The short answer: the safest way to pay bills online is through your own bank’s app or website (look for “Bill Pay”), or by signing in to the company’s real website. Type the address from your paper bill rather than searching for it or clicking a link in an email or text. Search results and ads can lead to fake sites that look almost identical to the real one (FDIC).
Three ways to pay a bill online
- Your bank’s bill pay: you tell your bank who to pay and how much, and the bank sends the money. It can be a one-time payment or a recurring one (CFPB).
- The company’s website or app: sign in to your electric, phone or insurance account and pay with your bank account or card.
- Autopay (automatic debit): you allow the company to take the payment from your bank account each month. This is different from bank bill pay, where your bank sends it (CFPB).
How to set up bill pay in your bank’s app
- Get your bank’s official app from the App Store or Google Play, or use the link on your bank’s real website. Check that the app is published by your bank. See how to download apps safely.
- Sign in and look for Bill Pay, Pay bills or Payments. The name varies by bank.
- Add the company you want to pay (the “payee”). Copy the name, address and account number exactly as they appear on your paper bill.
- Enter the amount and the date, then review and confirm.
- Look for the payment in your account history over the next few days.
Before you turn on autopay
The CFPB suggests these checks before you let a company take money automatically (CFPB):
- Make sure the company is legitimate. Never give your account details to a company you’re unsure about.
- Keep enough money in the account. If the balance is too low, both your bank and the company may charge a fee.
- If the amount changes, the company must tell you at least 10 days before it takes a payment that’s different from what you agreed to.
- Keep a copy of the payment authorization you agreed to.
Safety checks every time
- Check the web address before you sign in. Fake sites use small spelling changes (FDIC). See how to know if a website is safe.
- Skip public Wi-Fi in cafes or airports for banking. Use your home Wi-Fi or your phone’s data instead (FDIC).
- Use a strong, unique password and two-step verification on your bank account (FDIC). See how to create a safe password.
- Keep your phone and apps updated. Older software is a common target for hackers (FDIC).
- Turn on alerts in your bank app so you get a message for each payment.
Bill-payment scams to watch for
Scammers pretend to be your bank, a utility or a government agency and say you must pay right away or your service will be cut off. Legitimate organizations won’t contact you out of the blue to ask for your account numbers or passwords (FDIC). Hang up or delete the message, then call the number on your bill or the back of your card. Never pay a bill with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. See if a bank call starts this way, it’s a scam and is Zelle safe?
