Online bill payment through my bank

I pay my Citibank credit card, AT&T, Verizon, Verizon Wireless and Comcast this way and have been for a year or more. I've had no problems at all. Most of them will send an email confirming the payment authorization. All the sites have a payment history view and I can look at my credit union checking account online. The only recurring bills I pay by check are my mortgage (they don't have any other way to pay) and the water bill (they charge a $3 convenience fee for online payment).

My credit union does offer online bill paying but I'm too cheap to pay for it.

Anyone who authorizes a checking account or credit card debit *MUST* monitor both frequently. If you don't, you almost deserve what happens.....

Having said that, I have a ton of direct debits to my checking *and* credit cards with absolutely no problems.

Your concerns started out valid, but I think you are bordering on paranoia...... By dealing with reputable companies, banks and credit cards and some sensible precautions, you are, IMHO, extremely safe..

I have been using debits to both bank accounts and credit cards without problems as many others here have mentioned. The one potential problem I see, is one I read about where a guy died; his income was direct deposited and his rent, utilities, etc. were being paid in this manner; it was a long time before someone discovered he was no longer with us and discovered the body.

Was he upset it took so long to find him?

On Tue 07 Jun 2005 05:08:32a, Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote in news:Amepe.23113$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.southeast.rr.com:

The look on his face suggested that he was. (I am not sure, though, which version of Quicken he had been using).

My concerns are more one of control though I can easily see how errors in direct debits can be the kind that are only noticed after the fact. And not just outright theft but just errors or mistakes are only noticed after they are done and need to be corrected.

As for control, I like the fact that if I foresee "rough times" coming ahead I can adjust my payments to say minimum amounts *before* they take the money. With direct debits I'd have to run around, possibly dealing with quite a fee companies and their answering machine phone trees and incompetent customer support specialists to get things straightened out.

Online repeating payments are a snap and can be set up for repeating payments who's amount remains constant and regular, perhaps auto entered, online payments can be set up for any other bill you have. Additionally it all originates from your machine and all works in the same manner (not direct debits for some - online repeating for others...). Finally, Quicken knowing your scheduled payments is in a far better position to do forecasts and projections.

YMMV.

I have used two banks' bill pay services, and they pride themselves in getting the payments there on time. As a result, they really try to resolve any case of a payment arriving late or not at all. They try to get the merchant to remove the charge and if that doesn't work they reimburse me. But...

The call always starts off like this: "Now please read to me the mailing address and account number you used." If the address turns out to be wrong, "We're so sorry, next time put in the correct address..." even though the transaction supposed went through ACH.

-- JJ

I have made thousands of payments through Citibank's online system. They have never made an error with a credit card bill. I don't know how efficiently they would handle a mistake because they haven't made any, at least in my case. Based upon my personal experience as a Citibank Online (previously Direct Access) user since they started the service, they don't use the address on the credit card bill because they don't mail a check. I would imagine they make hundreds of thousands, or perhaps millions, of credit card payments each year. They do get it right, every time, no exceptions. Do I like Citibank? You bet!