A method of collecting a payment from a postage meter customer having a
past due account including receiving a service request from the postage
meter, requesting that the customer provide credit card information
through the postage meter for purposes of charging the payment, and
performing the service if the customer provides the credit card
information, and denying the service if the customer does not provide the
credit card information. Also, a method of updating payment method
information for a customer including receiving a request from the postage
meter for a postage refill to be charged to default credit card,
attempting to charge payment for the refill to default credit card and
determined that the charge has been rejected, receiving new credit card
information from the postage meter and thereafter providing the postage
refill and storing the new credit card information for use in the future
trasactions.