Mythic Online Entertainment, erroneously wipes out customers bank accounts.

[Elinda]

Warhammer Online is a game that requires a monthly subscription to play. Mythic the parent company requires a card number on file (credit or debit is fine) to bill you $15.00/month.

Yesterday, for reasons unknown to us customers, their billing program went berzerk and billed a bunch of customers multiple times...and far out of schedule.

For example my own case:

What normally and properly happens is the 30th of each month Mythic takes fifteen bucks out of my account so I can keep playing their game. What happened yesterday was Mythic took $15.00 out of my account...eleven (11) times.

This happened to many - some being charged 22 times.

Mythic has told us they'd have things sorted out and we'd be reimbursed within 36 hours for the money they inadvertently took from our bank accounts. They also said that if we accrued any overdraft charges to ask our banks to waive them.

Here is a link to the terms of service that we agree to. http://legal.ea.com/legal/legal.jsp?language=en

Despite it being a 'mistake'...is it legal? How do we know that Mythic didn't simply have a shortage of cash on hand and so tapped into ours...because they could?

Are they liable for overdraft fees?

Thanks for any info.

 

[Zigner]

Errors happen.
Yes, they should cover the overdraft fees if your bank doesn't waive them.

 

[Antigone*]

Warhammer Online is a game that requires a monthly subscription to play. Mythic the parent company requires a card number on file (credit or debit is fine) to bill you $15.00/month.

Yesterday, for reasons unknown to us customers, their billing program went berzerk and billed a bunch of customers multiple times...and far out of schedule.

For example my own case:

What normally and properly happens is the 30th of each month Mythic takes fifteen bucks out of my account so I can keep playing their game. What happened yesterday was Mythic took $15.00 out of my account...eleven (11) times.

This happened to many - some being charged 22 times.

Mythic has told us they'd have things sorted out and we'd be reimbursed within 36 hours for the money they inadvertently took from our bank accounts. They also said that if we accrued any overdraft charges to ask our banks to waive them.

Here is a link to the terms of service that we agree to. EA ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY and TERMS OF SERVICE

Despite it being a 'mistake'...is it legal? How do we know that Mythic didn't simply have a shortage of cash on hand and so tapped into ours...because they could?

Are they liable for overdraft fees?

Thanks for any info.

Your cash-needing conspiracy theory is ridiculous.

Yes they are liable for your fees and they've already promised to reimburse you.

 

[Elinda]

Ok, ridiculous theory. I can buy that.

The same thing happened a little over a year ago. Errors do happen. People inadvertently take money out of peoples bank accounts all the time. They also go to jail for it.

Oh and for the record they did not promise to reimburse over draft fees. They suggest we request our banks simple do that for us.

Yes, I'll not be doing business with them anymore and changing my account number to prevent them from accidentally stealing any more money from me.

 

[Antigone*]

Ok, ridiculous theory. I can buy that.

The same thing happened a little over a year ago. Errors do happen. People inadvertently take money out of peoples bank accounts all the time. They also go to jail for it.

Oh and for the record they did not promise to reimburse over draft fees. They suggest we request our banks simple do that for us.

Yes, I'll not be doing business with them anymore and changing my account number to prevent them from accidentally stealing any more money from me.

This was not a crime. It will be a very costly error for this company, and most banks will reimburse the OD fees for this type of mistake.

Tigi... Out