Why do I see temporary charges?
Last updated 7 August 2026
A pending charge you did not expect is almost always a temporary authorisation. No money has left your account, and it clears on its own within 5 to 7 days.
What a temporary authorisation is
When a payment is attempted, your bank sets the amount aside to confirm the card is valid and the funds are there. If the payment then completes, the hold becomes the real charge. If it does not, the hold is released and nothing is taken.
Until it is released it sits on your statement looking like a charge, and some banks show it against your available balance, which is why it can appear as though you have been billed twice.
Why you might see several
| A payment failed and you tried again. Each attempt can leave its own hold, so three tries can look like three charges. Only a successful one becomes real. |
| You added a new card. Some banks place a small hold to check a card works. |
| A charge has not settled yet. A real purchase can show as pending for a few days before it posts properly. That one will not disappear, because it is a genuine charge. |
What to do
Wait. Holds are released by your bank rather than by us, and we cannot make it happen faster. Most clear within 5 to 7 days.
If something is still showing after 7 days, email bill@hidden.com with the date, the amount, and the last four digits of the card, and we will check whether an actual charge exists on our side.
Do not open a bank dispute over a pending hold. It will clear on its own, and a dispute over money that was never taken causes more problems than it solves.
Common questions
+Have I actually been charged?
Only if the purchase went through. If it failed, no money leaves your account whatever the pending line says.
+Can you release it sooner?
No. The hold sits with your bank, not with us, and only they can lift it early.
+How do I tell a hold from a real charge?
Check your Hidden account. Every real charge has a matching entry there with the date, the amount, and what it was for. Anything on your statement without one is almost certainly a hold.
+It is affecting my available balance.
Held funds are unavailable until released, which is normal but inconvenient if several attempts stacked up. Avoid retrying a failed payment repeatedly for this reason.
Related
How Hidden charges appear on your statement
How transactions and charges work
Still showing after 7 days? Email bill@hidden.com with the date, the amount, and the last four digits of your card.
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