Anyone else having issues with the iTunes/App Store and billing?

[Anti]

This has been going on for two months now. I emailed iTunes support, and they told me that essentially, this is my bank's problem, not theirs, and I would simply be relegated to using only Gift cards from now on, which is unacceptable to me. Anyway, here's what happened.

I have a credit card dedicated to online purchases. This card is via USAA, and up until December, had not been acting up since my iPhone 5 and MacBook Pro were already authenticated, so iTunes never threw up any problems making purchases.

Then, the hard drive in my MacBook Pro tanked, and I needed to re-verify it. No problem, I just need the security code, right? Wrong. Now, iTunes was forcing me to select a title for myself (Mr. or Dr.), which I thought nothing of until iTunes kept throwing up an error that the information provided didn't match the records of the bank. I double checked my information, and nothing was wrong. USAA said nothing was going on with the card, either.

Just to check, I made a payment to my Sprint account and ordered a case off of Apple's website. Both went through just fine. I could even add a card to my Apple ID via Apple's website. And I did...until iTunes presented that pesky error again because it was forcing me to identify myself as a Mr. This creates problems because to some banks it doesn't matter, but to USAA, "Mr. Anti" and "Anti" are two completely separate things. Thus begun me contacting Apple, and them trying to convince me my information was wrong (and me telling them, multiple times, that I was able to make purchases with the exact same info even on Apple's website, and that it was that pesky "title" field that was stopping me every time), and they told me that I simply was not able to use credit or debit cards on that account, and that I should use gift cards.

I'm not sure if I'm the only one running into this problem, but it is essentially ensuring that I can't give Apple my money, as this is the only way I have of making any purchase over the internet. It strikes me as ridiculous.

If anyone has any advice for getting over this hurdle, I'm all ears. As it stands right now, I can't purchase *anything*. Thanks in advance.

[NaOH]

I wonder if it would help to deauthorize that Mac then reauthorize it.

[Anti]

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH I wonder if it would help to deauthorize that Mac then reauthorize it.

Tried it. No dice, sadly.

Thing is, the card IS appearing under my account perfectly fine if I add it to my Apple ID on apple.com. I just get stuck at the verification because I'm accessing my account "from a new device", and that's where it won't let me past without selecting a title (that is obviously wrong).

[NaOH]

I'll give this a little more time to see if I or anyone else has some ideas. If nothing comes up, I'll make an app purchase since I also have a USAA credit card. I can't remember the last time I paid for an app, at least a year ago.

For now, you said you got everything set up just fine on the Apple site. Do you still get the issue if you logout/in of your iTunes Store account then attempt a purchase in iTunes on the Mac or on an iOS device?

[Anti]

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH I'll give this a little more time to see if I or anyone else has some ideas. If nothing comes up, I'll make an app purchase since I also have a USAA credit card. I can't remember the last time I paid for an app, at least a year ago. For now, you said you got everything set up just fine on the Apple site. Do you still get the issue if you logout/in of your iTunes Store account then attempt a purchase in iTunes on the Mac or on an iOS device?

Yep. It seems to start going through, then I get a nice "You need to verify your account to make purchases..." dialog box. Furthermore, I can still buy stuff on the Apple Store with the very same card. Works fine.

FWIW, my mom has two other USAA cards (one debit and one credit) and she can't get either of those to work, either.

[NaOH]

Similarly, I just looked at my father's email for iTunes receipts, and there have been a number of purchases in his house in the last few months, including the last few days. I believe the purchases are on a USAA credit card, but I'll need to confirm.

[Anti]

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH Similarly, I just looked at my father's email for iTunes receipts, and there have been a number of purchases in his house in the last few months, including the last few days. I believe the purchases are on a USAA credit card, but I'll need to confirm.

Maybe it IS isolated to me. It WAS working just fine, until my iPhone 5 triggered a re-verification of my account. That's where I ran into trouble. Because trying to re-verify without a title won't work, but re-verifying with a title causes USAA to say it's invalid.

[NaOH]

Spoke to my father, and his iTunes purchases were made using USAA credit cards. Perhaps more relevant to your situation is that I know he's received new cards recently due to USAA replacing them over concerns of identity theft, so adding them to his iTunes account hasn't been a problem.

[Anti]

Maybe I just need to get on the phone with USAA again and see what's going on. They've sworn on their life the last couple of times that the problem lies with iTunes, not themselves. That, or find a way to somehow dedicate an account to iTunes purchases. But seeing as it's becoming increasingly difficult to get a free bank account outside of USAA...might be a bit difficult. Maybe a prepaid debit card or something.