For some reason, X-Box live can't get their act together and make their billing for services seemless. This is the second time they decline my payment irregardless of what payment I submit. I had this happen the early part of January 2011 and now it's happened again. They keep giving me a notice that I need to contact my credit card provider because the payment has been declined. When I call the credit card provider, there is no problems with the account. They can see where Microsoft has attempted to charge the credit card. In talking with the X-Box representative, they were unable to help. Their suggestion is to wait a couple of days to see if the problem resolves. They think it might have something to do with the server. I guess that could be to problem, but I would expect them to get off their butts and fix the problem instead of taking a "wait and see" attitude. Now I get to go out and visit my local gaming store to purchase a points card. I might just see if theres another gaming console there. Something NOT Microsoft. Wii is looking more and more appealing.

Recently upon noticing charges for Microsoft points on my son's X-box live account I decided to remove my credit card from the account. After several convulted conversations with "customer service" reps who did not fully grasp the language, or whose accents prohibited clear speech, it became clear that X-box engages in extremely deceitful practices to make it virtually impossible to remove a credit card.

As a company it is especially fruitful, how many working professionals can spend several days and hours on a phone with no resolution. After finally talking to a customer service supervisor I explained simply I wanted to remove the current credit card. She informed me I had a balance of $7.99 and would have to pay it off with another credit card. No problem, payments are instantly authorized. The representative said I could remove it by that night. Then, she informed me that card would now appear on the account for 5-10 days until the payment cleared!! I asked her my intent was to remove the card, not put another one onto the account. It was their policy she exclaimed. After expressing my frustration and if my intention was not clear to her in the first place, she said there was nothing she could do.
I ask how could a multi-million dollar technology company who has no problems instantly taking money online take 5-10 days to clear a payment for $7.99. Ludicrous. The company uses unsavory practices banking on busy parents who will forget to take off the card.

My son has been warned if he charges anything the X-box is ripped out of the wall-but as any parent knows this stuff is addictive, and what starts out as an innocuous past time quickly runs amok.

Nevertheless, as a paying customer I should be given more power over my credit card.

This is an outrage, I am contacting the BBB over this issue. I feel violated as a consumer and this company should be ashamed of their practices.