what's up with T-mobile removing autopay discount for credit cards?

Adding my respectful feedback to this discussion:

I actually quite enjoy being a T-Mobile customer. They have been providing a service for me, at a reasonable cost, for years now. I am happy with the coverage.

I am here today to express my disagreement with the choice to require debit or bank account for autopay. Many millions of credit card customers get an awesome benefit on their credit cards called "Cell Phone Protection". I have two credit cards that offer this. Essentially the benefit is: If you pay your monthly phone bill on that credit card, the credit card company offers you a protection plan on your phone (if it breaks). I have used this on an old iPhone 6S when it broke and I was cut a check for repair, it was great! No need to purchase AppleCare.

I want to continue to take advantage of this benefit for peace of mind when using my iPhone, but now T-Mobile changes their policy to cut the $5 plan discount if we don’t get off credit cards.

Additionally, one of my credit cards requires me to make 5 purchases per month in order to receive full points - setting up autopay for my phone bill here at T-Mobile for that card was a no-brainer, but now I have to remove this monthly purchase?

Extremely disappointed and hope someone reads our feedback and reverses course.

empathy wrote:

BeenThere wrote:

 

 

A great time to remind people that they can file a complaint with the FCC and contact their local politicians.

 

-->>And also (or more applicable) is the FTC.  People!! Please go now and file with the FTC.  It takes 5-10 min.  The FTC uses reports to investigate and bring cases against fraud, scams, and bad business practices.

I just did!!  If they get enough complaints, maybe T-Mobile will switch back, make the fee reasonable, and/or be responsible for when people get hacked.

FTC complaint on T-Mobile's "bad business practices" needs to gain momentum.  Others need to file!!

FTC file here: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/assistant 

then file with your state attorney general:https://www.consumerresources.org/file-a-complaint/

Is this happening to new customers and clients who switch to new plans?

whyTeeMobile wrote:

shame on you Tmobile! for stealing so much money back.  Nobody should use their debit card or bank account b/c TMobile has been hacked many times and sued for $500 million class action.

 

 

Jan 2023: 37 million accounts hacked.  https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/another-data-breach-has-hit-t-mobile-impacting-37-million-accounts/

Feb/Mar 2023: T-Mobile Announces Another Data Breach. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/t-mobile-announces-another-data-breach/

Aug 2021: breach that affected over 54 million people with social security numbers etc. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/t-mobile-data-breach-2021-heres-what-it-means-for-securing-your-data/

July 2022: T-Mobile Agrees to $500M Settlement in Massive Data Breach that affected >76 million people.  https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/t-mobile-agrees-to-500m-settlement-in-massive-data-breach/

 

T-MOBILE!!!  This is the whole reason we need to use credit cards!!  To protect consumers from you getting hacked.  And, credit cards companies charge maybe 3%!!!  You are trying to claw back and charge consumers closer to 15-20%!!!  You could charge maybe $5 total per bill but not $5/per line!!!  

AND this should ONLY be for new accounts!! not longstanding accounts that have been with you for years.  Those accounts should be grandfathered in!!!

 

Customers:  DO NOT give TMobile your debit card or bank account.  Eventually it will be compromised and thieves could empty your bank account.

 

Call them and band together!!!  

 

 

I agree although I'm already in the process of changing carriers. There are better deals out there. It is disingenuous and a money grab. See my posts with current Credit Card rates and the potential 100+ billion in extra revenue using my plan as basis. Deception of the increase rather than charging us for the CCrd fees and no concern of customer security by giving banking info in light of T-Mobile breaches. It's a German Company not a U.S. company, so why care.

shame on you Tmobile! for stealing so much money back.  Nobody should use their debit card or bank account b/c TMobile has been hacked many times and sued for $500 million class action.

