Even if you cancel the game, Mythic will keep your credit card credentials on files. This how people got charged after they left. What's worst is if you get charged after you cancel they have no record of the transaction.

Facts:

-10 days trial

-Purchased the game, register for 90 days (discount)

-30 days free

-90 days paid

-2x30 days for referrals

So back in august I'm thinking, I'm going to cancel before my 90 days is up and then use the remaining time + 60 days of referrals to think about coming back or not in WAR.

Not so, in september 2009 I get a regular 15$/month charged on my credit card.

Facts:

-Email confirmation of subs cancellation dated august 2009

-Credit card bill with 15$ charged to Mythic/EA in september 2009

-Over the phone Mythic representative inform me they have no record of a 15$ monthly charge, that it must be my CC company charging me somethng about recurring behavior on the part of my credit card company.

-Mythic inform me they keep credit card credential on files even after you cancel your account.

-You have to call Mythic to have your credit card removed from their database and you can ask for an email to be sent with the confirmation.

This kind of thing shouldn't happen.

NcSoft keeps your card on file, so does Sony online entertainment. Cryptic studios/Atari is another one... this is pretty common practice. As for them charging you after the fact that's a different story, but keeping credit card info on file is normal.

Thanks for the info, I wasn't aware of that about SOE nor NCSoft, do you have confirmation of this? I was under the impression those companies used something like E-Link or LinkPoint. Can you confirm this?

http://www.websiteforge.com/blog.html?m17:post=just-use-the-credit-card-on-file-credit-card-security

Anyway my experience now proves me one thing, before you jump ship one can simply call in and ask the information to be removed. Had I done this before hand I wouldn't be in this situation.

Yeah, every time I have left and came back to one of those game. I didn't have to input my credit card info in again. It was already there. The only time I had to change it was if the old card had expired but they still kept the expired info until I removed it. Even now I can log into every one of my old accounts and see the credit card I used to subscribe for the game.

Yeah this is pretty normal.  I have seen multiple MMO game companies keep my card on file over years of time.  So what?  If you are scared, don't use your CC online.  It's a pretty simple solution.

I guess this something mmorpg.com could make an editorial about, and what to do and not to do. This would be a lot more informative than many of the junk I've seen in the past 1-2 years. What happenned to the old mmorpg.com staff?

Originally posted by Anarchist420

Yeah this is pretty normal.  I have seen multiple MMO game companies keep my card on file over years of time.  So what?  If you are scared, don't use your CC online.  It's a pretty simple solution.

Scared? Well I just got 15$ stolen LOL, no seriously this wouldn't worry me at all. But after I got charged 15$ and the company charging me has no trace of the transaction... well this brings the point:"Should I worry or not?"

Originally posted by BoudahXL

Originally posted by Anarchist420

Yeah this is pretty normal.  I have seen multiple MMO game companies keep my card on file over years of time.  So what?  If you are scared, don't use your CC online.  It's a pretty simple solution.

 

Scared? Well I just got 15$ stolen LOL, no seriously this wouldn't worry me at all. But after I got charged 15$ and the company charging me has no trace of the transaction... well this brings the point:"Should I worry or not?"

Call the bank, have them revert the payment.

Edit: Err or your CC company, for me that's the bank ^^

Blizzard delete your CC once you cancel, maybe other companies should do that...

Originally posted by arctarus

Blizzard delete your CC once you cancel, maybe other companies should do that...

All companies should delete all the info when you cancel.

There is no valid reason to keep it on file afterwards and it only increases risk to the card holder. Accidental charges happen in billing systems as well as some MMO accounts being subject to brute force or other simplistic hacking methods.

The convenience argument is ridiculously silly. If you are seriously considering returning to the service taking the brief time to reenter CC is not likely to be the deciding factor.

Obviously a simple computer mistake, I guarentee you can get this resolved instead of making forum posts. And of course if you really cant....

This happened to me with Funcom and SOE.....nothing new here.

Yah developers will resort to all kinds of tricks when their games aren't going well. For every 5 people who block the transactions there'll probably be 1 or 2 who don't notice or can't be bothered to contatc the company to fix it. Companies like Blizzard don't do it because they have enough money from legit subs, but the companies mentioned above have every reason to use these tactics.