Chase, Discover, Citi, Capital One � Unauthorized withdrawals

[ArizonaCh13]

I have made past credit card payments to these companies from my credit union checking account. I only schedule one time payments each month. The payment posts to my checking account referencing the transaction as an ACH Withdrawal. I prefer not to close my checking account however they obviously have my account information.

In the event of non-payment(s), has anyone had any experience with any of these credit cards attempting to make a withdrawal that you did not authorize? Please detail; with any resolution.

[optimistic1]

I used to make payments through my checking account to Citi, Chase, and Capital One. I have been behind since October. No unauthorized withdrawals to date. They are not really allowed, and if they did, just close your account, but first, dispute the withdrawals through your bank.

[junker]

it is my understanding, from both wachovia, and bofa, that if you use their BILL PAY system, the creditor doesnt get your personal checking info, its just a payment from say, b of a from you using no personal info.

[BigJohn]

I have made past credit card payments to these companies from my credit union checking account. I only schedule one time payments each month. The payment posts to my checking account referencing the transaction as an ACH Withdrawal. I prefer not to close my checking account however they obviously have my account information.

In the event of non-payment(s), has anyone had any experience with any of these credit cards attempting to make a withdrawal that you did not authorize? Please detail; with any resolution.

I have paid each and every one of these accounts electronically on a month to month basis. I never signed up for automatic electronic withdrawls. When I stopped paying, none of them did withdrawls.

[WorkingItOut]

I had Chase, Citi, and Cap One. I always paid online through their web sites each month and once I stopped paying there were no unauthorized withdrawals. You should be fine.

[CompTweaker]

I have made past credit card payments to these companies from my credit union checking account. I only schedule one time payments each month. The payment posts to my checking account referencing the transaction as an ACH Withdrawal. I prefer not to close my checking account however they obviously have my account information.

In the event of non-payment(s), has anyone had any experience with any of these credit cards attempting to make a withdrawal that you did not authorize? Please detail; with any resolution.

If you want, you can change your account number. I once left a check book in a restroom (set it down to wash my hands) where I was having an alarm installed on my truck, realized it 10 minutes later, went back to fetch it and it was gone. I then contacted my bank and they switched my account number. I had to get some new checks, but it wasnt a big deal.

[EricaCallaha]

I am positive that you can keep your account and be fine. I have had all of those and they didn't take out anything that wasn't authorized. However, we had Chase for our checking and savings as well and were advised to close the account so they wouldn't freeze our account for payment to the card.

Something to think about....Don't bank where you have a credit card. If you file for bankruptcy, they will try to freeze your accounts for payment on the debt. It is best to keep things separate.

Good luck.

[catleg]

I also had a mysterious unauthorized autopay transaction occur with an account from Chase. You're definitely at risk of a rogue collector misusing your banking information if they have access to it. I don't think you ever want to be a position to have to fight to get your own money back if you can avoid it. This is like the old days of being "slammed" by MCI when some telemarketer switched your long distance without your consent. It's a little disturbing that some kind of third party verifier isn't required for collections transactions via ACH.

[PheobeKnowsBest]

I had BOA just do this. I had set up a payment plan with them back last year and called and stopped the plan in Sept. They started back in Jan, Feb, and March before I even caught it, I had gotten behind in balancing my checkbook, I know I shouldn't have done that but I did. I called BOA and he verified that I had stopped the payments and that they would credit my checking account. They called back 2 days later and said that since I was behind on my payments that they could not credit my account. I told them that I had talked to my bank and that this is bank fraud. I have filed a claim with my bank, my bank suggest getting a new checking account.

[BigJohn]

The reason why the bank's do this is that nobody ever challenges them. As long as they are not challenged, they will keep doing this. Have you considered taking them to Small Claims Court?

[optimistic1]

bb, your just outright mean sometimes, but l like you.

[BigJohn]

John why don't you make a cut-n-paste reply that tells everyone they need to sue everyone for anything, this seems to be your answer on how to deal with everything. It gets old real fast. I noticed in another thread when someone asked you specifically how you sued your OC creditor you refused to answer the question. Now you don't want us all to think your just making this stuff all up now do you? Why don't you tell us in detail how you got an anti-harassment order against a creditor thats not even in your own state? Do tell the details so we can all learn how to sue these guys.

I went to our local Court, filled out the paper work, presented my written statement as to what happened and in about 15 minutes was taken before a judge who granted what I requested. I am in Arizona, the character was in Pennsylvania. The order was served at the local office of the company but covered all employees of that company including the character in Pennsylvania.

[BigJohn]

Also BoA main office is located in Charlotte NC, I am in Seattle, want to tell us how a small claims action against BoA works?

File against the local office.

[OhioFiler]

Sorry doesn't work like that in WA State, I am required to sue who is listed as the registered agent for the corporation. And even if I did file suit, unless you also plan to toss out your mandatory arbitration clause that you agreed to that comes with your credit card you agree to mediate any claims against them at a place that is agreeable to them.

Maybe you should move to Arizona. Then you would have the same legal protections as John and you could stalk him in person instead of just on here!

[fireworks]

I used to have BOA set up to automatically withdraw the minimum due from my bank account. When I met with my lawyer for the initial BK conversation he advised that I stop paying credit card bills, so that afternoon I logged on to their website and canceled the automatic payment setup. About a month later, BOA pulled $1200 from my account. I went to the bank to dispute the charge, filled out a 5 minute form and a couple of days later my bank credited my account the $1200. About a week after that I got a call from BOA, asking why I returned it and insisting that I had logged on to their website and made the payment. I informed them that I'm filing for BK and the rep tried to tell me that I couldn't file on that account because I'd taken cash advances on it in the past. That was a fun conversation. He had just enough of a clue about BK laws to be dangerous. I finally told him we'd have to let the judge decide it.

AmEx tried something similar, pulling $40-something from my account. I returned that one also, about a week later got a letter from them stating that they were canceling my automatic payment setup because the payment had been returned. Much more straightforward there.

The day that I returned those two payments I tried to close my account. The bank said I couldn't do that until 10 days after returning the payments in case there was a dispute. I had them disable the overdraft protection, opened a new account and transferred all but $1 into the new account. If anyone else tries to make a debit it'll bounce, which will cost me $25, but that's a lot cheaper than $1200. I think it's been 10 business days now so I'll be heading over to the bank to close that account ASAP. I'm being much more careful about who had the new account numbers.

My advice - change your bank account NOW! Thankfully I'd just finished up my "going out of business" sale and had a good chunk of change in my account. I was able to do without that $1200 while the bank processed paperwork. I got the money back within a few days, but if I had needed that money to make a mortgage payment I would have been in trouble.

I hear all the time on the Dave Ramsey show where people set up a payment plan with some creditor and the creditor takes way more than they were authorized to take. I didn't think they'd just take money without any kind of agreement, but now I know better.