Wireless Provider Gripe

[mr__ed]

I received a notification from T-Mobile that in order to receive my discount for auto pay I would need to give them either my debit card or banking account number in order to continue getting the discount.

I will never give any business my debit card or banking info!. The discount is only a paltry $5/month. I understand why they're doing this; they save the fee that it costs them for using a credit card.

I kick myself for leaving Verizon,which I used for years. I was having a minor problem with them which I could easily have lived with. Anyhow, at least I have no problem with the T-Mobile product. I just don't like how some of theses businesses engage in business.

Rant over!:M

[StonedPanther]

magicbus wrote:

But you miss the Limit of Liability issue. A CC is limited to $50 and 99.9% of the time $0. Stolen debit card info will empty your linked bank account and you have to fight to get the funds returned.

I had funds removed fraudulently from one of my accounts to tune of $2500.00 which was linked to a debit card. All it took was a call to the bank and in about 6 hours the funds were restored. I think it was done by a Nigerian Prince. I didn't have to fight anyone. A bank account can be accessed and drained fraudulently even when not linked to a debit card at all. The sky is falling. Get cash and stuff it in your mattress or stuff it in some jelly jars then bury them out in the yard. That's as safe as it gets LOL.

magicbus wrote:
with this new check washing issue,

Check washing is nothing new, its been going on since there have been checks.

[WNYBob]

T-Mobile has a bank card account called T-Mobile Money.
I use that card number for autopay. By the way they pay 4% on the first $3,000 on deposit.

[mr__ed]

schlep1967 wrote:
I would find the proper number for T-mobile and call them. Odds are if you got the notice through email to change to a debit card, it is a scam. I've not heard others using T-mobile mentioning this change so I would be leary.

I had the same thought, so I called T-Mobile to verify it was them who sent the message. Yes, it was them.

For those who questioned my having a debit card: the only reason was if I wanted cash back when shopping. I've done that several times without incident. I rarely do that now since I mainly use a credit card for all purchases. Saves me a trip to the bank or ATM.

[magicbus]

Lantley wrote:

But E-pay still puts your info out there which is my point.
Either you trust the electronic banking world or you don't. There is really no escaping it unless you pay all bills and all matters with cash. THere is only one banking system it's all tied together.
Sooner or later you have to pay the bill. Unless you pay in cash you participate in some form of the system.
If T-Mobile is offering you $60.00 in savings a year why not take it?
They would rather give you a discount vs. paying credit card fees to the bank.
No matter how you slice it at some point you are exposing your banking info, which will always have an inherent risk. Fraud, identity theft and deception are not a new phenomenon's. They have been around long before electronic banking and debit cards.

But you miss the Limit of Liability issue. A CC is limited to $50 and 99.9% of the time $0. Stolen debit card info will empty your linked bank account and you have to fight to get the funds returned. I spent the past 10 years designing and writing electronic banking software and, with this new check washing issue, I think it is much safer for retail banking. Not as safe as international commercial funds transfer because of so many customer-facing interfaces, but safer than checks.

[jcpainter]

schlep1967 wrote:
I would find the proper number for T-mobile and call them. Odds are if you got the notice through email to change to a debit card, it is a scam. I've not heard others using T-mobile mentioning this change so I would be leary.

Here's the "skinny". The change is real.

[schlep1967]

I would find the proper number for T-mobile and call them. Odds are if you got the notice through email to change to a debit card, it is a scam. I've not heard others using T-mobile mentioning this change so I would be leary.

[Lantley]

magicbus wrote:

Lantley wrote:
I thinks it sort of naïve to think you can somehow shield your info by not using a debit card. How do you pay the credit card that T mobile now uses? With a check?
When you write a check you put all your info out there. Are you fearful of writing a check? In the end its no different in terms of others having access to your info.

I pay with an e-payment via online banking. Regarding checks, go read up on check washing. There really is no reason to use paper checks anymore. And, if your debit card is compromised your bank account gets emptied. With a CC you just reject the charge.

No reason whatsoever to have a debit card.

Dave

But E-pay still puts your info out there which is my point.
Either you trust the electronic banking world or you don't. There is really no escaping it unless you pay all bills and all matters with cash. THere is only one banking system it's all tied together.
Sooner or later you have to pay the bill. Unless you pay in cash you participate in some form of the system.
If T-Mobile is offering you $60.00 in savings a year why not take it?
They would rather give you a discount vs. paying credit card fees to the bank.
No matter how you slice it at some point you are exposing your banking info, which will always have an inherent risk. Fraud, identity theft and deception are not a new phenomenon's. They have been around long before electronic banking and debit cards.

[magicbus]

Lantley wrote:
I thinks it sort of naïve to think you can somehow shield your info by not using a debit card. How do you pay the credit card that T mobile now uses? With a check?
When you write a check you put all your info out there. Are you fearful of writing a check? In the end its no different in terms of others having access to your info.

I pay with an e-payment via online banking. Regarding checks, go read up on check washing. There really is no reason to use paper checks anymore. And, if your debit card is compromised your bank account gets emptied. With a CC you just reject the charge.

No reason whatsoever to have a debit card.

Dave

[Lantley]

I thinks it sort of naïve to think you can somehow shield your info by not using a debit card. How do you pay the credit card that T mobile now uses? With a check?
When you write a check you put all your info out there. Are you fearful of writing a check? In the end its no different in terms of others having access to your info.

[RetiredRealtorR]

I agree with magicbus --- I've never had a debit card, and never will. Why should I?

[wildtoad]

If I read it right, the op is already on Autopay or is ok with using a credit card. The complaint is they now what access to a bank account or a debit card associated to a bank account. A dedicated bank account for paying t-mobile and other services is a good one. Limits exposure. I’d give the the bank account number instead of a debit card.

[magicbus]

Personally I would never even have a debit card, too dangerous. But in your case why not open a no fee credit card and give them that number? You may find it makes your life easier by having other monthly bills put on autopsy too. It takes the same amount of self-control to pay the one credit card monthly bill as it takes to pay multiple regular bills.

Dave

[StonedPanther]

Rant away, but every time you swipe or jam your debit card in the slot anywhere you're giving that same info to a whole gaggle of businesses.

[rk911]

Why not open a second acct, fund it with, say, a year's worth of T-Mobile payments and give them that debit card numbe?