Several years ago, I wrote a story (now in my book Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation: Bite Back When Businesses and Scammers Do You Wrong) about how one father got so angry at a bank that wouldn’t believe his daughter when she said she made online bill payments that he contacted a congressman on a powerful bank-regulating committee.

I studied a ream of paperwork from the bank that showed his daughter didn’t make the online payment. But that didn’t matter. The powerful congressman made a phone call.

It worked.

That father is a one-in-a-million customer.

I guess I am, too.

Three weeks ago, I made a monthly online car payment through my bank. The other day, I got a bill from the car finance company saying I missed a payment.

I contacted my bank, where a customer service rep told me that there had been some problems last month with a few online bill payments. She put me through to a supervisor.

The supervisor from Bank of America showed me the utmost courtesy. He did not know I run this blog or that I may write about it. He asked if I had any proof.

I did.

I had a printout on a single sheet of paper showing that I had tried to make the payment on their website. I faxed him my evidence.

Today he called and told me he would try to write a letter explaining what happened in case I got a late payment or a knock on my credit score. I appreciate that.

I asked him how often this happens and he said hardly ever. In his several years at the bank, he said he could count on two hands the number of times it had happened that he knew about.

Then he said the magic words: “You’re the only one of them that had proof.”

Darn right. That’s what we preach over and over at Watchdog Nation. No, I don’t always do this, but in this case I did.

He also gave me advice that surprised me, and I know you want to hear this. He said that if I were really concerned about online bill payments going through, I should make sure I don’t use the online system between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. He said the system is being serviced and updated during those hours and the chances are greater (although still pretty slim) that there would be a snafu.

Better to pay bills online DURING THE DAYTIME than to run the risk at night.

Who knew?

I do because I’m that one-in-a-million customer.

And now that Watchdog Nation shares this tip with you, so are you.