Another Credit Card Debacle

[Chris Meadors]

If anyone needs the number to CitiUsa Credit Monitoring, its 866.311.6742. The website is
www.creditmonitoring.citi.com
I just called them and they lowered my monthly payment to $6.95. If anyone needs more help, email me at [e-mail]

[Linda]

I thought I was the only one experiencing this problem.

I had Never! had problems making online payments to Sears until after Citibank was in charge.

Historically I have always made payments to all of the accounts from the same checking account for years. This time it was different.

The problem is that Citibank KNOWS that my Primary Checking Account is valid. It's on their main record I am sure. I was able to make on-line payments to my SearsCard and my Sears MC, but citibank refused payment on my Sears ChargePLUS - from the same checking acount! I had to wait about 7 days to be recognized as valid. That's wierd. Because their In-House Collections accepted it over the phone, from the Same Checking Account, but yet it was refused and treated as invalid on-line. Isn't that counted as refusal of payment? Does that mean that the REFUSAL OF PAYMENT is a way for Citibank to make much more money by charging about $15.00 for payment by phone, or looking forward to the late on-line payment so they can charge a late $29.00 fee even though one tried to pay?

I'm not mad at anyone, by the style I'm writing, I'm just mad at Citibank.

I hope they resolve their internal problems and stop the fragmentating the customer's accounts and allow their checking to be accepted, as valid, across the board for all of their Sears accounts instead of just one or two. Citibank is a Huge Profitable Company. And I'm sure that they had my checking account, On Record, as valid period. This looks like a game they are playing.

I've paid horrible late fees, and like you I accidently overlooked it. I wonder if they did a market study on how much more money they can make by doing this to their customers. Especially to forgetful babyboomers like me.

BTW - Other cards I have, other than Citibank, they have never required that I requalify any checking account as valid. They're just happy to get the money from their valid customer willing to pay his or her bill.

Linda

J Steever wrote:

While looking for the url for the Sears Card I came across this site. I too have had a most disapointing experience with this card. I agree to open an account in Dec. 05 while purchasing $85.00 of clothing at the local retailer to receive a $15.00 discount on the purchase.
When the bill arrived in Jan. 06 I tried to pay online but, after filling out the application, it stated that it would take a week to authorize online payments. I forgot to follow up and make the payment.
In Feb. I received the bill with a $26.95 late charge. I paid the invoice and closed the account Mar.14 In Apr I received a bill for $9.95 for CITIUSA credit moniter. Since the account was closed and I hadn't authorized this service I thought it to be a mistake and ignored it. BIG MISTAKE. I now have, due June 23 a bill for $26.53.
After discussing it with the represenative and her supervisor I was informed that in addition to this payment I would also have another charge next month for interest on this balance. The represenative was difficult to understand having a heavy East Indian accent. The supervisor had a heavy minority American accent and an attitude. This is on a card cancled in mid March.
NEVER AGAIN will I agree to one of these come on's. I knew better this time but did it anyway/.

[N K K]

I work for a debt management company and many of the unsecured debt on the program is Sears credit cards.Many came on the progran with $2900.00 of debt and after 3 or 4 years on the program, may are getting late fees and out of a $97.00 per month payment,(which was 3% and the proposal was accepted) we only pay $9.00 to the principal. How can that be legal. 30,000.00 have the same problem. No matter how much they owe or pay the principal NEVER seems to go down. What is wrong with this picture? Every other credit card on all these programs drop, except for sears. Somthing drastic needs to be done to these snakes.

[N K K]

Some of these credit card companies make way tooooooo much on the backs of the unemployed and barely scraping by working people in the country. Sears needs a wake up call

[Catheryn Wilson]

Robert Mills wrote:

I am a class action lawyer investigating improper credit card billng practices. I would like to speak to anyone who has had a CITIUSA credit monitor bill attached to their monthly credit card bill. Contact information at millslawfirm.com .

I have noticed a $12.95 monthly charge on my husband's capital one credit card from CITIUSA Credit monitor. I can not even find a good website for this company in which to cancel this supposed subscription, and he never mentioned signing up for anything like that.

[chung picon wang]

do not worry about any debacles.the u.s will issue a new currency to alleviate those holding too much money in their wallets..for every one hundred dollars a new dollar bill will be issued...so do not worry too much about your savings or income tax.

