In some countries, when you request a Cabify, we will automatically carry out a transaction identified as "pre-authorization" that goes to the issuers of your payment method, to ensure that your payment method, whether it is a bank card or PayPal, works correctly. It is a very common procedure, important to guarantee the safety of the trip.
These pre-authorizations temporarily "freeze" an amount of money in your bank account and are done in some of the following circumstances: when you add your payment method, when you have not used the service for a long time and, sometimes, when you request a Cabify to guarantee that there are sufficient funds to pay for the trip you are about to make.
For the latter case, the amount of the pre-authorization will be made according to the estimated price of your trip calculated in the application. If after starting the trip you change the destination, the value of the pre-authorization may vary.
If upon pre-authorization your bank does not accept the charge, your trip will be canceled. If you need more details, you should contact your card issuing bank.
What happens when my trip ends?
When you arrive at the destination point and your trip has finished, the pre-authorization for payment will be confirmed and will be effective, and the amount will be debited from your account.
Why are there two charges on my account?
The value of the pre-authorization and the final charge may not coincide if, for example, you make an intermediate stop during the trip, change the destination point or exceed the courtesy time. In that case, there are two possibilities:
If the cost of the trip is higher than the pre-authorization figure, we will make a second charge (this time it will be an authorization) on your card, in addition to the pre-authorization that we have previously made, so that the final figure matches the final price of the trip (pre-authorization + difference = total charge).
If the value of your trip is less than the amount of the pre-authorization, we will refund the amount corresponding to the total pre-authorization. Afterwards, we will make a new charge -through an authorization- equal to the final price of the trip. The update of the limit reflected in your account or the possible refund may take a few days, depending on the procedures and deadlines of the bank that issued your card. If you need more information, you should contact your card issuing bank.
And what happens if I cancel the trip?
If you cancel the trip at no additional cost (see the article "Can I cancel my trip at no additional cost?" For more information), the pre-authorization will be "released" immediately and you will not be charged, although the speed with which you will have to If you put the money back in your account or if your limit is updated, it will depend on the refund policies and terms of your bank that issued the card.
When we do a pre-authorization transaction, your bank may send you a notification stating that it is a charge. However, the money will not be debited from your account until we confirm the pre-authorization.