Stop Automatic Debits Payments Credit Card Charging Billing Call Write

How to Stop Automatic Payments and Debits from your Credit Card

Last Updated: Aug 13, 2010

If you're having a hard time getting through to a company that is automatically charging your credit card because they won't answer their phone, here's what you can do to stop the charges.

First of all, read the contract. Some companies make it difficult for you to contact them (my sarcasm is chomping at the bit to ask the question "I wonder why"). In some cases, the only way per the contract is to cancel is to call some non-800 number and you get a 30 minute wait on hold. Scum. They may also stipulate that you can only stop the charges in writing, another great way to delay stopping the charges.

You could notify the billing company, in writing, that you want the service stopped. But it could take up to 2 weeks for them to get an rpocess your request to stop. Some billing cycles happen at odd times of the month; don't count on the fact that if they received it by the end of the month, the next month's payment won't go through. If you decided to send them a letter, send the letter by certified mail, return receipt requested so that you have proof that you sent it in case they fail to respond. Just the fact that you sent a certified letter should encourage compliance. Their mailing address should be on their invoice. If it isn't, or you can't find an invoice, look them up on the web.

You certainly can complain to your credit card company about the charge. Here is some information on how to do this. As the article link we just gave you points out, though, you must at least have attempted to contact the company and request the stop. Once you call the credit card company, follow this up with a letter to your credit card company (also certified) outlining that you have notified the billing company, in writing, of your desire to terminate the service. Include the name of the product or service being cancelled and the amount and frequency of the charge. Be sure to keep copies of both letters and the return receipts.

As a last resort, you could close your credit card account. This is definitely a hassle; you must wait for a new card to arrive in the mail, you risk the card being stolen. You may also have other automatic payments being made through this card. Note to self: be sure and keep a list of all the services being automatically charged to a card. If it's your debt account, you won't have to close your checking account, you could just say that the card was lost.

One of these methods will stop the charges. If your efforts to stop the charges were especially henious, please contact your states Attorney General's office. Most AG's offices have a consumer protection division and helping citizens who are being taken advantage of is one of the things they do best. Businesses do not like to be investigated by the Attorney General's office - who knows what might be uncovered - and will usually "do the right thing" after being contacted by them. Another feared agency is the Better Business Bureau - a threat to report to this agency sometimes works wonders.