Summary of events:
1) Obtained a Chase credit card in 1998. It was not a rewards card when they issued it, but these scam artists changed it to a rewards card and applied a $29.00 program fee WITHOUT my knowledge or consent!
2) Stopped using this card in 2003 and have had a zero balance for THREE years.
3) Upon contacting them for an explanation in July I was told they sent me the notification of the card being changing to a rewards card in May of and since I did not refuse I was switched over! OHH, so these con artists actually think everyone opens and reads all the garbage they send, even when you haven't had a card balance in TWO YEARS. Apparently these white collar criminals know how to game the system in their favor, and realize they have litte to fear from a pro-business republican administration.
4) For some inexplicable reason I opened up the Chase correspondence in July and much to my amazement I noticed this bogus $29 balance.
5) 99 percent of the time I simply rip up this crap to make sure the blank checks they keep on sending are destroyed, particularly when it comes from a card I haven't used in years.
6) They informed me the $29.00 charge was due to the fact this card magically morphed into a "rewards card". This $29.00 fee was the annual charge for the new format. It was not a rewards card when I obtained it. The chase representative claimed I got a notice in May informing me of the change, and apparently I accepted the new card (and fee) by default. What a crock.
7) Fortunately I caught the problem before I defaulted on the payment, which was due by July 29. I instructed them where they could insert their cards before cancelling it. I was then transferred to the dispute department and had the bogus $29.00 charge negated.
8) If I had missed the payment date (for a unauthorized charge) this would have been the first (and only) late payment blemish in my entire credit history dating back over 25 years.
Needless to mention I believe any contract changes which implement an annual fee obgligate the bank to obtain a signature authorization/acknowledgement. How can someone be bumped to a new card with an annual fee card without their consent!
9) The most perverse aspect of this scam is the fact that 2 years ago I applied for an actual Chase rewards card and that card DOES NOT HAVE A FEE!
THIS IS FRAUD and abused consumers would be inclined to think it is ideally suited for class action remedy, but there is little doubt the 20 pages of fine print that accompanies every credit card nowadays mandates "arbitration" and prevents their victims from obtaining justice through the court system. Anyone familiar with these scenarios realizes this fact.in other words: big business has a blank check to screw and abuse their customers by simply introducing an arbitration clause.
Gregg
Ogden Dunes, Indiana
U.S.A.
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