In 1999 I signed up for a dental discount plan offered by NHCD for which they billed me annually. Basically this was a dental referral program. For $80. A year I get to chose any dentist from their list. Sometimes I got a discount and sometimes well, I didn't.
Eventually I upgraded my health plan, which included dental, so when their bill came in I ignored it, assuming they would cancel me. But what happened is they took it upon themselves to start making monthly drafts from my checking account! I did not authorize this! I tried contacting them with no success.
My bank informed me that the only way I could stop them from drafting my account is to put a "stop" on each draft, which would cost me $15. And would not prevent them from doing it again. Either that or close the account (which I have had for 25 years) and open a new one, which is what I ended up doing. (Not bad, but as it is a business account I had to purchase new checks, deposit slips and endorsement stamp!)
Amazingly, written authorization is not required by a bank for them to initiate a direct withdrawal. All one needs is an account and bank number from someone's check! Wow.
All I can say is BEWARE!
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