Well, I finally got my mail from the post office who had somehow missed the end date. I immediately went through all of the mail and read the remaining Christmas cards/letters and then the bills (ugh!). One such bill was from one of my credit card companies--Chase Freedom.
This is that credit card that used to have commercials where they'd yell, "Freedom!" and show people prancing about on the beach or engaging in other fun and costly pursuits. Yes, you're free to go do all of those things--buy now, pay later, blah, blah, blah.
Well, I've had this credit card for over a year now. I got one because my brother in law and his wife had one and they really liked getting the cash back. I liked that idea too. I have a Sony credit card that rewards me with points, but I thought it would be advantageous to start getting cash back instead.
I've had no problems until last night. Let me clarify this by saying, I've never contacted Chase Freedom credit card company before last night either. I always pay my balance in full (except for one month where I left a small balance which I paid off the next month) and I ALWAYS PAY ON TIME.
I noticed, while I was going through all of my mail, that the due date for this credit card was that very day. Realizing that even if I did my usual online bill pay option, it still would not post to the account until tomorrow at the earliest. Trying to a dutiful and responsible card holder, I contacted Chase to explain my vacation and mail hold problems and ask their advice on how to best pay the bill.
The first woman I talked to, whose name I can't pronounce and who probably lives in India given her extremely difficult accent, read me the lines that I'm sure popped up on her screen that told me that she would take my payment over the phone for a charge of $14.99. What? $14.99? Are you kidding me? This whole transaction won't cost the credit card company more than some pennies and I've NEVER been late on a payment EVER. I asked her if she could give me a waiver on the fee for processing given my perfect payment history. No, she couldn't. Okay, well, I wanted to talk to her supervisor then.
She was happy to transfer me to her supervisor--who did speak English perfectly. I again explained my situation and asked him if he could waive the fee. He informed me that he could not. I asked him why he couldn't (providing to him my perfect payment history) and he informed me that I knew when my credit card payment was due and I could've made plans while I was on vacation to pay it off. I told him that I didn't know the amount I owed because I didn't receive the invoice before I left. He didn't care. He said I could've easily found out and made other arrangements. I also reminded him that my due date was that very day that we were talking. Technically I wasn't late at all. BUT, since the payment wouldn't post until the 8th, it still cost me a fee.
****Sidenote--do any of you know off the top of your head when each and every one of your various bills are due each month 'cause I certainly don't. I should've said that to Mr. Accounts Supervisor.
I again stated that if I had received the invoice before I left town, I would've paid it, and the mail had not delivered to me as I had requested once I received the invoice, which was just a couple of hours ago, I was trying to get it paid.
Once again Mr. Accounts Supervisor was uncooperative. I requested to talk with his supervisor.
That is when he told me that he didn't have a supervisor--he was the accounts manager. To which I replied "You don't have a supervisor? Are you telling me that you run Chase Bank?" Well, no, he didn't run Chase Bank, but he didn't have a supervisor. I insisted again that he must have a supervisor to which he finally conceeded that his supervisor had gone home for the day. I then requested a voicemail, so I could leave a message about Mr. Accounts Manager. He said there was no voicemail, but he would leave a message for his supervisor to return my call within 24 hours. I told him that would be great.
I then told him that I would never refer his card to anyone else ever again. He then started to sound like a robot and asked me if I'd like to make a payment. To which I responded, "Yes, do I have any choice?" He then asked me how much I'd like to pay; I told him and then he started to chime in about the $14.99 fee associated with this. I cut him off and scathingly stated, "I KNOW HOW MUCH THE FEE IS." As if I had somehow forgotten the fee cost. Was that not the reason I called him in the first place?
I got his name after that and asked him if I was done. He replied that I was and then I hung up on him. Aaaaah, I wish that hanging up provided more satisfaction. You know, like the telephone would reach out and smack him across the face or something. I was a little angered by the whole situation in case you couldn't tell.
*** I also wanted to say that I once had a late payment problem with a previous credit card that I owned. I was in Spain and my mom was making the payments for me. I guess she forgot to pay one month on time and realized it a bit later. She called the credit card company up and explained the situation and they immediately forgave the late fee. As you can see, I have received no such kind service here.
