Pre-authorization fees

A pre-authorization is a temporary funds hold, not a true charge. Pre-authorizations will usually only show up on your credit card or banking statement as "pending charges."

These test transactions are commonly used by online retailers prior to running the full charge for a purchase. If the pre-authorization fee is refused by the bank or credit card company, the full charge is cancelled, and the purchase will not be processed.

Pre-authorization fees will be automatically voided, and the funds restored to your account, within a few business days (typically within seven days, depending on the bank). When this occurs, the void may be listed as a refund, or the pre-authorization fee may simply be deleted from your account history, as it was never a real charge.

We make every effort to assess the lowest possible pre-authorization fees. Depending on the minimum transaction allowed by the bank or credit card company, our pre-authorization fees range between $0.00 and $3.00 (in your local currency).

Other fees assessed by the bank or credit card company

There are other reasons why you might see a small additional charge associated with your Origin purchase. Some banks may charge an international transaction fee, cross-border transaction fee, or currency exchange fee when processing transactions in a different country and/or currency. These fees are not assessed by EA/Origin, and we are unable to assist with explaining or refunding such charges. Contact your bank or credit card provider to understand these charges.