Billing Problem

[Greenjade]

So my credit card expires this month, and FFXI is giving me the LM-18 Error which is a billing error. Anyway, I tried changing my billing info and it keeps telling me that my card is invalid, server is too busy, or I can't use that card and I have to use a different card. I call SE and talk to them, they said it is the bank's fault and that I have to get them to approve the pending transactions which is that 1$ charge they put on your account to test it. And that there isn't anything they can do blah blah blah. SOO I call MY bank, and I talk to them and ask them if they can approve pending transactions. They told me that it was already approved which is why they took out the 1$. But I still got the "invalid card, server to busy or you can't use that card and just use another card."

I keep trying to get it, they keep taking a buck out (they put it back from the looks of it) but it still won't let me renew my card info. Anyone else having problems with this and found a solution? This is getting really frustrating, and once the next billing cycle kicks in, I won't be able to play till they let me put in my new card.

[Cream Soda]

I didn't have exactly this, but something a bit similar and yea, even with money in the account, I had to swap to a new card before I could start playing

[Iddy]

My entire family has been having this problem for the past two weeks. We are normally all on the same card, we tried several different cards and every first attempt to re-activate the content ID's on one of the different cards would work, and every attempt after would get the "UCS" error that the information is invalid or the server is busy. Same as the original poster of this thread, i have spoken to SE multiple times, them telling me its bank side and the bank telling me its SE because the1$ ping keeps showing up on my account but i can not activate my content ID's. It is completely retarded, how can you announce that you have over 2 million players, but your customer support can't actually help them, when they are trying to fucking pay their bill.... and srsly after the game has been going strong for so long, still no customer support on the weekends.... and of course when you do call or try and live chat on their website during the week, there are only like 2 people working the NA customer support @ one time so you have to wait an hour and 1/2 to be told that they are fucking useless and actually cant help.

[Greenjade]

Tried my friend's card, my other friend's card borrowed my mom's card and brother's card all gave me the same error. Different banks too. ._. This is starting to piss me off.

[Iddy]

Tried my friend's card, my other friend's card borrowed my mom's card and brother's card all gave me the same error. Different banks too. ._. This is starting to piss me off.

I have tried 6 different cards, in 3 different states withe 3 completely different banks.... i just went to Walmart and picked up one of those pre-paid cards, talked to SE again today, thats what they said to try, doubt it will work, it never works.....

[Greenjade]

Well some good news kinda. I borrowed my best friend's other card and it worked. Now I just gotta tell him that he'll be paying for my FFXI till POL accepts my card. >_>

[Utau]

was you registing morethan one account? i think SE system has a cooldown time between transactions

[Greenjade]

No, I just have my account. I'm not sure what the exact problem is but I'm guessing it just has to do with how fast the banks approve pending transactions. Some take 3 to 5 business days and some are instant. I'm just gonna keep trying to get it back on my card and in the mean time paypal my friend the 16 or so bucks for my monthly payment.

[Mayareira]

Same problem. I re-activated my main EU account yesterday but when I tried to do the same for US, I got that stupid error. This is really annoying :/

Shit's really stupid, how the FUCK can they fuck up a billing system entirely...everyone's having problems. I really don't have an hour to wait in front of a fucking phone just to talk to a not-so-helpful dumbass asking me to contact my bank.

Ugh.

[Nightmarelord]

if u have a paypal account, u can basically go that route, install the paypal plugin, set it up properly and u can generate a 1time use credit card / number, or u can generate a reuseable credit card / number, i had the exact same problem u did but i had it on PSN (wanted the re5 dlc back when it first was released)

so yeah. look into that cuz it works and paypal, tho ran by idiots is always useful for something.

[Mayareira]

This is really pathetic. I've got fuckton of stuff got stuck on my mule account and I can't reactivate that shit. For some fucking reason it doesn't accept my card. UCS 60blah and good old 5111 problem.

This is so stupid, how the FUCK can they mess up a billing system like this. Their customer service is rated below a steaming turd and they simply don't seem to care anymore.

"SERVER IS BUSY LOL!!!"

No, morons. Server isn't busy. You, your stupid billing/playonline bureaucracy and your customer service sucks donkey balls.

[Iddy]

Finally got on a day or two ago, ended up going to Walmart and getting one of those Prepaid reloadable visa cards. Not a gift card they have ones that you register w/ your name and address and the send you a card w/ your name on it in the mail. But that worked 1st time i tried after like 2 weeks of trying w/ real cards, if your still having problems try something like that, you can reload the card every month too if you can't switch payment info to another, i know the change payment server is all fucked up as well.

[Mayareira]

Update: Finally was able to register the card. Looks like they have a system that basically blocks the card for a week~ after its used on another account.

[Greenjade]

This billing issue is a pain. I tried switching it back to my account and had no luck. =(

[Outlawx]

I have tried 6 different cards, in 3 different states withe 3 completely different banks.... i just went to Walmart and picked up one of those pre-paid cards, talked to SE again today, thats what they said to try, doubt it will work, it never works.....

These cards are pimp, its called a greendot card for those that dont know, pretty much costs $5/mo to use and you have to put at least $20 on when you reload it, stores charge $4.95 to do this.

It's easy to put $20 on it mid month and not have to worry about missing payment by $1 or something like that and having the bank charge you $30+ to cover it, its just another option thats out there for people, ive never had a problem with se kicking the card back or anything.