How do you pay for your subs?

I have always just used my regular credit card, but want to figure out something else. Last week I was charged for a full year of Love With Food. I hadn't got a notification, but I like them, so I wasn't upset about resubbing. What upset me is that they charged a card that was compromised in August of last year. The issuer sent out a new card with a new number, but for some reason I didn't get it for months so I never activated it and didn't use it.

I have discovered over the past year that some companies, (so far it has been AAA, Love With Food and Disney) pay the credit card companies to be able to charge your new card number even if it is never given to them. They say it is a courtesy, but it has made me quite angry all three times. I cancelled the credit card altogether today as I decided not to even keep it as an emergency back up card.

So what are my options? Can I use paypal for all subs? Do prepaid cards work? I don't want this to happen again, and frankly, I don't like paying for a year in advance without advance notification.

I am debating fighting the charge just because I am frustrated, but I do like Love With Food and would have resubbed for a third year if they had notified me.

I use a debit card unless I have the option to use Paypal though I did use a prepaid gift Mastercard for a few sub boxes.  Prepaid Visa/Mastercard cards can work (even if they are not refillable) for sure.  They have security codes on the back and don't require your name on the card.

I think if there is a company that is hard to cancel from, try to use anything but your main card?

 I use either debit or Paypal.

CAPSLOCK said:

I have always just used my regular credit card, but want to figure out something else. Last week I was charged for a full year of Love With Food. I hadn't got a notification, but I like them, so I wasn't upset about resubbing. What upset me is that they charged a card that was compromised in August of last year. The issuer sent out a new card with a new number, but for some reason I didn't get it for months so I never activated it and didn't use it.

I have discovered over the past year that some companies, (so far it has been AAA, Love With Food and Disney) pay the credit card companies to be able to charge your new card number even if it is never given to them. They say it is a courtesy, but it has made me quite angry all three times. I cancelled the credit card altogether today as I decided not to even keep it as an emergency back up card.

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Wow that's crazy! How doesn't that lead to issues with people who block a merchant from charging, cancel a card and then have the charges go through on the new card number?

I use a credit card for everything. For all their faults, CitiBank has always been helpful when I've had to dispute a charge or block a merchant from charging. It has a crazy high limit (over 30k!) so if there are double billing issues or I'm charged 500$ instead of 50$ for something I can still buy groceries that week. I saw that Sample Society/Allure is doing a double charge now, one has gone through on my card and one is just hovering as pending, both for the full amount. Someone in the SS August thread mentioned it happened to them too and when they called customer service it was blamed on their bank. I've never seen CitiBank do this before on anything so I'm wondering if when Allure took over there was a switch in who does the card processing. The closest I've seen is when I order food from GrubHub they'll put through a charge for 1$ before they do the correct amount to make sure the card works and won't run the total amount until you've gotten your food and had no issues. The 1$ always drops off within a day or two which I'm fine with.

I've seen too many billing errors that always negatively impact the customer to trust places to charge my debit/MC properly. If I have to let a charge I didn't make sit on my credit card for a month until it's resolved and reversed along with the interest that's fine. I'm not letting a charge I didn't make hold funds from my checking account until the merchant gets around to responding or the bank reverses the charge.

Got a debit card just for sub purchases. Will never give out my CC numbers on the Internet..not even to PayPal. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

GirlyGirlie said:

Got a debit card just for sub purchases. Will never give out my CC numbers on the Internet..not even to PayPal. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

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According to my bank you are personally liable for any fraudulent charges on a debit card, however there is actually more protection against fraudulent charges to credit cards. I try to use either PayPal which has buyer protection or a credit card that I pay off every month. I urge everyone to double check with thier banks regarding thier policies on debit cards and fraudulent charges.debit and credit cards are treated differently by consumer protection laws. Under federal law, your personal liability for fraudulent charges on a credit card can't exceed $50. But if a fraudster uses your debit card, you could be liable for $500 or more, depending on how quickly you report it.

ChicagoBlonde said:

I've never seen CitiBank do this before on anything

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My credit card that I'm having trouble with is through Citibank.  I have switched to Chase.  

I've switched to a prepaid credit card that I have specifically set to decline charges if they exceed the amount available, and keep the amount available close to what I know my sub charges for the month should be.

One of the things that is buried in the fine print of some subs is that by agreeing to the sub you're agreeing to allow them to charge your card even if the expiry date has changed and you haven't updated it yet, among other weird "we can charge your card" quirks.

