Lost Checks

[email protected] wrote:

>- Did you mail them in the same envelope? It wouldn't create problems,
>but it might explain both of them being MIA.
>
>No. Different envelopes. Payment coupons enclosed. Account numbers
>on the checks.
>
> - Cingular is now a little confused. I got a notice from them that I
>have a bill due of that same amount. I figure it will settle out in a
>little while.
>
>I would have thought the same thing. Then I got the call from the
>collection agency.
>
>Jane
>
>
>
Doesn't it seem odd that Cingular would refer ONE *late* bill to a
collection agency?

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Isaiah Beard wrote:

> Alcoholic wrote:
>
>> You can use your banks online payment system but schedule the payment
>> at least 3 days prior to the due date. Cingulars system or the
>> Financial institution has a lag time for each transaction , if you
>> put the payment in on the due date it will be credited past due and
>> you will get at least a 5.00 late fee on each acct. If you use
>> Cingulars system it credits the Cingular side immediately and will
>> then show up 2 business days later on the bank account. Cingular
>> does not charge a transaction fee for the Electronic Debit.
>
>
> If you use Cingular's payment handling system, I always recommend the
> use of a Check Card, if your bank offers it (and if they don't by now,
> it might be time to consider switching banks). There's an added layer
> of protection involved there if things go wrong (including an
> established dispute resolution system if you disagree on a payment),
> and it's good to have the fewest possible people and entities knowing
> your ABA routing and account numbers. While I don't yet fully know
> how Cingular does things, I know that other cell carriers (i.e.
> Sprint) actually contract a third party vendor to handle online and
> automatic payments, and don't really tell you about this. Having an
> unknown vendor which I've made no prior agreements with know how to
> make ACH debits from my bank account isn't something that I'm
> comfortable with.
>
> I also avoid using automated debiting for accounts like Cingular,
> where the monthly payment amount can change due to the open-endedness
> of the business relationship (overages, etc). It takes a minute or
> two to manually make enter the check card info on their site and make
> the payment, but at least then I know for certain it's been done, and
> that I also know for the certain the amount going out of my cehcking
> account.
>
I don't remember what I had, but it was a service that ran on a contract
(but wasn't cell), and the contract stated that the customers agrees to
all charges by paying them. The company also encouraged automatic
payment. I didn't feel comfortable with this because I would
"automatically" be agreeing to charges that may not be accurate
(Verizon, anybody). In fact, I think it was a Verizon service, but I
don't rmember.

TH

Doesn't it seem odd that Cingular would refer ONE *late* bill to a
collection agency?

Not so odd....actually not an actual collection agency if it is over XX days late. For example, if they sent the check in, it didn't get processed, then were 1 day late on the next payment, in the account notes it will say, "sent to collections" which yes, is on its way, but not officially to a collection agency. You can still settle the balance with Cingular, not a third party collection agency.

One possible scenario would be that the account slips were put in the wrong envelope. One slip would read account # xxx5 w/ a balance of $100.00, and the check would have account # xxx1 on the memo line, and an amt of $31.00. I've done that before. And if the accounts have a personal name & the check's name doesn't match up....well that could be another issue.

I love today...it is so sunny outside & there is a cool breeze. ahhhh......

Isaiah Beard wrote:
> Alcoholic wrote:
>
>> You can use your banks online payment system but schedule the payment
>> at least 3 days prior to the due date. Cingulars system or the
>> Financial institution has a lag time for each transaction , if you put
>> the payment in on the due date it will be credited past due and you
>> will get at least a 5.00 late fee on each acct. If you use Cingulars
>> system it credits the Cingular side immediately and will then show up
>> 2 business days later on the bank account. Cingular does not charge a
>> transaction fee for the Electronic Debit.
>
>
> If you use Cingular's payment handling system, I always recommend the
> use of a Check Card, if your bank offers it (and if they don't by now,
> it might be time to consider switching banks). There's an added layer
> of protection involved there if things go wrong (including an
> established dispute resolution system if you disagree on a payment), and
> it's good to have the fewest possible people and entities knowing your
> ABA routing and account numbers. While I don't yet fully know how
> Cingular does things, I know that other cell carriers (i.e. Sprint)
> actually contract a third party vendor to handle online and automatic
> payments, and don't really tell you about this. Having an unknown
> vendor which I've made no prior agreements with know how to make ACH
> debits from my bank account isn't something that I'm comfortable with.


Many businesses know my account and ABA number. All they can do with it
is make deposits.

>
> I also avoid using automated debiting for accounts like Cingular, where
> the monthly payment amount can change due to the open-endedness of the
> business relationship (overages, etc). It takes a minute or two to
> manually make enter the check card info on their site and make the
> payment, but at least then I know for certain it's been done, and that I
> also know for the certain the amount going out of my cehcking account.
>

I tried that auto-debit business some years ago until I got clipped for
someone else's $9K tab (not Cingular). Took a month to iron out. Never
again.


--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'