[Bryan Garey]

I had the same problem, but I called them back again and I asked a couple of questions. I asked them first of all to close the account and then I asked for a settlement acount which they gave me like 2% off. Anyway after further questioning they said the only way to cut the interest rate was to use a CC agency so after some research I found on that would take just the sears card and I got an interest rate of 9% instead of the 28.99%.
To be honest I almost lost my cool the other day at K-Mart, they where putting the pressure on all customers to sign up for the Sears card. Most people who fall for it will be sorry. I will never use CITI bank for anything that I have control over.

Dave wrote:

Just today I called the 800 number on my Sears Card statement to ask that they lower the high interest rate on my account. I've had a Sears credit card for probably 20 years now. A few years ago, I got a divorce and was behind on payments for a few months. For the last 3+ years I have paid before due date and more than the minimum. They told me "that is the prime rate and the sears rate. It cannot be lowered". I'm paying 28.99% which is prime plus 20.74%!!!!! This is close to criminal. Time to pay this off ASAP.

[LM in SA]

I just cancelled my Sears Card after a complete debacle. After allegedly being late by a day on my Sears Card, they raised my interest rate to 32.24%. I paid the card off in full, more than a $12,000 balance. Then today I get a nice little additional bill for another $200+ in finance charges. Fortunately for them, they waived it. Stay away from Sears Credit Cards. Somewhere there has to be an attorney general to take this on. It is absolutely ridiculous and ludicrous. There supervisors have no power to adjust interest rates based on circumstances. I had to wait four weeks for someone in the accounting department in Nevada to decide that my interest rate would not be going down. I will not do business with Sears again. Too bad I like their tools... but not when they're giving me the shaft.

[Robert Childers]

I have had sears credit cards for over 30 years. Last year they talked me into the "wonderfull sears gold mastercard" i have never been late on a paymentin the 30 years untell now. They changed my due date without any mention. I was one day late in 30 years and was charged 39.00 late fee.It will never happen again. I paid off and cancelled that account. We will not be buying anything from anymore.

[laurie nero]

Robert Mills wrote:

I am a class action lawyer investigating improper credit card billng practices. I would like to speak to anyone who has had a CITIUSA credit monitor bill attached to their monthly credit card bill. Contact information at millslawfirm.com .

hi, i have had a sears credit card for many,many years. i had no charges on my card since around 2002. so when i tried to use my sears credit card in christmas 2005 i was told it was invalid because i hadn't used it in so very long. but, the cashier made a few phone calls

[Brown Sugar]

Robert Childers wrote:

I have had sears credit cards for over 30 years. Last year they talked me into the "wonderfull sears gold mastercard" i have never been late on a paymentin the 30 years untell now. They changed my due date without any mention. I was one day late in 30 years and was charged 39.00 late fee.It will never happen again. I paid off and cancelled that account. We will not be buying anything from anymore.

I have noticed that Discover and Chase Visa both have gotten somewhat slippery about cycles and due dates, likely intended to trip us up. I pay my outstanding balance in full every month. Both of these outfits have been put on notice that the first time they put one of those late charges, or any other charge, interest or otherwise, on one of my cards, that card account will be closed forthwith.

[Willby]

I was looking for creidt card with frequent flyer miles at http://www.requestcredit.com/CitiBank-856033-... I found CitiPremier Pass Mastercard with unlimited companion travel, no anuual fee etc.

[miranda]

I work for this company in the credit card division. My suggestion is to read your terms and conditions of the card before using it, everything is spelled out. Please stop complaining for your failure to understand what you agree to.

[Bernd Suess]

