Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > Travel Technology
Reload this Page >

T-Mobile Ending Autopay Discount for Credit Cards

T-Mobile Ending Autopay Discount for Credit Cards

Old Sep 18, 23, 2:18 pm
  #91  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike...
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 34,659
Is there sme magic in the $10? I was thinking of charging all of my bill except a few dollars to my Chase 5x Ink and just letting autopay take care of the rest. I'm guessing the $10 is for Amex insurance to kick in, right?
Xyzzy is offline  
Old Sep 18, 23, 2:35 pm
  #92  
Community Director Emerita
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,412
Originally Posted by Xyzzy
Is there sme magic in the $10? I was thinking of charging all of my bill except a few dollars to my Chase 5x Ink and just letting autopay take care of the rest. I'm guessing the $10 is for Amex insurance to kick in, right?
AMEX Biz Plat card gives $10 rebates on mobile phone service monthly.
Xyzzy, lsquare and Visconti like this.
SanDiego1K is offline  
Old Sep 19, 23, 7:41 am
  #93  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 550
FYI, there are a couple of caveats to this strategy that have been discussed with testimonials on Reddit when the Autopay issue was fresh.

In the recent past, Verizon switched to debit for autopay discount on consumer accounts. It was discovered that the credit card payoff with debit on file retained the discount. Verizon apparently noticed this, and adjusted their billing system so the loophole was closed. Apparently now, only PAYMENT by debit receives their discount. The second issue is that the fine print in many credit card cellular "Insurance" perks is, the ENTIRE bill must be paid with the credit card. So the strategy of making a minimal debit payment may violate those terms as described. How they would deal with it is anyones guess.
lsquare likes this.
draver is offline  
Old Sep 19, 23, 8:09 am
  #94  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: DFW
Posts: 30
Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
This is my process. My bill is due roughly the 10th of the month. I have AMEX biz with a $10 credit as does my husband. After the 1st of the month, I pay $10 with each of those cards. I then pay the balance with my credit card that gives me the maximum bonus

I just checked my bill before writing this. I have my account set up for autopay with my checking account. I continue to get my $15 autopay (3 lines) even though nothing came from my checking account.
Thanks for the data point. I will give this process a try.
ducescoop is offline  
Old Sep 19, 23, 8:13 am
  #95  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike...
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 34,659
Originally Posted by draver
Apparently now, only PAYMENT by debit receives their discount.
What exactly des this mean -- payment in full?
Xyzzy is offline  
Old Sep 19, 23, 9:28 am
  #96  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 550
Originally Posted by Xyzzy
What exactly des this mean -- payment in full?
That is what users reported occurred after having debit as the default payment method. Apparently for a few months CC payments made early with debit card on file was gaining the debit payment discount. Then VZ adjusted their system, and that strategy was deemed non compliant for discount.

T-Mobile has a peculiarity in their billing system I have noticed that might be a work around however. A credit on your account seems to be accepted as a debit payment. I have had several credits on my account while the debit only discount has been in effect. I also discovered that I can make a CC payment to my account regardless if a payment is due. ($0 Balance) I have made a $10 CC payment when nothing was due on the account and it remained until there was an actual bill pending. Paying the remaining balance with debit on file still qualified for the entire $40 Autopay discount. I highly suspect I could prepay my bill via CC prior to there actually being any amount due, and then have my account credit used for the monthly payment. I realize I have too much spare time.
draver is offline  
Old Sep 28, 23, 3:26 am
  #97  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
Originally Posted by draver
FYI, there are a couple of caveats to this strategy that have been discussed with testimonials on Reddit when the Autopay issue was fresh.

In the recent past, Verizon switched to debit for autopay discount on consumer accounts. It was discovered that the credit card payoff with debit on file retained the discount. Verizon apparently noticed this, and adjusted their billing system so the loophole was closed. Apparently now, only PAYMENT by debit receives their discount. The second issue is that the fine print in many credit card cellular "Insurance" perks is, the ENTIRE bill must be paid with the credit card. So the strategy of making a minimal debit payment may violate those terms as described. How they would deal with it is anyones guess.
Does any credit card cell phone insurance coverage apply to prepaid cell phone plans if using the credit card to pre-pay a fixed amount per month? Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by DenverBrian
I'm taking the $5 hit because my company reimburses my cell phone. Kind of a nickel-and-dime move by T-Mobile. If I were to lose my company reimbursement, I suppose I'd just move to Mint.
The end of the autopay discount got me to re-evaluate how I deal with the cost of service, and now I’m down to the $3/month prepaid T-Mobile plan as my main personal cell phone plan. And with the migration to eSIMs and cheap data-only eSIM plans to fill in the gaps, it’s not bad given what else is accessible for my communications.
lsquare likes this.
GUWonder is offline  
Old Nov 7, 23, 3:08 pm
  #98  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 6,628
Originally Posted by draver
That is what users reported occurred after having debit as the default payment method. Apparently for a few months CC payments made early with debit card on file was gaining the debit payment discount. Then VZ adjusted their system, and that strategy was deemed non compliant for discount.

