You made one payment.
But your bank shows two charges.
Both say “pending.”
Both show the same amount.
It looks like you were charged twice — but that’s usually not what happened.
Why Duplicate Pending Charges Appear
- The first authorization is still pending
- The merchant retried the payment
- Your bank placed a temporary duplicate hold
- A system timeout triggered a second authorization
Pending charges are holds — not completed payments.
Common Triggers for Double Pending Payments
- Slow payment gateway response
- Network interruption during checkout
- Retrying payment before the first clears
- Subscription auto-renewal overlapping manual payment
The system protects the transaction — but it can look like duplication.
Will You Actually Be Charged Twice?
- In most cases — no
- One authorization settles
- The duplicate hold expires
- Funds are released automatically
This usually resolves within 1–7 business days.
How to Confirm It’s Not a Real Double Charge
- Check if both transactions say “pending”
- Compare authorization codes
- Look for only one “posted” charge later
- Ask your bank to verify duplicate holds
Two pending charges don’t mean two payments — they mean two temporary holds.