I have always made multiple payments on my MP Visa each month due to the amount of the travel I do. Each week I send them electronic payments when I get my expense check. No major problem because I always have a payment post within 24 hours and my available credit is ready for my next trip.

Well that was before the software upgrade that took place about a week ago. I made a large (over 4k) payment on my card just this week. When I look at my statement on line, I noticed they got the payment but there is also a charge for the same amount pending. I called the call center and asked them why was a charge for the same amount of my payment posted as pending? They said it would stay there until the 23rd of Nov to make sure the money was deposited into my account. I told them my bank had already made the payment and it had cleared. MP Visa said yes it had but they had to make sure it didn't go back. I then said they had the money and they were assuming that the payment would be called back and this was the way they protected themselves with the new software? The supervisor said "I'm sorry but that is correct!"

Well I guess it's time to look for another card. I can't afford to make large payments to my account and then have the same amount placed on hold. It doesn't matter if it's a small or large payment now. There will be a hold placed on that payment for 7 days. I've never heard of any bank doing this type of action. No matter if it's electronic or in the mail. So much for electronic payments being better.

I can see now that instead of a large amount of credit available, now I'm close to the max. Well I guess the only way out of this is to ask them to up my credit line to a unheard of amount or get another card with a different company.

I share your frustration, but for this, there is a solution. Ask for a supervisor, and then ask the supervisor to do a 3-way call to your bank, and once the bank confirms that the money has been deducted, then BankOne will remove the hold (usually within a couple of hours). I've had to do this several times. They've promised to stop doing that eventually, but I'm still waiting.

Sorry to say I was talking to a supervisor and they stated the money was in my account from my bank but the new system made them wait the 7 days. Even if the money is there, they still place a hold on it for the time frame.

The old software didn't have this problem. When they installed the new software is when this problem started to come about. The new enhanced software is good for them but not so good for the customer.

Yeah, there new software s*cks:

- had a old MP Visa I wanted to convert to a no-annual fee card. Called up the middle of October, they said, "...they wouldn't be able to process these requests until the beginning of November..." (do they have to wait for a particular phase of the moon?). Called up earlier this month, "...still not available, maybe won't be ready until the end of the year."

- went to electronically pay new MP Visa (from same online account as my old cards), says, "If this is the first time you are paying a bill, you need to send in a paper check so they can confirm information." Forget the fact that the bank and acct numbers are EXACTLY the same as what I've been using. Do that, go to pay following month's bill, get the same notice. ...! Call up customer service, "Our verification system hasn't been updated yet, hopefully by next month it will be."

- go to login to my g/f's account to check on her charges (have card and access to her account), can't login. Call customer service, "Oh, we were doing a transfer of accounts, and some didn't take. Her's was one of them. You can either reenroll from scratch, or wait until Friday, when they should be reloaded."

I don't know if this is because of their merger with Chase (?), but definitely very frustrating.

Jeff

I made another payment on Monday and would you believe it posted within 24 Hours like the old times. I can see they have a new system that if it's a large payment, it will be held for 8 days before it is entered into the system and be available.

So the end to this story is make small payments, more often and they will not place a hold on them. Makes more work for both parties but it's sure nice not to have the money not be available and having them place the same authorization against the card.

I still don't like the way they do business so I'm looking for another card to switch to. Does anyone have a better card deal out there?