Electronics

[depglass]

A friend and I are coincidentally having the same problem with different banks.  We both wish to drop our DirecTV service and we can't get it cancelled.  Well, I did, by installing DISH instead.  But Direct is stonewalling both of us. Direct hasn't even sent the box via Fed Ex to take the receiver box back.  My bank says they will watch the account and dispute an autopay if they take out the next payment.  Isn't there a simple way to just cancel the ongoing payment in the first place? 

[haddon9]

I would think that since it's YOUR bank account the bank would honor your wishes...for a fee of course.  I would threaten to close the account (problem solved) if they don't drop the auto payment.

[KingstonsMom]

Like @haddon9, I would think that your bank could stop the automatic payment from your account, upon your request.

[Zhills]

When I dropped DirecTV, I only had to mail in the card in the receiver, did not return the receiver.

If the auto-pay is initiated by DirecTV, I believe they will have to stop it.  It is taken out of the bank by DirecTV instead of the bank sending payment at your request.

For this reason, I will not use it.  I use bill pay service and let them send me an invoice by email and I create the payment. 

Good luck.  Hope you get it resolved with DirecTV.

[OKPrincess]

That’s an excellent question. We have everything automatically taken out too and never had to cancel. The only change I can think of is when we changed from State Farm to Farmers and Farmers handled everything for us and State even sent us a refund. 

The bank maybe waits for official notification from the Company to be sure the cancellation is legit.

[dex]

I found that the best way to control what goes on is to use a credit card and never give account access.You can call the credit card company and then remove the charges and investigate or cancel the card.The bank doesn't seem to want to get involved.I would call direct tv and tell them you are reporting them to all government agencies that you can think of and also that you are calling the police to report fraud.That is what I had to do with a phone company that wouldn't let me cancel.They finally got the message and refunded the extra payments.

[software]

I know so many people who are crazy for auto payment but not me.

Too hard to stop.

[Oostende]

I don't think it is so easy.  From the bank's point of view, you have given a debtor access to your account.  Now it is between you and that debtor to arrange for the payments to stop.  

I don't believe the bank has the authority to just deny the funds that you formally agreed to.  You can imagine the mixups if they just declined to pay an automatic payment.    

I think it is a problem for you and the debtor to solve.  You gave them access to your account and now it is up to you to get them to stop debiting that account.

I know that's how it works at my financial institution.  I hope that helps.  

[depglass]

I'm afraid you guys are right and its buried in the fine print somewhere.  DirecTV has complete gone downhill since AT& T bought them.  I've used autopay for 10 years or more and have never had a problem.  Its keeps your credit top-flight and saves postage, much less the tedium of writing checks.  I will have to investigate initiating payments myself.  I trust my bank branch to take care of me. 

[2blonde]

The only payments I have set up on auto-pay from my bank account are my essentials that I know I have to pay and will not need to stop:  mortgage, car payment, electric, water, and sewer.  I have AT&T U-verse for my TV, phone, and internet, but I make them send me a paper bill every month, and then I initiate payment.  My gym membership is set up to come out of my credit card, which I can dispute, if it ever came to that (it's only $20/mo).  I just don't trust any of these companies.