Jan 2023: 37 million accounts hacked.  https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/another-data-breach-has-hit-t-mobile-impacting-37-million-accounts/

Feb/Mar 2023: T-Mobile Announces Another Data Breach. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/t-mobile-announces-another-data-breach/

Aug 2021: breach that affected over 54 million people with social security numbers etc. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/t-mobile-data-breach-2021-heres-what-it-means-for-securing-your-data/

July 2022: T-Mobile Agrees to $500M Settlement in Massive Data Breach that affected >76 million people.  https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/t-mobile-agrees-to-500m-settlement-in-massive-data-breach/

T-MOBILE!!!  This is the whole reason we need to use credit cards!!  To protect consumers from you getting hacked.  And, credit cards companies charge maybe 3%!!!  You are trying to claw back and charge consumers closer to 15-20%!!!  You could charge maybe $5 total per bill but not $5/per line!!!  

AND this should ONLY be for new accounts!! not longstanding accounts that have been with you for years.  Those accounts should be grandfathered in!!!

Customers:  DO NOT give TMobile your debit card or bank account.  Eventually it will be compromised and thieves could empty your bank account.

Call them and band together!!!  

This is bull. We have all our monthly bills set up on 1 credit card to be paid every month with no late fees and now T-Mobile is doing this? I just bought a new iPhone and new plan and now they do this?! I will not be able to keep this plan or phone if they switch payment to a debit card or bank account!!!!! We switched to a credit card for assurance that all bills would be paid every month and paid off at the end of the month not having to worry about switching money to bank accounts and not having enough to pay your bills therefore getting charged late fees and getting disconnection notices. If this is the case I'll just go to buying minutes for my phone per month instead of being on a 2 year plan. I just received this notification today . Is this true or a scam? 

jlfliberty wrote:

syaoran wrote:

That was announced months ago.  It is because credit card companies charge a service charge that is based on the percentage of every transaction, which eats into T-Mobile's revenue.  Removing the auto pay discount for credit cards negates that.  

magenta2738723 wrote:

A question for T-Mobile: Does T-Mobile consider the Bluebird Debit card an eligible payment method for the Autopay discount?

sweetwillyd wrote:

This is simply a money grab plain and simple, I calculated the (maximum current) credit card fees on my monthly payment of $147.11. The (Maximum) T-Mobile could be charged on my Master Card is ($6.98). I have been with T-Mobil for 20 years and I'm switching. I refuse to give them my bank account information and think them very arrogant to think us all so foolish as to do so. The lack of integrity of simply adding the Credit Card fees to the transaction and thinking us foolish enough to think it's anywhere near their increase, insults my intelligence and that of any intelligent person.  Keep in mind my calculations are based on maximum fees which I can assure you, T-Mobile does not pay near the maximum, they are too big a customer.

money grab…. 

I'm really disappointed with TMobile's decision to force us using debit for auto pay! I believe this may be connected with their T-Mobile money, wallet or whatever it's called to push more people to use their service!

gramps28 wrote:

KP1123PHOENIX wrote:

classaction02 wrote:

Are there ay lawyers out there? I don' think it is legal to change the rules after you already made an agreement. What about a Class action law suite ??? I have been using my CC since I started with T-mobile in 2022 Feb. Now I will lose my discount. I chatted with them and was told that it is because people will pay with CC, get the discount, then revers the charge, REally? I don't think that is the case. How can they really expect someone to be forced to use a personal checking account or debit card to receive the discount. I can choose to use my CC but at a cost now of 20.00 a month, this is basically a charge to protect my checking account from being hacked. 

let me know if you find one for a class action suit I am ready to sign

Unfortunately in Tmobile's terms and conditions they can change it. Autopay discount is a perk not part of the plan cost.

me too… this is ridiculous

My problem is this: I use a credit card to pay my cellphone/internet bill because the credit card company gives me an excellent cell phone insurance plan for all devices with very low deductible, theft and damage protection.

T-Mobile now forcing me to pay with a method that removes my phones insurance plan (T-Mobile insurance option is ridiculously expensive with very high deductibles) 

It bothers me tremendously that it would cost me $360 a year discount (autopay) to continue with the credit card.  T-Mobile doesn't want to pay 2% - 3% fees to credit card companies, (costs of doing business) so go ahead and back out of an agreement (T-Mobile and customer agreement) I signed up for. Lame. Outsourced customer service to countries which are not English speaking personnel to save money as well. So tired of the customer suffers all for profit margins and wealthy share holders.  Once again, "we offer you mediocre, substandard services, albeit overpriced (it's the best we can do) so just shut up and pay your bill already….."