Verizon Convenience Fee: Customers To Be Charged $2 For Paying Bill Online Via Credit Card

In a move that is sure to upset some customers, Verizon has announced on its website that it will start charging a $2 convenience fee "for customers who make single bill payments online or by telephone."

The $2 fee will apply to those who pay with credit or debit cards on a per-statement basis, either through the company's website or by telephone, and the company says that the fee is designed to offset the cost that credit card companies charge Verizon for processing payments.

On its website, Verizon is encouraging its customers to choose one of seven alternative payment options to avoid incurring the fee -- those options include enrolling in an Auto-Pay system on the company's website, paying via check or cash via mail, paying at a Verizon kiosk, or paying with a Verizon gift card.

The new fee goes into effect on January 15.

Here, from the Verizon website, is the complete list of your options to avoid the new $2 fee:

1. Electronic check online (My Verizon Online, My Verizon Mobile/Handset). Fee waived.
2. Electronic check via telephone. Fee waived.
3. Enrollment in AutoPay using credit/debit/ATM card or electronic check; fee does not apply
4. Online from the customer’s home-banking service provider website; fee does not apply.
5. Credit/debit/ATM card, electronic check or cash at a Bill Payment Kiosk, Panel or with a representative at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store; fee does not apply.
6. Use of a Verizon Wireless Gift Card or Verizon Wireless device Rebate Card to pay a bill in-store, online or by telephone; fee does not apply
7. Paper check or money order mailed to the VZW remit address on customer’s bill; fee does not apply.

Consumer advocacy blog Consumerist, meanwhile, offers an eighth option for avoiding the $2 fee: Switching to another wireless carrier.

Public outrage over the new fee is mounting: A popular post in online message board Reddit's "WTF" section has already attracted dozens of upset commenters, as have the comment sections on stories posted on CNet, Aol sister site Engadget and Geek.com. Typical of the frustration are calls to stop using Verizon, a proposed campaign to get everyone to send in paper checks and money in order to overwhelm Verizon's billing department, and labeling the new fee as "another ridiculous cash grab."

Verizon customers can change their payment options on Verizon's website.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[timpoleman]

12:25 PM on 01/04/2012

If I can't pay directly from my Credit Union I will drop Verizon as fast as I dropped Netflix for charging me more. Verizon is already nickel and diming me for texting, there is no way I would stay with them if they want to charge me more just for paying my bill!!

[The JillyBean]

07:06 PM on 12/31/2011

I encourage all Verizon wireless subscribers to pay their bills by check for the next three months. Mail them in. Let Verizon see what a pain that will be.

Businesses forgot how good they have it with credit and debit cards being the primary mode for customer payment. They should do a little cost accounting and see how much more expensive it would be to process payments via cash and check - the old methods. It must be terrible to lose a marginal amount for each transaction to Visa/MC, etc, but it's still less cost than the overhead it takes to process all your subscribers payments the old fashioned way. Greed is not pretty.

[b wagner]

02:26 AM on 12/31/2011

FYI....Verizon is already charging $2.00 fee if you pay your bill with cash.

[June0505]

03:53 PM on 12/31/2011

Only if you are paying your bill at an indirect location and that is not a Verizon fee that is a fee charged for payment processing by the retailer. Paying a direct Verizon location is listed as one of the ways to avoid the fee (see #5)

Credit/debit/ATM card, electronic check or cash at a Bill Payment Kiosk, Panel or with a representative at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store; fee does not apply.

However the point is moot now because the fee has been done away with.

[soldier123]

01:09 AM on 12/31/2011

Latest information from Verizon I received 10 minutes ago. I called Verizon and they said that they will not charge customers any fees when paying bills online or by credit or debit card or electronic check or any fee. Reason too many customers complained big time.

[Paul OhioSprtzfan Sink]

09:06 PM on 12/30/2011

Verizon has already came out and said they will not inforce this fee afterall.Wonder what they might try next.

[Yazzie1962]

05:33 PM on 12/30/2011

If you think verizon is bad wait until frontier comm comes to your neighborhood,

[se72748]

05:32 PM on 12/30/2011

Several years ago ,my wife badgered me into getting a cell phone.I almost never use it an even more seldom carry it with me.I don't really need a cell phone an you probaly don't really need a cell phone either.The phone call will wait till you get home and you will save a bundle .Get rid of your cell.

[TeeTee46]

11:35 AM on 01/03/2012

So what do you do when your car breaks down on a dark lonely road??? We are not living in the same day and time as the 60's. If your car breaks down without a cell phone, this could be a death sentence... So, yes, we do need cell phones!

[Bobbito]

04:10 PM on 12/30/2011

Just a reminder that the GOP has been blocking for months the nomination of someone to head up the newly created Consumer Protection agency.
Part of their role would be to look into Corporate scams like this one.

Who's your buddy, who's your pal, who's your friend? Hee Hee

[eltonb222]

04:24 PM on 12/30/2011

Why just blame the GOP. Dems are just as much to blame. Everyone forgets that these men and women in Congress are in a different tax bracket. There are rules in place, thanks to the Administration, that are suppost to protect us from some bad practices by banks and thier credit cards. So far, the banks (who fund campaigns for members of both parties) circumvented the rule by coming up with new ways to charge us. On top of that, some got TARP funds. Bank of America is still layoing off a big chunk of their work force.

[eltonb222]

04:27 PM on 12/30/2011

Sorry for my spelling below.

But furthermore, the interest on my credit cards were low and now they are high, despite having good credit. Banks explain that it's due to the cost of banking. Really?? So much for the last 4 years.

[Bobbito]

05:11 PM on 12/30/2011

Hi Elton,
Just pointing out that we need this Consumer Protection agency up & running & the Repubs have been blocking this for months.
Certainly the Democrats are no angels, but my point was specific to the Consumer agency.....which by the way would have authority to look into usurius credit card charges as well.
One of the reasons banks are raising rates is they lost so much in bad housing loans....

[culdave]

04:07 PM on 12/30/2011

Verizon you can't even keep your 4G up and you want to charge for us paying our bills,Sounds like an other Net flix screwup.Watch out you can be replaced.

[GPaugam]

04:02 PM on 12/30/2011

Verizon to scrap fee...customer backlash, and the worthless [according to GOP] FCC to investigate! Score another victory for the people!

[Bobbito]

04:00 PM on 12/30/2011

And a last minute of 2011addition to the stellar panel of Morons, Netflix & Bank of America
Who tried to hose their customers as well, only to get hammered by negative feedback.
Customers of Verizon must have been dropping Verizon faster than Verizon was dropping their calls....

[tejas-]

03:58 PM on 12/30/2011

The FCC is investigating. Verizon knows they are in trouble now. This story needs to be front page.

[ILoveGreatDanes]

03:51 PM on 12/30/2011

I guess Verizon decided they didn't want to end up like Netflix. Way to go, guys!

[7tsgirl]

03:47 PM on 12/30/2011

WE WON!!!! after signing petitions and probably blowing up Verizon phone lines with angry customers ...Verizon has DECIDED not to charge the fee!!!!!

[firewired]

03:45 PM on 12/30/2011

We the people have just won this bloodless war by speaking as one, loudly and strongly!

Unlike our Congress, Verizon is "listening!" After all, it's "what they do," right?

It only took three days, too! Game over. The marketplace has won!

[TeeTee46]

11:39 AM on 01/03/2012

Now if we could just ban together and stop buying gas from the two major gas companies, the gas prices would go down as well.... Why can't we do this??????