Lots of merchants are pushing ACH.
I am worried that it seems like anyone can authorize a payment with my routing number and account number which is on every check I've ever given out.<p>Also my bank says ACH transactions essentially stay authorized until they are explicitly stopped in writing. Which if I understand right means these vendors can make future withdrawals.
I agree that there are quirks of the ACH system. Thankfully banks are very risk averse and do thorough vetting before allowing merchants to initiate debits. As a consumer you have a 60 day window to initiate a return, this can be done by reaching out to your bank. Returns are a first class entry in the ACH world, so much so that they are the reason a lot of merchants don’t like ACH.