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Forget about the reminders.
Learn how to pay bills automatically with MasterCard.
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What is Automatic Bill Payment? |
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Automatic Bill Payment is an arrangement where you can pre-authorize a
merchant to automatically charge your MasterCard®
card account on a regular basis. Payments may be made monthly, weekly,
quarterly, etc. — depending on what you and the merchant agree upon.
The pre-authorized 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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How do I set up Automatic Bill Payment? |
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Simply contact your current service provider and request automatic
payment with your MasterCard card. Please click here to discover which services accept
automatic bill payment on MasterCard. |
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What are the benefits of Automatic Bill Payment? |
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Because bills are automatically charged to your MasterCard card account, 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 card you elect to use, you may be able to earn rewards in MasterCard card usage frequency programs, such as frequent flyer and point programs. |
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Which cards can I use? |
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You can use any MasterCard card — as long as it has the MasterCard logo. |
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What information will the merchant request? |
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Generally, the merchant will need your account number from the front of your MasterCard card. They will also need the expiration date, the dollar amount they are authorized 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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Who is my card issuer? |
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The bank or financial institution issued your MasterCard card(s). Usually, you can look at your MasterCard card(s) to determine the issuer. If you have trouble identifying the issuer, there should be a customer service phone number listed on the card(s) as well.
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Do I have to pay an extra fee for Automatic Bill Payments? |
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Most merchants do not charge a fee, but you will have to contact each of them to determine if there are any fees or restrictions associated with participating in their automatic payment program. |
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What if I pay my MasterCard bill late? |
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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 your MasterCard card issuer to determine how your issuer will handle new charges if you are delinquent in your payments. |
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How often can I make payments, and when do bills get paid? |
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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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What if I want to stop an Automatic Bill Payment? |
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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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Will I receive a bill for my records after I have been charged? |
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Yes, most companies continue to mail a bill indicating the total amount they will charge to your MasterCard card. 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 card monthly statement will provide you with a convenient, thorough record of charges to your MasterCard card account. |
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Is there a limit to the number of Automatic Bill Payments I can have on a card? |
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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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Are there any payments that are prohibited from being paid electronically? |
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Some companies and government agencies may not accept automatic payments. |
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What are some examples of service providers that accept Automatic Bill Payment by MasterCard? |
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Telephone and cellular companies, cable providers, health clubs,
insurance companies, utilities, Internet service providers, home
security companies, etc.
Please click here to discover which services accept
automatic bill payment on MasterCard. |
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Do the companies/service providers I use accept MasterCard for Automatic Bill Payment? |
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You’ll need to check with each merchant that you’re interested in setting up an automatic payment plan with to determine whether they accept MasterCard as a form of automatic payment. |
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What if my merchant does not accept MasterCard as a form of Automatic Bill Payment? |
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MasterCard is accepted at more than 24 million locations worldwide.
Even so, not every merchant offers their customers the ease and
convenience of Automatic Bill Payment that’s available through
MasterCard. Because each company makes its own payment option
decisions, we encourage you to request that your merchant/service
provider consider offering this convenience to you.
In addition, you can let us know of the merchant that you’d like to
see accept MasterCard as a form of payment. Submit this information via
email to: new_market_acceptance@mastercard.com |
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Am I liable for any incorrect charges a merchant makes? |
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If there is an error in billing, simply contact the merchant to resolve the issue. You should also be familiar with any procedures required by your MasterCard card issuer concerning this type of situation. This will help you to easily dispute an incorrect charge and protect yourself under applicable federal law. |
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What if my MasterCard is new/changed or lost/stolen? |
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If your MasterCard card is lost or stolen, you should immediately report the problem to your card issuer. Upon receiving a new card, you must contact each merchant/service provider with whom you have an automatic bill payment relationship to update your information. Timely updating of your new information hopefully will preclude any interruption in your service. |
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Who is responsible if a payment arrives after its due date? |
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The merchant will charge your MasterCard card at a predetermined time, which will be stated in your Automatic Bill Payment program agreement. You should schedule your payment at least five days in advance of the due date. However, to be safe, you can check with your card issuer to determine liability due to late payment. |
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