This company has made my life miserable. My credit limit with Speigel was $1,900.00. My trouble with this company started on June 29 when I called and made a partial payment of $75.00, I owed $110.00, my payment was for June and July, so I was late for the payment in June which there was a $35.00 late charge posted to my account.
I went into the hospital on July 3, when I came home I called Card Porcessing Center and told them that I still owe $35.00 and that I probably owed another late fee... I did not want this to go into problems. The gentleman I spoke to said "no" that I did not owe any late charges and all I owed was the $35.00. I paid that on July 20. I never recieved a statement showing either payment.
I was very sick during the time period of July to February and since have gone on disablity. I did not recieve a bill for the July 22 to August 22 billing period, or for billing period September 22 to October 19.
I did get a phone call on September 22 and was told that I was behind in my payment by $168.00 I made a payment of that amount - reference # P925000LS00XTMKFG and I was charged an $8.00 direct check fee.
The next billing I recieved was for closing date October 20 where it stated I had a minimum payment of $208.11 due and that my past due amount was $22.00 and here again I was charged a late fee of $35.00 as well as an over the limit charge of $35.00. I called the card processing center and was never given a clear reason as to why I owed this. At this point I was so sick I really I didn't care. I did not make a payment in the month of October or November.
I can not tell you the exact date, but I wrote a letter to Card Processing center asking for their help in getting my account squared away I never recieved any answer from them.
I made a payment on December 21 for the amount of $75.00.By Janaury 2005 I was in the hole by $414.76 with no explaination as to why. The only thing I had to show was a bill saying I had a minimum payment of $414.76 and that I had a past due amount of $60.00. I made a payment of $75.00 on February 4 and again was charged a late fee and an over the limit fee. I believe I made a payment in January in the amount of $115.00 I am waiting for the copy of the check.
March 7, I made a payment of $75.00 April 7 - $70.00 and May 3 - $70.00, and June I made a payment of $70.00 so that I could be set up in a program to get my payments caught up. I made all the payments on time. Yet I am still being charged late fees.
Then I recieved a phone call (for some reason maybe someone felt sorry for me) that my next payment was due on the 13th of the month not the 15th when I had been told before and that my payment was now $145.00!!! I made this payment on July 12 in the amount of $153.00, additional $8.00 to cover the debit because I made the payment over the phone, only to be charged the $8.00 agian on the statement. I got charged
another $35.00 for the over the limit fee.
In June I called to request a print out of my payments, I was told that I had to send a written request, which I did, only to recieve back a letter stating there is a fee required to get this print out.
I am so frustrated with this company believe it or not I am at a lose for words... It seems no matter what I do I can not get ahead. The new billing says my minimum payment for August is $494.35 Every time I call to make a payment I am hit with "well you know Mrs. D you owe XX amount of dollars in past payments" and everytime I have to tell them I am enrolled in a speical program... Special program my butt, this program is so they can charge me more fees.
I figured it out, since June I have given this company almost $1000.00 yet my balance has still not gone down. I do not know how I am going to make my payment in August because I just do not have it. I was approved for Social Security Disability and if anyone knows anything about the government they don't approve just anybody for SS. So that should tell someone that I am really very sick. Also collecting SS is not a gold mine, it doesn't even meet what I need to live on... So I just don't know anymore.
My first mistake was getting involved with this company, my second mistake was allowing myself to get behind in my payments, and my third mistake is not keeping better records!!!
I really have no one to blame but myself... I have tried to meet my obligations yet every corner I get to they throw something new at me. I am not even sure why I am writing this letter, maybe to warn someone else. This company is on just this side of the law to be legal... To me they are a credit card loan shark, who have broke my knuckles and my knee caps and I have no more to give.
Wilhelmina
Fresno, California
U.S.A.
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