What is a Temporary Authorization?

Summary

• "MA" transactions are temporary authorizations and are the result of a merchant verifying your card is valid and your account balance sufficient
• "MA" transactions do not necessarily reflect the final transaction amount. Once the transaction is settled (meaning "MC" shows) the amount should be correct
• Wait until the transaction settles before calling about inaccurate "MA" transaction amounts
• If a charge appears that was clearly unauthorized by you or appears to be fraudulent, call customer service immediately
• "MA" transactions cannot be disputed. Only settled transactions may be disputed

When viewing activity on the Card Transactions Report, you may notice one or more transactions marked "MA" instead of marked "MC." These transactions are temporary authorizations and are displayed in the same line item detail as all other transactions.

There is no need to call and inquire about a temporary authorization, unless you know for certain that neither your card nor account number has been used for any purpose. Normally, a temporary authorization transaction is removed from your account when the corresponding transaction amount is posted to your account.

A temporary authorization transaction is the result of a merchant requesting to confirm that your Prepaid Mastercard is active and has a sufficient available balance to accommodate transactions. This request creates a temporary authorization transaction that appears on the Card and in your ProPay Account. The temporary authorization transaction is not always equal to the actual amount, but rather it represents an anticipated amount the merchant uses until the actual transaction is processed. The actual transaction amount will appear on the account once the merchant's bank and all intermediary banks finish processing the transaction. The temporary authorization is removed from the account within 30 days after it first appears. In the meantime, all temporary authorizations will temporarily reduce your ProPay account's available balance by the anticipated amount.

Please note: Temporary authorizations cannot be disputed; only settled transactions can be disputed. If there is a problem with a settled transaction you may dispute the error by contacting the ProPay Customer Service Department at (800) 365-7816 during business hours (6:30 AM - 7 PM, Monday - Friday, Mountain Time Zone).

If for some reason the actual transaction is canceled and not processed, this temporary authorization will automatically be removed from your Prepaid Mastercard and your ProPay Account 30 days after it first appears.

Some Common Examples of Temporary Authorizations

• When you use your Prepaid Mastercard at a restaurant, a request for a temporary authorization for the original amount plus 20% is processed. If the request for the full amount is approved, you will be permitted to purchase the meal with your card. Once the transaction is complete, the restaurant's bank will issue a request for payment. If the request is honored, the actual amount of your purchase will appear on your Prepaid Mastercard and your ProPay Account as a settled transaction, and the temporary authorization for the original amount plus 20% will be removed.
  
• When you use your Prepaid Mastercard at a department store, the merchant may swipe your card at checkout. This generates the request for temporary authorization. If approved, the transaction will appear on your Prepaid Mastercard and your ProPay Account as a temporary authorization in whole dollars. For instance, if your actual purchase amount is $147.53, the temporary authorization may appear on your account for $148.00. Sometime after you leave the store with your purchases, the request will be sent to the merchant's bank for payment. Again, the merchant's bank will issue a request to ProPay for payment in full. When the merchant's bank receives payment, the temporary authorization for $148.00 will be removed and the actual purchase amount of $147.53 will be posted to your account.
  
• Additional examples of these types of transactions currently not supported are hotel reservations, paying for gasoline at the pump, etc. In the future these transactions may be supported.

These are just examples of some transactions that may generate temporary authorizations to your Prepaid Mastercard and your ProPay Account. However, there are many other situations you may encounter that will require temporary authorizations to be placed on your Prepaid Mastercard. Rest assured that this is a common practice in the industry.