a most recent trip we stopped off to refuel our Tahoe SUV at the Gas Side (NOT Diesel) at a Pilot Travel Center Truck Stop and they (Pilot Travel Center) ran a what they called a TEST CHARGE on our Capital One Credit Card for a charge of 151.00, then they charged $27.00 for the actually fuel cost. This was the second time that day we stopped at a Pilot and did not know at that time they had already done that earlier that day too. So, apparently they do this every time you stop and refueled. We did not get the “Test Charge” REFUND back until we called Capital One and demanded to know what the $151.00 charges were for??? Capital One had already notified us thru Fraud Prevention to ask about the charge and had frozen our card. When we called they said 100’s of people daily call in complaining about Pilot as this is their normal business practice as their normal consumers are "Truckers" and not consumers with automotive vehicles so their system automatically Test Charges peoples credit cards $151.00 every time you come in to refuel. We have also found thru our own internal investigation that other fuel stations i.e. Love’s Travel Centers & Truck Stops, Shell, Texaco, Exxon, MAPCO, etc all charge you $1.00 and normally refund it immediately, but Pilot seems to be the WORSE charging consumers $151.00 according to Capital One and not all the time refunding consumers their money immediately and some times the reverse charge takes days to show back up on consumers credit cards. This similar practice has been going on in the hotel industry for years and people may or may not be away but now to see it in your fuel stations is disheartening.

If you travel and you have to stop at a Pilot Travel Center, keep this in mind and pay at the counter and pay in advance! Because this charge DID freeze our credit card and if we had of needed to stop again for fuel we would have not been able to use our card. Luckily for us this was not an issue, however, had it been we could have been in a world of hurt if we didn't have cash or another card on hand. needless to say we will do our part and never shop at Pilot ever again if we can or unless it is an emergency! Please keep in mind, this article is one, from our first hand personal experience and also information from what Capital One Representative personally informed us is going on nation wide with Pilot Travel Centers across the USA. There is nothing wrong with Pilot Travel Center, this is there business practices and I for one cannot be a party too for my business and my family. I personally cannot afford to have my credit cards Test Charged $151.00 charged every time I refuel not knowing when and if they will release the funds when I leave; if you trust them or that particular franchise owner to do so, that is 100% on you. I will not be doing this going forward on any Pilot Travel Center anywhere in the South at this time. Just our tip for you from EveryDay Preppers