T-Mobile has a peculiarity in their billing system I have noticed that might be a work around however. A credit on your account seems to be accepted as a debit payment. I have had several credits on my account while the debit only discount has been in effect. I also discovered that I can make a CC payment to my account regardless if a payment is due. ($0 Balance) I have made a $10 CC payment when nothing was due on the account and it remained until there was an actual bill pending. Paying the remaining balance with debit on file still qualified for the entire $40 Autopay discount. I highly suspect I could prepay my bill via CC prior to there actually being any amount due, and then have my account credit used for the monthly payment. I realize I have too much spare time.
So, given we are many months into this situation are there any data points either confirming or dening if having a debit card on file as the AutoPay method, then making a credit card payment for some portion of the balance will still result in receiving the AutoPay discount?

Would assume someone has attempted this by now...

Regards
scubadu is offline  
Old Nov 7, 23, 3:26 pm
  #99  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike...
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 34,659
FWIW, I thought I updated my account to a debit card. It seems that I had not. I've gotten numerous messages from T-Mobile in the last few days imploring me to update my account lest I lse my $40/month discount. The deadline they were pushing was December 7.
Xyzzy is offline  
Old Nov 8, 23, 11:55 am
  #100  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: DFW
Posts: 30
Originally Posted by scubadu
So, given we are many months into this situation are there any data points either confirming or dening if having a debit card on file as the AutoPay method, then making a credit card payment for some portion of the balance will still result in receiving the AutoPay discount?

Would assume someone has attempted this by now...

Regards
I paid the bill with a credit card and left $1 for AutoPay on debit. It worked to keep the AutoPay discount this past month.
LIH Prem likes this.
ducescoop is offline  
Old Nov 8, 23, 12:46 pm
  #101  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 6,628
Originally Posted by ducescoop
I paid the bill with a credit card and left $1 for AutoPay on debit. It worked to keep the AutoPay discount this past month.
Thanks for sharing that data point. Will be interesting to see if they "fix" this going forward or not...

Regards
scubadu is offline  
Old Nov 8, 23, 1:01 pm
  #102  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 41,548
Originally Posted by scubadu
So, given we are many months into this situation are there any data points either confirming or dening if having a debit card on file as the AutoPay method, then making a credit card payment for some portion of the balance will still result in receiving the AutoPay discount?

Would assume someone has attempted this by now...

Regards
I have two months of data points thanks to the advice in this thread - I pay $10 using my Amex Plat card (which is then refunded by Amex), then I use my stored bank account to debit the remaining balance, along with the $10 autopay credit, so that shaves $20 per month off the total bill.
bocastephen is offline  
Old Nov 8, 23, 5:38 pm
  #103  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,777
I finally got my notice. My deadline is December's payment. And I thought they forgot about me....
Need is offline  
Old Nov 8, 23, 11:18 pm
  #104  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike...
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 34,659
Originally Posted by scubadu
Thanks for sharing that data point. Will be interesting to see if they "fix" this going forward or not...
Originally Posted by Need
I finally got my notice. My deadline is December's payment. And I thought they forgot about me....
As noted above, I finally got my notice too. I think they haven't really turned this change on just yet but it will probably hit in December. So, we will likely have to wait to determine whether the "fix" of pre-paying with a crredit card and letting them charge the remaining amount whatever that is really wrks.
Xyzzy is offline  
Old Nov 9, 23, 3:45 am
  #105  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 550
It had been turned on for my account for my August billing. I had switched the pmt. To a Wells Fargo card, but apparently that card “Goes Both Ways” and was processed as credit, not debit. I lost my $40 discount, but was given an equivalent credit by Customer Support. I currently use an unusual CC workaround, that has been successful for the past 2 bills. I prefer not to burn this method down by publishing it on the web, but I will gladly share it with FT members via member message for those who might be interested.
Xyzzy likes this.
draver is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.