Gone are the days when you had to clear your utility bills in person, standing at the counter to make payments with cash or cheques. With recent times and the transcending payment scenario, you do not have to sweat it out at counters just to make your utility bill payments. Today, you can avail the benefit of various services like credit card bill pay, credit card standing instructions, Net Banking Routes, ECS Direct Debit, Utility Company Getaways and EBPP Service Providers. These terminals can be used to clear your utility bills like credit card payments, besides other expenses. Here is a look at the various options and their exclusive features.
a) Credit card bill pay –
Under this facility, you need to register the biller’s information and details on a secure gateway or via your credit card’s helpline number. Once your registration has been accepted, your credit card company will have access to the soft copies of your bills. You can also view these bills, and thereby authorize payments for them through your credit card. These days, you can also authorize payments by SMS or by your credit card’s helpline number.
b) Credit card standing instructions –
Under this facility, you need to provide standing instructions for a stipulated period of time, in order to authorize the biller to receive the amount due on the specific date.
c) Net Banking Routes –
To use this service, you firstly need to sign up for the net banking facility of your bank, and get yourself registered for the payment service. You then need to furnish information on the bills that you wish to make payments with this facility. The bank will then receive soft copy of the bills, and you can authorize them to make payments towards such bills.
d) ECS Direct Debit –
It refers to Electronic Clearing Service Direct Debit. You can use this service to make payments towards mutual funds, loan payments or credit card payments. You need to register through the ECS mandate form, get it verified by the respective bank and make payments towards their billers.
e) Utility Company Getaways –
Firstly, you need to register yourself on the website of the utility company, after which you can view the latest bill on your name through the website. You need to make an authorization before payments are sent to your biller.
f) EBPP Service Providers –
EBPP refers to Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment. It is a service that enables a user, after registration, to receive bills on the web page of your service provider and make payments through the ECS route.
Thus, with these revolutionary services making utility payments easier for us, you no longer have to worry about queues at the payment counter or traffic while commuting to make a payment. You don’t have to be physically present while making payments, thereby making it possible for you to pay your bills from any part of the world.
However, it is important for you to understand the various dangers that lurk in the virtual world. You obviously do not want to fall prey to any credit card or debit card or any other kind of fraud due to any carelessness or be fooled by any intruder. Borrowing debts like loans etc to pay any dues for which you are not responsible is completely absurd and will erode your savings in more ways than one. As a prudent customer, in order to protect yourself in the eventuality of such unfortunate situations, make sure you notify your bank or your credit card company of any such dubious transactions and block your credit card immediately.