Why do I see a duplicate charge on my credit card?

Doubleknot provides online services for nonprofits and cultural attractions. When you pay for an item (like a ticket, membership, donation, or registration) using a credit card or a debit card that is tied to their bank account, your statement may appear as if you have been charged twice for a purchase.

However, in nearly all circumstances, you have not been charged twice. Your bank may show an additional “pending” or “authorization” amount with the processing of the actual payment.

When you make a purchase or donation using a credit or debit card at your museum, zoo, scout council, nature center, etc., the payment processor checks the bank account balance or available credit to make sure that there are sufficient funds or credit to pay for the purchase.

This authorization or notice of a pending transaction does not charge your account—it simply places a hold on the account for the amount of the purchase to ensure that the funds will be available when the payment is processed.

These authorizations may appear on a credit card or bank statement next to the actual charge. The authorization or pending notification is generally removed when the funds are removed or the charge is applied. However, some banks may take up to two days to remove the authorization or pending notification.

To confirm that the authorization or pending notification is not a double billing, and to learn when the authorization or pending notification for the purchase will be removed, call your bank or credit card company using the number on the back of the credit or debit card.