The greed continues

[jtludwig]

But those stations are almost always run by foreigners in seedier parts of town.

What does that have to do with anything?

[jarrodpd]

Just be aware that VZW started to do execute an Address Verification Service (AVS). This becomes a hassle if you now try to use a generic (Visa, MC, AmEx) pre-paid gift card.

VZW does a $1 charge to execute the AVS. This causes two problems.

• If you never registered your pre-paid gift card (most people don't), there is no address associated with the card, and therefore the AVS will always fail. OK, that could be prevented by calling the number on the back of the card, and ask to have the registered with your name and address.
• The $1 is deducted from your available balance. So, if you had a $50 card, you now have only $49 that can be charged. Yea, after a week (8 days for AmEx), that $1 is returned back to your balance, but the day you are attempting to make the charge, that $1 is not there.

In other words, if you have a $50 card and want to make a $50 payment, VZW attempt to charge $1 and $50. That's $51 and will fail for insufficient balance.

If VZW had its act together, they could break that $50 payment into $1 and $49, and allow the $1 to stand (not returned in a week).

Having a $50 bill from Verizon is unheard of!!!

[jarrodpd]

All cellular service providers are "mother carriers", if you ask me. VZW is the biggest mutha of them all, though.

It was a typo, I was typing on a 3inch screen. I meant another carrier.

[jarrodpd]

Are you implying that if I pay by credit card my bill is $1 more than if I didn't pay by credit card?

No what the person is saying for about a week you lose a dollar and then a week or so after you get it back. I think.

[CharlesH]

A few years ago the California DMV offered online credit card payments of registration fees, and charged a $4 (I think) "convenience fee". Their argument was that they were mandated by law to collect specified fees for specified services, and the merchant charges would reduce what they collected below the statutory amount. (Apparently the cost of clerks to handle checks received in the mail did not have the same effect ) . I guess noone was taking them up on their "offer" (a first class postage stamp is a lot less than $4), and they have since dropped the "convenience fee" on the online payments.

[Prius04]

It was a typo, I was typing on a 3inch screen. I meant another carrier.

I understand. JK, you know.

[jseah]

But those stations are almost always run by foreigners in seedier parts of town.

Not necessarily. The gas station near work that I go to is in North Bergen County, which is one of the wealthiest counties in New Jersey. It has one of the highest median incomes and some of the highest housing prices.

I wouldn't say that an area where the mall has stores like Louis Vitton, Hugo Boss and Gucci is a "seedier" area.

[Extraordinary]

A few years ago the California DMV offered online credit card payments of registration fees, and charged a $4 (I think) "convenience fee". Their argument was that they were mandated by law to collect specified fees for specified services, and the merchant charges would reduce what they collected below the statutory amount. (Apparently the cost of clerks to handle checks received in the mail did not have the same effect ) . I guess noone was taking them up on their "offer" (a first class postage stamp is a lot less than $4), and they have since dropped the "convenience fee" on the online payments.

They charge $1 for license plate renewal in WI for online credit card payments.

[mikeybaby81]

I have no problems with this fee. My water, gas , and electric doesn't accept credit cards.
I think ppl should not be using credit cards to pay their bills.

Anyways im using my credit card to auto pay my Verizon bill and have no fee issues.

This is hilarious.