Why is there billing action on my account before my renewal date? And what is this inflated charge?

[APea]

I'm concerned about my billing situation.   IOne unresolved thing is that I've been getting mid-billing cycle messages. 

Two cycles ago, (a couple of weeks or so before my account was due), my phone service was cut and I got a payment due message.  Like many people, I rely on my phone for interfacing with clients, my school, and personal life.  So I quickly put funds into my account, thinking I'd just lost track of time and accidentally let my plan lapse.  A week (or so?) later, I got a message that my plan was about to end, so I'd better pay.  Turns out that the account was fine, I did not owe more, and that my previous payment had been accepted.  However, it was extremely inconvenient for my service to be interrupted and for payment to have been solicited early.  Why was my service severed if my account was not actually overdue?

On the 18th of August, a month before my next plan's renewal date, I received a text that said, "thank you for your payment". Again.  Not only were there no funds in my account with which to have made a payment, but there is nothing that requires payment in my account at this time.   

Now my normal tri-monthly amount of $141 has been inexplicably and without warning changed to $200.

Looking at the account, it appears that there is also a $60 credit.   What is going on? 

 I emailed a public mobile support moderator through the normal bot channels about this a month ago and have had zero help.  Since there is nowhere else to ask for help I am just stuck waiting and hoping for someone to get back to me.  The "community" pages make it impossible to verify whatever user name I had tried using when I first opened a ticket. I could't make a new community account with a new user name because my email address was already on file. Finally found my username, but then when I logged in a was filling out the ticket, each time I submitted and typed in my verification number, it would log me out and make me log in again, only to boot me out again.  This kind of customer service has me seriously considering other service providers. I'd love some help, my amount is due tomorrow, and I just want to pay the normal amount I owe.

[APea]

Hi Chuck,

Thank you, that does make sense.  As far as I can remember (have had this plan since 2017) it hasn't appeared on my account like this before.  It would just show me 141 and we were good to go.  No mid cycle messages about payment or anything.  So that's why it was confusing.  But your explaination makes good sense. 

I'm still unclear on my my account balance now says $6.  Shouldn't that have be used for my payment this week? (I chose the "pay balance owing" payment option).  

Thanks everyone for your patience and assistance!

[ChuckYeah]

So your on a 90 day plan which includes

90-day Plan $25

Unlimited US/Canada Talk $81

3Gb data $50

Unlimited US/Canada Text $45

25+81+50+45 =  $201

Because you chose three items, you receive $60 credit each month. (This might be why you received a mesage from PM on or about August 18. That money was credited to your account to reduce the $201 to the $141 you are expecting to pay.

Is this clear as mud.?

201-60 = $141 (your actual monthly plan cost) Correct?

---

---

[APea]

Thank you for the tip about calling 611.  I can access my selfserve no problem.  

This is what it says on my account:

• Payment for Next Cycle: $201.00
• Amount Owing: $141.00

Maybe I do not understand what "Payment for next cycle" means?

[APea]

Hi!

Sure, please see the uploads attached.  I'm not on autopay, and I got to the ticket submission area with the bot, but when I tried submitting information it kicked me out and made me sign in again.

[ChuckYeah]

If you are ok for now, it might be a good time to ask the moderators to look at the recent history of your account as it may take a few days. When it comes to $$ like this, I would want the explanation from the official PM staff in the end anyway.

That being said, someone here may give you the info you need before you here from the moderatos and that's ok too.

You should consider creating a support ticket. Explain your issue to SIMON, the ? comment bubble in the bottom right.

Use as few words as possible to allow the BOT to understand you better. Answer his questions until you get to here:

Click on "Submit a ticket" and the Moderator team will take over your case and respond to your concern within 48 hours. May take longer, but the promise of the new Ticketing System was that it will reduce these wait times.
About @Moderator_Team
Moderator Hours
Monday to Friday: 8AM- midnight EST
Saturday and Sunday: 8AM- 10PM EST

[geopublic]

---

@APea wrote:

I'm concerned about my billing situation.   IOne unresolved thing is that I've been getting mid-billing cycle messages. 

Two cycles ago, (a couple of weeks or so before my account was due), my phone service was cut and I got a payment due message.  Like many people, I rely on my phone for interfacing with clients, my school, and personal life.  So I quickly put funds into my account, thinking I'd just lost track of time and accidentally let my plan lapse.  A week (or so?) later, I got a message that my plan was about to end, so I'd better pay.  Turns out that the account was fine, I did not owe more, and that my previous payment had been accepted.  However, it was extremely inconvenient for my service to be interrupted and for payment to have been solicited early.  Why was my service severed if my account was not actually overdue?

On the 18th of August, a month before my next plan's renewal date, I received a text that said, "thank you for your payment". Again.  Not only were there no funds in my account with which to have made a payment, but there is nothing that requires payment in my account at this time.   

Now my normal tri-monthly amount of $141 has been inexplicably and without warning changed to $200.

Looking at the account, it appears that there is also a $60 credit.   What is going on? 

 I emailed a public mobile support moderator through the normal bot channels about this a month ago and have had zero help.  Since there is nowhere else to ask for help I am just stuck waiting and hoping for someone to get back to me.  The "community" pages make it impossible to verify whatever user name I had tried using when I first opened a ticket. I could't make a new community account with a new user name because my email address was already on file. Finally found my username, but then when I logged in a was filling out the ticket, each time I submitted and typed in my verification number, it would log me out and make me log in again, only to boot me out again.  This kind of customer service has me seriously considering other service providers. I'd love some help, my amount is due tomorrow, and I just want to pay the normal amount I owe.

---

@APea If you can't access your selfserve account online then Dial  611 from your phone and it will let you you know what your account balance is and when you payment is due. Just make payment of plan amount minus account

balance and you should be good to go.

[kselmak]

Hi

Would you be able to take some screenshots of your payment history with sensitive information blackedout so we can analyze it

I'm not sure when you say 200 was taken out was it autopay or manual withdrawal. I noticed that some people have their signup credit like 35 or 40 off for their plan. So when they pay the plan would cost 70 but they pay 35. The amount due is still 70, but autopay withdraws money after all the rewards so it would take 33. If they would manually pay 'amount due' it's possible that it would be 70 (so they may find 37 credit after renewal). I suspect but I never had it. Can anybody else with confirm or correct me please?