sctusa
Carrabelle, Fl.
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rockhillmanor wrote:What have you found to be the best and safest (security wise) to pay your bills on the road? Direct debit or bank bill pay?
So far I only have my YMCA membership and cell phone debited out of my checking account. I've never tried the bank bill pay system.
rock
Been using the bill pay online with BOA for several years with not one problem.
For any set figure payment amounts I use the recurring payment feature and with direct deposit for pension and SS it gets along just fine without any interference from me...
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hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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One word of warning.....if you use auto withdrawal for payment of bills, you can never cancel it. The only one who can cancel it is the payee. Strange, but true. You'd have to cancel your bank account and open a new one to stop it if the payee doesn't step up to the plate and cancel it when you want to.
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2oldman
WA
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I don't bother with paper or screen shots or anything. The bank keeps records of all my bill pays for me.
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firedude
On the road
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hershey wrote:One word of warning.....if you use auto withdrawal for payment of bills, you can never cancel it. The only one who can cancel it is the payee. Strange, but true. You'd have to cancel your bank account and open a new one to stop it if the payee doesn't step up to the plate and cancel it when you want to.
That seems odd as I have stopped, changed and started bill pays and auto drafts many times? Never an issue. Curious what bank would make such ridiculous policies?
Tony
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hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
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firedude wrote:hershey wrote:One word of warning.....if you use auto withdrawal for payment of bills, you can never cancel it. The only one who can cancel it is the payee. Strange, but true. You'd have to cancel your bank account and open a new one to stop it if the payee doesn't step up to the plate and cancel it when you want to.
That seems odd as I have stopped, changed and started bill pays and auto drafts many times? Never an issue. Curious what bank would make such ridiculous policies?
Tony
Tony, I didn't say that it canceled, only that it has to be canceled by the payee. You, the owner of the account really can't cancel it unless the payee agrees to let you. Of course a reputable payee should follow your direction to cancel if wanted.
Ask me how I found this out...........
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pilgrim's progress
Beautiful southeastern Ohio
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BUT....be sure to check your on-line accounts regularly! A recent newspaper article in our local newspaper told about the family that was paying an $83 bill using their "on line" account but the bank sent a check for $83,000 (minor error). Of course the bank was at fault, but it took a considerable amount of time and effort to get the account straightened out plus a lot of phone calls to get rid of the "overpayment" charges. I can't imagine it happening very often, but IF it happens to you, that one time is too often! I love being able to type in the amount and having the bank issue the check. Monthly postage savings alone makes it worth the time and effort but I do remind all to keep a close watch on what is happening with the account.
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firedude
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hershey wrote:Tony, I didn't say that it canceled, only that it has to be canceled by the payee. You, the owner of the account really can't cancel it unless the payee agrees to let you. Of course a reputable payee should follow your direction to cancel if wanted.
Ask me how I found this out...........
Maybe I misunderstood. Something I can be pretty good at lol. I have however canceled many auto drafts and bills pays. Done by me. I didn't need authorization from someone else to do so? The day my bank won't give me full control over my account it won't have my business. Now maybe when you cancel one in the background they send that request to the debtor? In fact I had one account where they still wanted their auto draft. They were paid and no longer of service to me so with their disapproval (dummies lol) I stopped it , removed it from my account. Poof! Wasn't even listed on line in my account. It took me a week or more to make the business realize I no longer used their services.
I guess the day a bank tells me they have to get someones approval for me to make a change in my account they'll call me the cash man lol. I know whAT you're saying, but it has never happened to me before.
I just went in this morning checking and in fact deleted two old payees in bill pay and one old auto draft that was inactive. Gone with the click of the mouse so I'm not real sure what you mean then I GUESS.?
I the got to thinking maybe I still have a bunch in there I don't know about so I called my bank CSR. They told me that all I need to do is delete it in my on line profile and it's gone which I did. They advised me they nor I need to get approval from a payee. They have NO control over my account whatsoever. Only I do. Now if you still owe the payee lol and you stop payment then you enter another arena of course.
Maybe it's the difference of financial institutions? My bank says you (me) control your account. If you say stop it stops. They do not request anything from the payee. If there is a dispute it's between me and the payee, but NOBODY but me has control over my account. Well according to my bank lol. That's like putting a stop payment on a check and the bank calling and asking the payee if it's ok lol!?
Anyway ya got me thinking and a bit worried so did my thing on line, called the bank and they tell me it's not the case. In my case anyway.
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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hershey wrote:firedude wrote:hershey wrote:One word of warning.....if you use auto withdrawal for payment of bills, you can never cancel it. The only one who can cancel it is the payee. Strange, but true. You'd have to cancel your bank account and open a new one to stop it if the payee doesn't step up to the plate and cancel it when you want to.
