When subscribing to services or products that require a
monthly payment, it can sometimes be a hassle to keep contacting the service
provider each month to make your payment.
If you are like many individuals, you will opt to have the
payments automatically deducted from your banking account.
While this automatic debit option may seem momentarily
convenient, in the long term it can be risky.
Even if you are no longer receiving the products and
services, some companies will continue to debit your account.
If you have decided that you no longer want the automatic
debits from your bank account to be made, there are easy resolutions to
stopping the payments.
Call the customer service telephone number of the company that is making the
automatic debits from your bank account.
If you don't have a telephone number for the company, visit
the company's website and look for the "Contact Us" link.
Most legitimate companies will have contact information on
their site.
Select the option to speak with a billing or sales representative.
Advise the company representative that you no longer want
the automatic debits to come out of your bank account.
Be sure to get the representative's name and a confirmation
number just in case you later need proof that you did call in and make the
cancellation request.
By Mail
Write a cancellation letter to the company stating your
desire to stop the automatic debits.
Be sure to include your account number on the letter as well
as your signature and the date the letter was written.
Make a copy of the signed letter for your own records.
Mail the cancellation request letter to the
company that is deducting the automatic payments from your bank account.
If you don't have the mailing address, you can
visit the company's website or contact customer service to get it.
Note that some companies require that your
request be submitted within a certain amount of days before the next billing
cycle.
Through Card Issuer
Contact your bank or the financial institution that provided
you with the debit card if you notice that the automatic debits have not
stopped.
Ask the bank representative to place a block on your account
or debit card so that the automatic debits are stopped.
There may or may not be a fee assessed by your bank to
initiate the block.
Request that your banking institution completely cancel your
debit card if the option to place a block on the card is unavailable.
After your old card is cancelled, your bank will issue you a
new replacement card.
Ask for the bank
representative's name and a reference number for your own personal records.
Automated payments debited from your checking account or against your credit card can prove to be quite convenient. Automatic debits can be payments for loans, life insurance premiums, cable bills, Internet service and many other transactions. Sometimes you want these transactions stopped. If you decide to open a new checking account the automatic debits should be discontinued from the old bank account. The company responsible for the debits will need adequate notification to keep the debits from going through another month. Review your bank account statement or credit card statement to see which automatic debits are going through. You could have several automatic debit transactions deduction money from your bank account. Decide which ones you want to stop or cancel. Locate the contact information for that particular merchant. Call the merchant responsible for the automatic debit. The toll-free customer service phone number should be on the merchant's statement. Let the representative know you want the automatic debits stopped. The representative will stop the automatic debits per your request. Some companies need four or five days prior to the automatic debit. Without adequate notice the automatic debit may occur one more time. The following month you should not see the charge. Send a letter to the merchant. Sometimes it may be difficult to reach a merchant by phone; if this is the case, the website Credit Info Center recommends sending the merchant a certified letter with a return receipt. It will take a little longer to get your charges stopped by mail. Take a look at your bank statement. Make sure the automatic debits have been cancelled. If the charges continue, follow up with the merchant. Ask for a confirmation letter confirming the automatic debits have been cancelled.
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