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I started looking through dad's Visa statement. There was an amount taken out every month, in different amounts between $200- 650. All it said was automatic phone payment. At first I thought it was for a phone bill, it's not. Mom died 4/9 and on 4/14 there was another automatic phone payment.


My sister-in-law disconnected mom's phone so I can not retrieve a confirmation code since all Visa had was mom's phone as the contact.


I've sent them the POA and death certificate.


I don't know what else I can do, someone is clearly using this card but they won't close it.

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Wish I could they won't let me.

The lawyer just called me back. All I can do is wait until they get the POA, DC. Call them back, try again to cancel it and fight any new changes.

Word of advice... NEVER disconnect your deceased loved ones phone until you get everything straightened out.
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DrBenshir May 30, 2024
Don't pay the bills. What can they do - ruin Mom's credit?
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Contact the fraud department. Telling them the card was stolen is the best way to stop these transactions. Dispute the charge!!! If you have reached to the person/ organization that is taking this money by notifying them of cardholder’s death, provided them with a death certificate, etc., then the bank should have no problem canceling that card.
Seriously, I’ve cancelled my card over a lot less. If I don’t recognize a charge, that’s it! CANCELED!
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Fastest way to stop this nonsense is call & say CARD IS LOST. They will close that account number, and reissue a new card with new number. Thus that auto payment STOPS. Whoever was getting that auto payment will try to contact Mom for the new card number.
When new card arrives, keep it stashed somewhere safe.
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Geaton777 May 25, 2024
My CapOne card is hacked almost every year. THey shut it down and issue me a new card and number BUT they allow "approved" and regular ach payments to roll over onto the new card without me having to do anything. It sounds like the phone charge is monthly and it may not solve the problem. They need to report that THAT charge in particular is fraudulent so they will stop it.
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Kweiner,
Are you dealing with BOA? if so, I posted my opinion of them below in the thread, but long story short, BOA is extremely difficult and it can feel downright impossible to deal with them. They are the worst ever; just don't be nice but be a bulldog.

A few things.

I'd do whatever is required and possible for you to freeze and/or close that account.

I wouldn't wait to dispute the charged.

You stated your parents didn't do anything online. My mom was the same, but with my then POA, which I only needed ethically for this, I set up the online account for mom myself, but I created a email account for mom that I had access and control to, and then I used that email to setup the online access to her BOA and other accounts. I then had control to see activity, etc. on the account. The only thing we couldn't do online was close the crappy BOA account. Whatever you do, do not put your name on the account. Your POA with Dad is good enough for everything else.

I never get paper stmts, but I know that online stmts will show vendors phone numbers if you drill down on each charge. I think you'll need to find that info to see who is charging on the account. Then contact them, if they're some legit vendor- like a subscription service - to get address info to send then the death certificate or just stop that service. You may be able to get a charge back from them if you explain the situation. But BOA will not help you there, I'm afraid. However, if it's not a vendor and someone just using the card at various stores, etc. then that is definitely fraud, and you'll have to deal with BOA. I suggest dealing with BOA in writing and documenting all your efforts with them.

I second the idea of reporting the card stolen, but verify the address on the account to where the new card will be sent. Hopefully, it's just the one address.
Maybe if reported stolen, they'll allow you to change the PIN code.

Also, when you setup the online access, fill out all the available security questions THEN call to change the code by answering the security questions you set up.

Since the codes are sent to your mom's old phone, I'm wondering if you can add a phone number to the account via online, then request the code be sent to either that new number (yours) or both. Might be worth a try.

Good luck!
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Bunnymomjulie May 30, 2024
Haha! My mom used to call B of A "Bunch of A$$holes".

Had to add that.
What a nightmare.
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Is the automatic payment by chance being taken out by AT&T? Just wondering as of all the accounts I had to close after my dad died, they were by far the most difficult to deal with. I spoke with seemingly endless employees, both on the phone and in person who insisted they couldn’t close his account without him coming in to authorize it. Even with my standing before them with a death certificate. They were unreal
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NeedHelpWithMom May 24, 2024
Isn’t that ridiculous?

There is no logical reason for their behavior. You had a death certificate, for crying out loud!

It’s a shame that you had to deal with this nonsense shortly after your dad died.
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Go into the bank and ask to see the manager
tell them you’re contacting ting the police for fraud
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Geaton777 May 30, 2024
The bank has nothing to do with this and has no power in this situation. The police can also do nothing since there's no proof of a crime (and they don't deal with this type of digital theft anyway).
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You don't need an attorney to help you close a credit card for your Mom.

Did you just mail the Executor paperwork and death certificate? Or did you talk to a specific department before you sent it off? If you didn't do this, you should have. If you did, then you will just need to wait for the process to work.

Last resort: You can report it as fraud and then they will shut down the account that second. That's what CapitolOne does to me every time there's a mystery charge. Shut down immediately. Usually they will then send out a new card in the mail right away. You can ask for it to be expedited. They might send it to where your Dad lives, so make sure to clarify where the physical card should go.
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Kwiemer May 24, 2024
I sent it a couple days ago... yeah I know I gotta wait. But the person whom I think is using this card will easily say my mom told him he could use it
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Geaton, I think when a family member proves a death, the acct should be frozen right then and there. But I think in this instance Dad is primary and Mom an approved user. Moms death has nothing to do with the card. So Dad has to freeze the card.

I came back to say that I had a thought. This maybe an automatic payment of some kind. Meaning you would have to call the company doing it to prove Mom is now deceased for it to stop. By freezing the acct, you may hear from this company and then u tell them Mom is deceased and the acct has been closed. The different amounts baffle me.

Please return to tell us what happened. It will help us in dealing with our parents and even ourselves.

I so wish I was there. When I worked I loved the research.
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NeedHelpWithMom May 25, 2024
I agree, JoAnn.

This situation is baffling to me as well. It certainly is a mystery.

I would like to know how the OP settles this situation.

I wonder how many others have gone through similar experiences.
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Now in my IL's case years ago, before either passed away, we found that they were paying for a relative's cable service and someone (else?) was doing regular withdrawals from their checking account directly into an account. They had both had dementia for a couple of years and someone or someones was taking advantage of them.

The bank said we had to file a police report in order for them to stop future withdrawals. The bank also returned the last 6 (?) months of withdrawals but that was all that was required of them.
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Get atty to write letter and request refund for all bills paid after her death.

You might contact your state attorney general or office of inspector general to ask for help.

Local police might be able to help to find out who/what the payments are covering. Tell bank to remove auto payment...or close that acct and open new one.

Just keep all documentation of talking or writing to credit card company.
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