That seems odd as I have stopped, changed and started bill pays and auto drafts many times? Never an issue. Curious what bank would make such ridiculous policies?
Tony
Tony, I didn't say that it canceled, only that it has to be canceled by the payee. You, the owner of the account really can't cancel it unless the payee agrees to let you. Of course a reputable payee should follow your direction to cancel if wanted.
Ask me how I found this out...........
Yup and Yup. I am still battling this and DID have to close the account. Sorry for the long post, but maybe this will help someone.
It's when you allow a company to automatically DEBIT your account.
The 'only' way to stop it is IF the company you gave the authority to do so STOPS doing it when you request them to. You can not. Your bank won't help you on this either. You would be charged every time they try to debit if put a stop payment on it.
In my case it was Good Sam continued service warranty on my MH.
I cancelled the policy and went off to Florida and left minimum amount in that account and did not use that checking account. Got back and they had debited the account every single month, overdrafted my account to the tune of 200.00 plus charges.
I just bought a sprint usb internet service. The FIRST thing the Sprint store told me was "do NOT to pay by auto debit. You will never get Sprint to STOP if you change your mind!!
I found out GoDaddy.com not only took my 'one time' domain charge, THEY debited my account every month for that amount the whole time I was in Florida too!
You have to know and trust the company you allow to debit. And be assured that when you say stop they do.
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firedude
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rockhillmanor wrote:In my case it was Good Sam continued service warranty on my MH. I cancelled the policy and went off to Florida and left minimum amount in that account and did not use that checking account. Got back and they had debited the account every single month, overdrafted my account to the tune of 200.00 plus charges.
I just bought a sprint usb internet service. The FIRST thing the Sprint store told me was "do NOT to pay by auto debit. You will never get Sprint to STOP if you change your mind!!
Rock,
Man, sorry to hear about your problems as it seems to me to be your financial institution in part and I'll explain why. Maybe lol.
First about Sprint, making a long story short. I had them and and auto debit my account every month. They placed a 5 GB cap on their broadband plans effective July 13th and I opted out without ETF's (early termination fees) last month since I knew I'd go over the cap. I made sure with my bank right after I got off the phone with Sprint that the auto draft was ceased and it was immediately upon my phone call (per my bank, no charge). I did this the first day of the billing cycle so there would a zero balance. Sprint then kept calling calling saying my payment was rejected. I reminded them I was no longer a customer and that's why. The gal at Sprint was a bit embarrassed, but apologized and never heard another word. There was never any activity by my bank to ask Sprint if it was OK. It was NOT required. In fact 10 minutes ago my local branch manager told they DO NOT do that.
I just got off the phone with my bank, just before I typed this and spoke to my local branch manager. (B of A) She advised me this is NOT true and that they do NOT seek approval of stopping the auto debit to your account from the payee. Her exact words were "that is ludicrous". Hers not mine  . She looked at my account and verified I had canceled the auto draft to my carrier and saw where they tried to debit the account afterwards. There were no charges to me and the sales receipt (auto draft) was sent back to the carrier. I asked her wouldn't that be like putting a stop payment on a check and the bank calling the payee to see if it was ok? She laughed and said yes. She again emphatically said they do not do things that way and the information I received was wrong.
Bottom line my bank emphatically states nobody has control of my account but me. So far through many, many transactions that has proven true, even with Sprint. They tried to debit me, but lost the game lol. I do know however these banks can ALL have their moments lol and sometimes there are problems. I don't trust any of them actually, but mine has served me well for 25 years, so far. If I had been in your shoes they would have seen the "fire" come out of the firedude.
One thing my branch manager told me a few minutes ago which I feel was good advice so I'll pass it on. She said it was better (not required) to link auto drafts to your card whether it be debit, check card or credit card and NOT directly to your account (number). The reason would be it would be much easier if a dispute were to arise. Even though your card is linked your account (credit, DEBIT/check) the dispute process is much easier should one occur.
I only decided to call my branch manager after reading all this and wanted to be sure of MY banks procedures and policies. Ya' all scared me lol! As far as what Sprint told you was correct though lol. Little did they know they could NOT debit an account any longer without MY permission, one I had revoked.
As far as IPS's and those folks? I don't worry about it. I am my own ISP and own my own dedicated server and line lol. The bad part is if something goes wrong I have nobody to complain to but myself!
Tony
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Back up the bus!!
What and when did this happen?
Quote:First about Sprint, making a long story short. I had them and and auto debit my account every month. They placed a 5 GB cap on their broadband plans effective July 13th and I opted out without ETF's (early termination fees) last month since I knew I'd go over the cap. I made sure with my..
Are we talking internet access via usb on a computer? and they are now going to 'limit' the use now?
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