Hi Mr. Mills:
I saw your msg and thought I write explain my problem w/ CitiGroup, which handles the Sears Gold Master Card.
On 3/24/06 I purchased merchandise for $63.92 & ws offered a crd which wd save me $15. How I regret this decision! I provided all of my info to open the acc't to the Sears employee. Never rcvd a stmt until I got a call on 7/27 frm a collector for Citigroup (the first of dozens more). He demanded pmt in full, at first wd nt listen to my side of the story. He never tried to ascertain the prob. I figured out they had a wrong address. They agreed to reverse two charges & interst and send me copies of past (3) stmts. They demanded pmt over the phn immediately to settle the acc't. I felt uncomfortable giving my bank info to someone I speak with for the 1st time & asked if they couldn't send me the stmts w/in 10 days and I wd mk my pmt upon rcpt. The stmts never came, except for the collection calls. The reversal was never made. W/out my knowledge the req for the reversal had bn denied. I sent a dispute ltr on 10/21/06. A wk later the calls stopped. I was hopeful they had accepted my dispute and ruled in my favor. Early Nov the calls started again. No one wd listen to my case. Even though I had made the pmt to cover the original purchase, they told me it wd be my responsibility to mk pmt even in the absence of a stmt. I never rcvd a resolution ltr. On 12/2/06 I sent another letter w/ return rcpt. This time, on 12/19 I did rcv the card back and a ltr inviting me to call to provide more info. I called on 12/23/06 to ask what info they ndd. Could only spk to the collection dept. They demanded pmt again. Only upon me asking I was told tht the dispute had bn denied since I declined to mk pmt on 7/27 over the phn. I was referred to the terms of the agrmnt of which I never rcvd a copy, not at time of purchase, nor any time thereafter (since they had a wrong address). Now the acct is charged off, I am threatened w/ legal action, and my credit is negatively influenced.
Please respond to me at "[e-mail]" if you can give me any advice or guidance.
Thank you,
Bernd Sues

Robert Mills wrote:

I am a class action lawyer investigating improper credit card billng practices. I would like to speak to anyone who has had a CITIUSA credit monitor bill attached to their monthly credit card bill. Contact information at millslawfirm.com .

[Grace Period Change]

Guess the 25% APR on the Sears (Citibank) Credit card isn't making enough money for the greedy owners. Now they have shortened the no-interest grace period. I received my bill yesterday and it is due in five days! If you're like me and always pay the balance in full to avoid interest, you'd better check you due date this month.

[mike]

Same exact thing happened to me but I swore I paid it online except the last 2 months I would try to log on it would say website temporarly down, I get routed to antoher site but is a citi card site, not sears. When I somehow finally get on the website is super slow over a minute just to log on and to also select links on their page. I dont know if I timed out during the payment but they never got it. I had 8.99 intrest and because I was 10 days late it went to 33 intrest and my payment almost tripled. So I called them was transferred to 6 different people all cant help so I deceided not to pay at all. Before I never missed or had a late payment before that.

LM in SA wrote:

I just cancelled my Sears Card after a complete debacle. After allegedly being late by a day on my Sears Card, they raised my interest rate to 32.24%. I paid the card off in full, more than a $12,000 balance. Then today I get a nice little additional bill for another $200+ in finance charges. Fortunately for them, they waived it. Stay away from Sears Credit Cards. Somewhere there has to be an attorney general to take this on. It is absolutely ridiculous and ludicrous. There supervisors have no power to adjust interest rates based on circumstances. I had to wait four weeks for someone in the accounting department in Nevada to decide that my interest rate would not be going down. I will not do business with Sears again. Too bad I like their tools... but not when they're giving me the shaft.

[mike]

I personally had my sears card for 10 years and you know every 6 months they change something in their terms but who ever reads that legal stuff, I cant understand it and who says I even received it. As far as Im concerned the time I sign up for the card is the time to read all the terms not months or years later. If they can change the terms then I can change my terms by not paying!!!!!!!!

miranda wrote:

I work for this company in the credit card division. My suggestion is to read your terms and conditions of the card before using it, everything is spelled out. Please stop complaining for your failure to understand what you agree to.

[i dont know]

Its a CREDIT CARD! If people don't have the cash to purchase, DON'T purchase. Unless people fell off a turnip truck(hee-hee) on Tuesday, you know credit cards are evil designed to suck you into debt thus creating many more problems. Quit bitchen' and get to reading the fine print on all Terms of Service and Privacy Policies. You just might be surprised at what you find written in there. Peace my consumption luving friends.

[don]

Robert Mills wrote:

I am a class action lawyer investigating improper credit card billng practices. I would like to speak to anyone who has had a CITIUSA credit monitor bill attached to their monthly credit card bill. Contact information at millslawfirm.com .

I called citibank and asked how much to pay off my credit card bill, they gave me a cost and I paid it off that day. I am still getting bills with residual interest.

[the realist]

thank the republican congress for the pro credit card bill, and the anti-consumer legislation. Members of the democrat party helped out also.