Public Mobile online activation: credit card payment failed but my card got charged twice

[droidlover]

On Step 5 Payment in the Online Activation process I chose to use my credit card so that I could get the $2 auto-pay discount. I hit activate. Then it says

"Sorry, your credit card transaction was denied by your card issuer, so this purchase could not be completed. Your credit card has not been charged. Please contact your card issuer for more information."

But then my TD MySpend App shows that it was charged. For $81. KOODO TOP UP REAPPROV. I got the notification within seconds. And I also logged into my online banking to check that it was there in Pending Transactions.

Then I saw that the Activate button changed to Activate My Phone. And since I was charged, I figured that it went through on Public Mobile's end. So I clicked Activate My Phone and it charged my credit card again. KOODO TOP UP REAPPROV. $81. And it gave me the exact same message. 

"Sorry, your credit card transaction was denied by your card issuer, so this purchase could not be completed. Your credit card has not been charged. Please contact your card issuer for more information."

I have to port my number from Koodo to Public Mobile by April 30th (my billing end date). I sent Public Mobile an email but there's a 48 hour wait apparently. I was shocked to see that there is no Public Mobile helpline.

What do I do? If I don't port over from Koodo to Public Mobile by May 1st, I am going to have to pay another months worth to Koodo. Yet Public Mobile can't take my credit card for some reason (TD Visa is closed right now. I'm going to contact them when it's open again and ask them what the hell happened. Since Public Mobile claimed that the card issuer denied the transaction. But I got charged anyways. Twice). I guess I should go buy the vouchers (and foregeo the auto-pay bonus) and wait for Public Mobile to send me the two refunds of $81 each on the botched transaction?

I also have a Visa Debit card if my credit card doesn't work in order to get the $2 auto-pay bonus. But there's no way I'm using that on Public Mobile's buggy system because debit card transactions are harder to reverse than credit card if need be.

I heard something about how there's a bug if you are porting from Koodo and are using the same email address you used at Koodo or something. That might be something to do with this. It's strange that I was billed as "KOODO TOP UP REAPPOV". Koodo and Public Mobile are both part of the Telus family but I've seen other people on here charged as "Public Mobile <some random number>"

Thanks,

[droidlover]

The mod I talked to was a big help today. I have my talk and text phone service with a temp number. The port had to be done manually so there's a wait for that. My bank authorized the two transactions and told me that they never declined them. Public Mobile staff is looking into the charged transactions. My bank said that if a merchant rejects a transaction on their end, a pending transaction will go unclaimed and then drop off after a few business days and never go into posted. This happens often. That's something to keep in mind for people who have "pending transactions" on their credit cards. In the past, pending transactions wouldn't show at all. Your credit limit would just decrease and you'd call into your bank if you suspect fraud or a billing error.

I'm thinking of adding the $30/1 GB data add-on since they don't expire until you use the full 1 GB. I guess I should just buy the vouchers until PM figured out what happened with the CC? Wish there was a $30 voucher. At Shopper's Drug Mart I didn't see one. I'll probably buy two $19 vouchers and use the $8 left over towards my next plan payment.

[SD08]

@droidlover

Hi. Sorry to hear that you had activation & overcharge issues.

As mentioned, you should contact a moderator by private message, including the PM SIM card number, your e-mail address, your account number with Koodo, the name authorized on the Koodo account, and the phone number you're trying to port.  The moderators will be back on duty at 9am EST.

Also, since you are facing a deadline, and since private messaging is the moderators' preferred method of communication, I recommend you turn on e-mail notifications for receipt of private messages in your community account. To do this, go to Settings -> Preferences -> Private Messenger. There is a checkbox next to "Receive email notifications for new private messages" which you can toggle on/off. Be sure to click save after making the change.

[encore0117]

Hi,

I feel your panic.

Do not worry too much, there are still a few days left till May 1st. I would suggest contacting a moderator following the steps mentioned as below.

http://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Knowledge-Base/Updated-Contacting-our-Community-Modera...