The Missus and I each have a cell phone through Alltel. The phones are on the same account. They are billed together. We share minutes.
Several weeks ago Alltel notified us that the debit card that was automatically billed each month was about to expire. Alltel told us about this via e-mail and snail mail. When I didn't update the information right away, they also started to call. They never did call me, but they called The Missus repeatedly. They left voice mail after voice mail. They liked to call at times when The Missus couldn't answer the phone.
One month before the card was actually scheduled to expire, I got off my duff and updated the card information. All should have been well, right? Not quite. The Missus continued to receive calls and voice messages from Alltel. Finally after several days of this, she answered the phone. The conversation went a little like this:
The Missus: Would you please stop calling me! My husband already updated our payment information.
Alltel: We need you to confirm the new payment information.
TM: Confirm it? My husband did it online. He double-checked it. The information is all correct.
A: Right, but we need you to confirm the new information.
TM: Uhh, why?
A: Because you may not have authorized the change.
TM: So even though my husband and I share an account; and even though both our names are on the card being used to pay for the account; and even though I can't imagine a reason why a customer wouldn't want to let somebody else continue to pay their cell phone bill; I still have to confirm that it's ok for this new card to pay for the account?
A: Yes.
TM: Uhh ... OK.
A: Thank you. Have a nice day!
Can anybody explain that to me? Why would every person on an account have to confirm that it's ok for a new debit card to pay for that account? If Robbie one day joins our account, will he have to say "OK", too? Color me confused.
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You would not be the first (not that you would be) spouse to authorize a charge on a card in the name of another spouse. My wife and I each have a debit card through WF, and this happens to us sometimes with merchants as well. I work with a girl whose husband has lousy credit. Despite not having his name on some things he knows some of the credit card and debit numbers and still charges stuff. They have a joint bank acct. tied to a Heloc and about 8 months ago there suddenly was a 4000 dollar computer. She called the seller and they said since both names were on the acct. that there was nothing they could do. Other merchants handle it the way Alltel does, by verifying the information of both people. There are lots of spouses and BF/GF out there that have each other on their accounts to their detriment.
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