FAQs

This section gives you all the information you need to know Automatic Bill Payment. Finally, there's an easy way to pay your monthly bills.
Question What is Automatic Bill Payment?
Answer Automatic Bill Payment is an arrangement where you can pre-authorise a merchant to automatically charge your regular bills to your MasterCard on a regular basis. Payments may be made monthly, weekly, quarterly, etc., depending on what you and the merchant agree upon. The pre-authorised payment can be a fixed dollar amount, or it can fluctuate like your phone bill, depending on the terms of the agreement. And, you can stop automatic payments at any time or use this payment method indefinitely.
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Question What are the benefits of Automatic Bill Payment?
Answer Because bills are automatically charged to your MasterCard, it's much faster than writing cheques. Charges will appear on your monthly MasterCard statement, so it's an easy and efficient way to keep track of your expenses. And because it's automatic, you won't have to worry about missed payments or late fees. Plus, depending upon the MasterCard you elect to use, you may be able to earn rewards, such as frequent flyer points and other rewards programs.
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Question Which cards can I use?
Answer You can use any MasterCard card.
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Question What information will the merchant request?
Answer Generally, the merchant will need your account number from the front of your MasterCard. They will also need the expiry date, the dollar amount they are authorised to automatically charge, and the specific date you wish to be charged each month. Note: Not every merchant will allow you to choose this date, but many will. Some merchants may require additional information, such as your signature.
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Question Who is my card issuer?
Answer The bank or financial institution who issued your MasterCard. Usually, you can look at your MasterCard card to determine the issuer. If you have trouble identifying the issuer, there should be a customer service phone number listed on the card as well.
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Question What if I pay my MasterCard bill late?
Answer Your automatic payment to your merchant should still be made, even if you pay your MasterCard bill late. However, you will need to refer to your cardholder agreement with the issuer of your MasterCard to determine how your issuer will handle new charges if you are overdue in your payments.
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Question How often can I make payments, and when do bills get paid?
Answer Each merchant has its own procedure for Automatic Bill Payment. You will need to clarify these procedures with the merchant when you initiate your Automatic Bill Payment relationship.
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Question What if I want to stop an Automatic Bill Payment?
Answer Just contact the merchant with whom you've set up the Automatic Bill Payment, and then simply follow their procedures to cancel or change the method of payment.
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Question Will I receive a bill for my records after I have been charged?
Answer Yes, most companies continue to mail a bill indicating the total amount they will charge to your MasterCard. However, some merchants may allow you to elect to receive an online bill - via the Internet - or no bill at all. At the time you initiate an Automatic Bill Payment relationship, you should determine how the merchant will bill you. Also, your MasterCard monthly statement will provide you with a convenient, thorough record of charges to your MasterCard account.
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Question Is there a limit to the number of Automatic Bill Payments I can have on a card?
Answer No, but you may be limited in making overall charges to your MasterCard account if doing so would cause you to exceed your credit limit.
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Question Are there any payments that are prohibited from being paid electronically?
Answer Some companies and government agencies may not accept automatic payments.
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