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valis2I'm back, and I'm waaay angry.
I have six credit cards, each with their own balance, from when I started the business. I've been working on them slowly for years. Well, last month I decided I would do a balance transfer to consolidate two of them together for a better interest rate. Card #1 has a 29.99% interest rate. Card #2 has a 13.99% interest rate, and balance transfer checks for a 5.99% rate. So I've been waiting for #2 to send me the monthly bill so I could pay it off. (I'm never late on my payments (maybe once in the last five years), and generally keep them all in the same place so I can pay them as they come in.)
I come home today, completely strung out from the road (yes, you're right about that, Bob Seger), totally worn out after 28 hours of driving, and with an appointment early tomorrow morning, and then four days of day job. I find the monthly bill for card #1. Yay! I shall transfer your balance, and never shall you bother my mailbox again! But wait...what's this? "Turned over to collection agency"? WHY?!!
Sure enough, I look through last month's checks, and realize that I never received a bill. (Yes, I do understand that it is my fault, it's their courtesy to provide a bill.) BUT WHO TURNS IT OVER TO A COLLECTION AGENCY FOR ONE MISSED FUCKING PAYMENT?!!!!!
So I find the balance transfer checks. They've expired YESTERDAY. I decide to do an electronic transfer over the phone. I call, and end up speaking to a service rep who is very difficult to hear and understand. I have some hearing damage, and I'm trying desperately to understand her, and I keep asking her to repeat herself, but it's no use. I can only make out every third word, and she's saying that an electronic transfer will take 7-10 days, and some other stuff that I just can't make out about lower interests and higher interests.
WTF?! When I send a check, it takes 3 days to get there and be cashed. It's going to take TEN days electronically?! I start to get very stressed out, and finally tell her to mail me some new balance transfer checks. She says something about connecting me and then HANGS UP ON ME.
@#$:OIU*(P%O:ITYPIOERHG:KLWRTHPO@#UI%Y!@OY$@@!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to go to bed NOW before I smash something. Seriously. I'm sleep-deprived, stressed, and completely going crazy that my credit is going to be affected by this jackass company.
I have six credit cards, each with their own balance, from when I started the business. I've been working on them slowly for years. Well, last month I decided I would do a balance transfer to consolidate two of them together for a better interest rate. Card #1 has a 29.99% interest rate. Card #2 has a 13.99% interest rate, and balance transfer checks for a 5.99% rate. So I've been waiting for #2 to send me the monthly bill so I could pay it off. (I'm never late on my payments (maybe once in the last five years), and generally keep them all in the same place so I can pay them as they come in.)
I come home today, completely strung out from the road (yes, you're right about that, Bob Seger), totally worn out after 28 hours of driving, and with an appointment early tomorrow morning, and then four days of day job. I find the monthly bill for card #1. Yay! I shall transfer your balance, and never shall you bother my mailbox again! But wait...what's this? "Turned over to collection agency"? WHY?!!
Sure enough, I look through last month's checks, and realize that I never received a bill. (Yes, I do understand that it is my fault, it's their courtesy to provide a bill.) BUT WHO TURNS IT OVER TO A COLLECTION AGENCY FOR ONE MISSED FUCKING PAYMENT?!!!!!
So I find the balance transfer checks. They've expired YESTERDAY. I decide to do an electronic transfer over the phone. I call, and end up speaking to a service rep who is very difficult to hear and understand. I have some hearing damage, and I'm trying desperately to understand her, and I keep asking her to repeat herself, but it's no use. I can only make out every third word, and she's saying that an electronic transfer will take 7-10 days, and some other stuff that I just can't make out about lower interests and higher interests.
WTF?! When I send a check, it takes 3 days to get there and be cashed. It's going to take TEN days electronically?! I start to get very stressed out, and finally tell her to mail me some new balance transfer checks. She says something about connecting me and then HANGS UP ON ME.
@#$:OIU*(P%O:ITYPIOERHG:KLWRTHPO@#UI%Y!@OY$@@!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to go to bed NOW before I smash something. Seriously. I'm sleep-deprived, stressed, and completely going crazy that my credit is going to be affected by this jackass company.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-06 12:08 pm (UTC)My only path right now is transferring to existing cards, and I was all set to do that with this card. I can't believe I lost a bill. I can't believe I lost *this particular bill*...especially when it's the LAST one I ever needed to pay for this card. My luck, as always, is crazy.
As for closing the cards, this card is already closed, as are two others. Only half of my cards are active. Up until this year (I charged the hotel for Lumos), I hadn't charged anything on any of them in over eight years, actually. After the original nightmare, I've really been scrupulous about keeping everything paid on time, and it's just been in the last six months that the active cards are finally raising my limits again. That's why I'm able to transfer a balance, finally.
I am definitely going to contact the credit card company. This is really freaking me out, a lot. I have a friend who didn't pay anything on a credit card and wasn't contacted until a year had passed. I'm still completely confused about where the bill went.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-06 07:16 pm (UTC)One other suggestion: You may want to just pay your cc bills online rather than sending the bills in the mail. I've had instances myself where the mailpeople dropped the ball and delivered bills to my next door neighbors. It can be sooo unreliable. If you pay them online, most cc companies will send you an automated e-mail reminder of when it's due.
I wouldn't worry about the bill going to collections. I think someone over there jumped the gun, and you should be able to resolve their mistake since you have an established history of paying all your bills on time. If it were me, I'd call and write them as sending a letter is a way to collect data incase this becomes a hassle. Also emphasis in your letter that you do not want this incident to go on your credit history. And make sure they state that it will not effect you creditwise.
I totally can sympathize with what you're going through. Just know that this kind of crap happens all the time to other people - so you're not alone. It's a matter of learning how to play hardball with em until you get all your bills paid off. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-06 08:48 pm (UTC)I found the bill. It was right where I left it, in an insane place that I never keep bills. *giant sigh* Sometimes I'm just too distracted. This has been a helluva month.
I've sent in what was listed as due on the new statement, and as soon as I receive my transfer checks, I'll be sending over the balance. It'll be a great relief to get rid of that card, definitely.