What is Official Payments Corp.?
Official Payments Corporation is the leading provider of
electronic payment options for federal, state and local government agencies.
Official Payments
processes tax and fee payments for the IRS, 23 state
governments including the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and
more than 1,300 counties and municipalities across all 50 states. In 2002,
Official Payments processed more than $1.2 billion in payments and more than
1.4 million transactions.
What are the advantages of paying by credit
card online through NYCSERV?
The service makes paying government taxes and fees more
convenient in many ways:
1. Faster payment via the Internet-no writing and mailing checks
2. Flexibility to pay credit card balances over time
3. Rewards for your tax payment from cards that carry such programs
4. Comfort of knowing your payment has been made through a trusted, secure
service provider, Official Payments Corporation, authorized by the IRS to
collect government obligations since 1999
What credit cards are
accepted?
American Express, MasterCard, Discover and Visa payment
cards (both credit and ATM pin-less debit cards*) are accepted. *Pin-less debit
cards are debit cards that have the MasterCard logo and do not require the
purchaser to enter their pin number to complete a transaction.
Why should I elect this system?
In paying government taxes and fees with a credit card,
consumers gain control of the payment. Consumers can pay their tax or fee over
time, on their own schedule. Paying by credit card may provide consumers with
use of their money for an additional 30 to 60 days, depending upon the credit
card billing cycle.
How do I earn rewards?
Depending on the nature of the credit card reward program,
consumers can earn a point, mile or money back for the tax payments they
charge. The value of the reward can often exceed the cost of any convenience
fee incurred. For specific information on your card's reward program, contact
your credit card issuer directly using the number listed on the back of your
card.
Why is there a convenience fee and why am I
paying for this?
Official Payments Corporation charges a convenience fee for
processing the payment transaction. The fee is not charged by or paid to the
City of New York. The convenience fee is assessed to cover operating costs and
the costs associated with servicing thousands of credit card transactions.
You will be informed of all charges and fees before you authorize the payment.
You may check the fee on your payment first by reviewing the
fee schedule
.
How will the charge appear on my credit card
statement?
Two line items will appear on your credit card bill. The
first is for the payment made to the City of New York and the second is for the
convenience fee charged by Official Payments Corporation.
How safe is Official Payments' system?
The system has been tested and proven. The IRS, the states of
New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and more than 1,300 state and local
governments have chosen Official Payments Corporation as an electronic service
provider for their constituents. The information gathered is private and will
not be forwarded to anyone.
How secure is my payment and personal
information?
Official Payments secures personal information entered into
its web site through Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption, which creates a
protected connection between users and the web server. This means your credit
card number and personal data are never sent over the Internet unencrypted.
How secure is the credit card information
I'm using to make this payment?
Official Payments uses the best encryption technology
available. Credit card information is not passed to any of our government
clients, including The City of New York, and payment data is passed using
hardware encryption. Transactions are processed using a leased line connection
to the credit card issuers. Official Payments partners with
VeriSign
to ensure the highest level of security.
Will I receive a confirmation of my credit
card payment?
Yes. You will be provided a confirmation number at the end of
the payment transaction. This confirmation number and your credit card
statement will provide confirmation of your credit card payment to the City of
New York. You will be issued an onscreen digital receipt, which can be printed
as a transaction record. Additionally, if you provided NYCSERV with your email
address, you will receive an email verification of your online payment.
How can I be sure that my payment was
processed correctly?
Official Payments will verify your Internet payment online
www.officialpayments.com/pc_paym.jsp
if you have provided your e-mail
address to NYCSERV. You will need your confirmation number and the last 4
digits of your credit card. You may also call 1-888-357-8394. You'll need your
confirmation number and/or your name to process your telephone inquiry. Please
be sure to print out any transaction confirmation screens or E-mails and have
this information available.
Who do I call if my payment doesn't appear
on my credit card statement?
Call Official Payments Customer Service at 1-800-487-4567,
option 4.
How can I find out what taxes and fees I
can charge to a credit card with Official Payments Corp.?
For a complete list of the taxes and fees you can charge to a
credit card in your area, visit
www.officialpayments.com.
How can I check to see how my payment was
applied to my account?
You can search the NYCSERV system to see if your payment was
applied. Payments made prior to 5pm Eastern Time should post to your account
the next business day.
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