OT Paying bills online

[Terry]

Why do utility companies make you log on to view your bill?

An email is secure enough for me. We are talking about a utility
bill, not a CIA document.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Pretty much true for most online bills, isn't it? And - emails are not the
same thing.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Terry" <[email protected]>

| Why do utility companies make you log on to view your bill?
|
| An email is secure enough for me. We are talking about a utility
| bill, not a CIA document.

Tell them you don't have Internet connectivity and you require a postal mail bill of service
to be sent to you.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Well yeah. I use online banking, but have paper bills sent here. I
think it's a good combination of both.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Email can be spoofed. Some phishing emails are very cleverly done.

 

[Phisherman]

Why do utility companies make you log on to view your bill?

My utility companies send me an email showing the amount due. I then
login to my local bank website and send an electronic check to the
utility company. No need to login to the utility account. No need to
allow the utility company to withdraw funds from your bank account (I
hate that!). Companies have been known to be careless about data
security and losing off-site backups.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My utility companies send me an email showing the amount due. I then
login to my local bank website and send an electronic check to the
utility company. No need to login to the utility account. No need to
allow the utility company to withdraw funds from your bank account (I
hate that!).

Although I too don't allow payments to be automatically withdrawn from
my bank account, I *do* allow automatic charges to a credit card
account. I think it's much easier to dispute credit card charges if
necessary.

To me, the advantage of such automatic payments is when you're
traveling. I prepay a single account before I leave, and don't have to
remember to prepay many accounts.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Although I too don't allow payments to be automatically withdrawn from
my bank account, I *do* allow automatic charges to a credit card
account. I think it's much easier to dispute credit card charges if
necessary.

To me, the advantage of such automatic payments is when you're
traveling. I prepay a single account before I leave, and don't have to
remember to prepay many accounts.

My apologies to all for replying to this off-topic thread. I didn't
realize where it was posted and how off-topic it therefore was.

 

[PD43]

My apologies to all for replying to this off-topic thread. I didn't
realize where it was posted and how off-topic it therefore was.

Just in time too! I was about to give you 40 lashes with a wet noodle
<g>

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Just in time too! I was about to give you 40 lashes with a wet noodle
<g>

LOL! Which I deserved!

 

[Bob I]

Read up why.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=data+privacy+utility+billing

 

[M.I.5¾]

Although I too don't allow payments to be automatically withdrawn from
my bank account, I *do* allow automatic charges to a credit card
account. I think it's much easier to dispute credit card charges if
necessary.

You have obviously never tried. Automatic charges to a credit card do not
have anything equivalent to the direct debit guarantee. Whereas you are
entitled to have anything recredited to a debit card that does not meet the
terms of the direct debit mandate (even if the bank cannot itself recover
the funds), no such entitlement exists for credit card charges.

 

[PD43]

You have obviously never tried. Automatic charges to a credit card do not
have anything equivalent to the direct debit guarantee. Whereas you are
entitled to have anything recredited to a debit card that does not meet the
terms of the direct debit mandate (even if the bank cannot itself recover
the funds), no such entitlement exists for credit card charges.

Credit card charges are simple to dispute in the USA.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Credit card charges are simple to dispute in the USA.

Credit card charges are simple to dispute anywhere, but actually getting the
money credited back is not so easy if the card issuer doesn't want to do it.

 

[PD43]

Credit card charges are simple to dispute anywhere, but actually getting the
money credited back is not so easy if the card issuer doesn't want to do it.

Here the proof that it was a legitimate charge rests on the business
that accepted the card, not on the holder of the car. Dispute the
charge, and it's automatically charged back to the business until that
proof is established.