US Bank US Bank Mastercard Gift Card/ US Bank National Association false authorization Nationwide

 I purchased a large sum Master Card gift card and loaded it with money I needed for travel expenses. When I tried to use it at the pump at a gas station, it declined the charge and said to contact the issuing bank. I went in to the cashier and then used the card in the store to prepay a gas purchase for $35.00, which went through with no problems. I then used hte card for a small meal purchase later that same evening.

 The next day, I tried to pay for a $3+ breakfast at the McDonald's drive thru and was shocked when I was told the card balance was not sufficient to cover the purchase. The card had been loaded with $150.00 just the day before. I called the customer service number on the back and was informed that they were "holding" a $99.00 purchase from the gas station, in addition to the $35.00 that they had authorized. I was informed that the cards can't be used at the pumps. Additionally, I was told that I would have to wait until the authorization released, which no one seems to be able to tell me how to accomplish that.

 One week later, they are still holding on to the $99.00. I called their customer service number again and they said that they can't help at all, that US Bank is the one who controls the authorizations. They could/would not give me a numebr to contact the Bank directly and basically said "sorry 'bout your luck".

 It seems a fraudulent practice that they can't authorize a pay at the pump purchase, essentially a "decline", and yet they placed a $99.00 hold on funds for the purchase. While they continue to hold on to my money and draw interest on it, they provide no means for me to dispute the charge or release the hold. They also provided no receipt for documentation of the authorization so I do not even have an auth number to give to the merchant so that the merchant can go in and cancel the hold.

 This is a deceptive practice and I do not understand how they get away with it. I paid for the card and MY money was taken from me immediately when they loaded it. What gives them the right to withhold my own money from me indefinitely for a purchase that they themselves say they won't authorize?