ChicagoBlonde said:

I have discovered over the past year that some companies, (so far it has been AAA, Love With Food and Disney) pay the credit card companies to be able to charge your new card number even if it is never given to them.

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Wow, that is insane! Especially for a charge that's renewable!!!

I have been burned three times with Paypal, through debit cards and credit cards, so I won't be using debit cards or Paypal again!

 The bank acct attached to the debit card was completely wiped out, all three times, and even though there was no money left, the bank kept letting them charge stuff, resulting in overdraft charges of 35 bucks a pop, which in themselves added up to over a thousand dollars!

I wasn't liable for any of it, but of course they froze my acct, and all my direct deposits  and payments got  honked up. Each time took  about 6 weeks to clear up.Thank God my husband and i each have separate accts in addition to our main joint acct, or we'd have been screwed.

They hit my credit card at the same time, and that was cleared up in one day, and I had a new card within two days. (I mean,the investigation and such took a long time, but it wasn't near as much of a pain in the neck)

Both cards were Chase and they were as nice as they could be, but the bank acct stuff was much, much worse to deal with. 

I used to use my debit card online, until I belatedly realized I was spending my real money and that it was smarter to spend my future real money and let the credit card fight it out if there are any disagreements about charges. I've mostly used Chase and have contested at least 3-4 charges over the past 2-3 years and never had any problems getting them reversed. I recently decided to start using my Capital One card just for subs and nothing else, so I could keep a better idea on what I'm paying for subs and pay it off each month, but that didn't last long because I forgot my card at home and wanted to buy something at work. Oh well.

@@JolieFleurs Oh man, that sounds so scary! I am super paranoid about using paypal after reading so many stories of people who got screwed over by them. Someone I know personally had $500 dollars charged to their paypal, and for a college student that is like a month's worth of funds. She of course got it fixed, but that's still terrifying.

I change my password weekly, but I only have debit right now and paypal, of course, won't let you do anything unless you have a card attached to the account. I'm thinking I'll look into one of those prepaid credit cards. That sounds like a good idea.

@@pokeballssohard   it was scary! And a right-royal pain in the sit-upon.

I had had Paypal for years with no issues at all, then, within a year, three huge hits. I was afraid they were going to think I was doing it on purpose. But each time it was airline tickets and Eurail passes, and no further charges after. (And I guess that's very common?!)

I kind of like the idea of a pre-paid card, too, but then I'd have to admit how much I spend on all this make-up, right???  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Spazkatt said:

According to my bank you are personally liable for any fraudulent charges on a debit card, however there is actually more protection against fraudulent charges to credit cards. I try to use either PayPal which has buyer protection or a credit card that I pay off every month. I urge everyone to double check with thier banks regarding thier policies on debit cards and fraudulent charges.debit and credit cards are treated differently by consumer protection laws. Under federal law, your personal liability for fraudulent charges on a credit card can't exceed $50. But if a fraudster uses your debit card, you could be liable for $500 or more, depending on how quickly you report it.

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 Your bank is correct - it is MUCH more difficult to be cleared of fraudulent charges made by debit than by credit. This goes for pre-paid cards as well, although at least in those cases thieves don't have access to your entire account.

Only credit cards have built in fraud protection measures in place, which is why credit cards are actually the safest form of tender for any online purchases. Don't get me wrong, it is still a giant pain in the a$$ if you have to declare fraud on your CC but much less in the "they took all my money and now it will take me nigh on a year to get it fixed" way, and more in the "I have to fill out these stupid forms and then it will be fixed" way. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

CAPSLOCK said:

My credit card that I'm having trouble with is through Citibank.  I have switched to Chase.  

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Ha! I left Chase for CitiBank due to Chase's constant shenanigans and mistakes in their favor.

I never, ever use a debit card online. That is my actual money and banks are SO slow to get that stuff figured out when something goes wrong.

I only use Amex, their customer is phenomenal, or PayPal whenever it's available.

I'm debating using a prepaid card, though, especially for newer subs. It also would make bookkeeping a little neater as well.

I use my debit card, but I had Elizabeth and Clarke pull that same thing! I contacted them 3 (THREE!) times about cancelling and never heard back. I figured my card had expired so it would be ok. Turns out they charged my card anyway. I sent them a nasty email about it and never heard back but I did notice the charge never came through. I don't know if they reversed it or my credit card blocked it.

My card also expired for this quarters Yuzen box (which I have also TRIED to cancel and never heard back). They sent me an email that they couldn't charge my card because it was expired so that one took care of itself.