Question:
In fact, the ONLY time we’ve had a problem with any direct debit is when our house was paid off (and we didn’t realize it). The mortgage holder somehow couldn’t bill us for the small amount due, so took out nothing. Four months later, they threatened us with foreclosure over $172. That was actually quite funny.
How long did it take to become funny? 
Response:
In fact, the ONLY time we’ve had a problem with any direct debit is when our house was paid off (and we didn’t realize it). The mortgage holder somehow couldn’t bill us for the small amount due, so took out nothing. Four months later, they threatened us with foreclosure over $172. That was actually quite funny.
I once played at a gig that was a golf tournament, hosted by Lee Trevino. Several months after the gig, they sent me a check for 50 cents. They had made some accounting error and owed me the additional half dollar. I never cashed it. For months I got letters from his accountants asking me to cash it because carrying it on their books was causing them all sorts of grief. Craig
Response:
In fact, the ONLY time we’ve had a problem with any direct debit is when our house was paid off (and we didn’t realize it). The mortgage holder somehow couldn’t bill us for the small amount due, so took out nothing. Four months later, they threatened us with foreclosure over $172. That was actually quite funny. How long did it take to become funny?
Two hours….and some yelling at Washington Mutual, who told us "that was part of the agreement you signed with us when you took out your mortage". "No, it wasn’t. You bought our mortgage twenty years after origination." Kris
Response:
I once played at a gig that was a golf tournament, hosted by Lee Trevino. Several months after the gig, they sent me a check for 50 cents. They had made some accounting error and owed me the additional half dollar. I never cashed it. For months I got letters from his accountants asking me to cash it because carrying it on their books was causing them all sorts of grief.
How much did you charge them to cash that check? Anything up to a stop-payment fee should’ve been worth their while. Way back in 1979, after one year in my first "real job," I qualified for one share of Pullman-Standard stock. I left the company two days later. The damned dividend check, never more than 50 cents, followed me from Chicago to Houston, Denver to Anaheim, and back to Denver over the next several years, even when I left no forwarding address. It didn’t stop until P-S went under. My alma mater’s alumni association is similarly tenacious, even though I’ve never sent them a cent in 30 years.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In fact, the ONLY time we’ve had a problem with any direct debit is when our house was paid off (and we didn’t realize it). The mortgage holder somehow couldn’t bill us for the small amount due, so took out nothing. Four months later, they threatened us with foreclosure over $172. That was actually quite funny. How long did it take to become funny? Two hours….and some yelling at Washington Mutual, who told us "that was part of the agreement you signed with us when you took out your mortage". "No, it wasn’t. You bought our mortgage twenty years after origination." Kris
Be sure to check your credit reports.
Response:
Be sure to check your credit reports.
You can now check them for free once annually; the three major credit agencies have even collaborated on a website that streamlines the process: <http://www.annualcreditreport.com/. Make sure to get printouts of everything, as once you leave the various agency sites you can’t go back and view it again without paying. -Bertha — Gotta run, the cat’s caught in the printer.
Response:
I suspect that PayPal and its debit card users were selected as Bank One’s guinea pigs.
Chase bought Bank One recently. Bank One supplies our business line of credit. It may be one of their integration issues since they are moving way to fast to mash the two together.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "…Direct Pay, the easiest way to pay your eBay seller fees. To sign up, first go to www.ebay.com. Go to My eBay by clicking on the button at the top of any eBay page, and choose "Accounts". Then, select "Use a checking account for automatic payments". This blurb tells me nothing useful. What are your opinions of "Direct Pay"? I’m really wary of it. Several months ago, sellers were dinged twice for their monthly fees. (eBay finally gave them their money back, but refused any responsibility for any overdraft charges some sellers incurred as a result. That is going, or went to, court.) Right now, PayPal is having trouble with their debit cards, taking the money out twice. Lots of problems in a relatively short time, with a not-so-fast response by the parties involved. A
I signed up for eBay fees to come from my business checking, back in January 1997. There’s never been a problem. In fact, the ONLY time we’ve had a problem with any direct debit is when our house was paid off (and we didn’t realize it). The mortgage holder somehow couldn’t bill us for the small amount due, so took out nothing. Four months later, they threatened us with foreclosure over $172. That was actually quite funny. Kris
Response:
"…Direct Pay, the easiest way to pay your eBay seller fees. To sign up, first go to www.ebay.com. Go to My eBay by clicking on the button at the top of any eBay page, and choose "Accounts". Then, select "Use a checking account for automatic payments". This blurb tells me nothing useful. What are your opinions of "Direct Pay"? I’m really wary of it. Several months ago, sellers were dinged twice for their monthly fees.
Not this seller, nor have I had any similar problems with eBay or PayPal. Comes of living a life of rectitude, I guess. Right now, PayPal is having trouble with their debit cards, taking the money out twice.
Even thrice, in a few lucky cases. Lots of problems in a relatively short time, with a not-so-fast response by the parties involved.
Unfortunately, PayPal is as powerless to fix the debit card problem as cardholders are. The card is issued by Bank One. TSYS currently processes Bank One’s credit card transactions. Bank One is slowly learning how to process them in-house, which may be the source of this difficulty. http://tinyurl.com/7onez "The deal calls for Bank One to convert its 50 million credit-card accounts to TSYS’ state-of-the-art processing platform, called TS2, by late summer 2004. That’s when Bank One’s contract with First Data Corp. expires. First Data is TSYS’ chief competitor. "TSYS is expected to process Bank One’s accounts through late summer 2006. At that point, Bank One will begin processing cards itself using the TS2 technology and paying TSYS a software licensing fee. It will be the first time the company has licensed its processing software." I suspect that PayPal and its debit card users were selected as Bank One’s guinea pigs.
Response:
"…Direct Pay, the easiest way to pay your eBay seller fees. To sign up, first go to www.ebay.com. Go to My eBay by clicking on the button at the top of any eBay page, and choose "Accounts". Then, select "Use a checking account for automatic payments". This blurb tells me nothing useful. What are your opinions of "Direct Pay"?
Response:
"…Direct Pay, the easiest way to pay your eBay seller fees. To sign up, first go to www.ebay.com. Go to My eBay by clicking on the button at the top of any eBay page, and choose "Accounts". Then, select "Use a checking account for automatic payments". This blurb tells me nothing useful. What are your opinions of "Direct Pay"?
Works great if you have money in your checking account.
Response:
"…Direct Pay, the easiest way to pay your eBay seller fees. To sign up, first go to www.ebay.com. Go to My eBay by clicking on the button at the top of any eBay page, and choose "Accounts". Then, select "Use a checking account for automatic payments". This blurb tells me nothing useful. What are your opinions of "Direct Pay"?
I’m really wary of it. Several months ago, sellers were dinged twice for their monthly fees. (eBay finally gave them their money back, but refused any responsibility for any overdraft charges some sellers incurred as a result. That is going, or went to, court.) Right now, PayPal is having trouble with their debit cards, taking the money out twice. Lots of problems in a relatively short time, with a not-so-fast response by the parties involved. A