Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
- T-Mobile has closed an AutoPay loophole that allowed customers to claim discounts while paying bills early using ineligible methods, such as credit cards.
- Going forward, customers who use such methods will lose the $5 per line discount for the next billing cycle.
- Discount eligibility resets each month, but requires full payment through eligible methods, such as linked bank accounts or debit cards.
T-Mobile has some great plans in store for users who want a low phone bill. For existing users, one of the most reliable and consistent ways they can reduce their phone bill is by signing up for AutoPay. AutoPay automatically deducts payments from your linked bank account or debit card to pay your T-Mobile bill, while netting you a discount of $5 per line. Some customers have taken advantage of this AutoPay discount but still opted to pay via a credit card thanks to a loophole. However, it seems T-Mobile has caught on, and the free ride is now coming to an end for them.
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Reddit user tva_raylan highlighted that starting today, customers will no longer receive the autopay discount if they use an ineligible payment method to make an early bill payment for a portion or the total of their bill.
As it turns out, some people signed up for AutoPay via a linked bank account or debit card to qualify for the $5 discount per line, but regularly paid their bills via a credit card before the automatic payment got triggered. Since the bill got paid and nothing was due at the time of automatic payment, there would be no AutoPay debit. This way, customers received the AutoPay discount while also earning all the rewards from using their credit card, despite credit cards not being eligible for the AutoPay discount.
This loophole is now closed, so you can no longer exploit the system in this manner, similar to how other carriers have addressed it. Suppose a customer who has signed up for AutoPay makes an early bill payment (part or whole) through a credit card (or other ineligible payment methods). In that case, they will reportedly receive a text informing them that the AutoPay discount will be removed on their next billing cycle.
The discount eligibility resets every billing cycle, allowing customers to receive it again once they become eligible. Customers will also not be affected if they make these premature payments (part or whole) through an eligible method, such as a linked bank account or debit card.
The AutoPay discount may seem small, but $5 per line adds up if you have multiple lines, and it also accumulates over time. For customers who were gaming the system, this is undoubtedly bad news, but one that was inevitable since loopholes exist at the mercy of the company. Furthermore, some users rely on their credit cards (such as Amex) for phone insurance, so now these individuals will have to choose between phone insurance and the AutoPay discount.
T-Mobile has long been rumored to be working on a co-branded credit card with Capital One. It wouldn’t be surprising if this T-Mobile credit card becomes an eligible method for the AutoPay discount. It’s just business at the end of the day.
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