I attempted to make a payment online, but the website was down on 10/14/06. So I called to make a payment online. The first attempt disconnected me after the automated system started. So I called again, and this time it kept saying, please wait repeatedly, then said there was an error. I waited a little while and tried the website again; still down. I then called again, similar problems, but then "Carlton" finally answered. He said that their system was down, and that I should try again in an hour. I said that if I wait another hour, it would be considered late, and Carlton said that they would remove any late fee, so it wasn't a problem. Carlton had said that they could not document 'anything' since the system was down, so I asked again if the late fee was going to be a problem since he couldn't document the fact that I had called, and again he said it wouldn't be a problem.
I had never been late with a payment to this bank, and the only reason I had waited until the last day was that this particular bill had fallen in between my kitchen counter and trash can, and saw it when I took the trash out.
I attempted to call back about 45 minutes later, but the phone system and website was still down, and I had to catch a red-eye flight to DC, so I paid the bill using my bank's online bill pay (which would not post until the following Monday).
I found out this morning (10/18/06) that the bill was paid, but they assessed a $39 late fee. I called and told 'Mary' the situation, but she told me the late fee was valid and that it would not be removed. She then told me that there had not been any down time, and that I had not called, or else it would have been entered into their system.
Of course, it had not been entered into their system, as Carlton had explained to me it was down when I called. She then told me that the system had not been down, nor had the website. Carlton had explained to me that they were having 'all kinds of problems' including the web server being down. It was difficult to understand Mary, since her English was not the best, so I asked to speak with a Manager, after which she told me that she was the manager. So I said to her that I was not lying, how could I make something like that up? I had never been late before, and I was telling the truth. She then said that 'Sir, the system was never down, so..." So what, I am a liar? She said she did not say that, and that she was not going to remove the late fee because the system wasn't down, and that if I had attempted to pay, it would be in their system.
So I am going to move the entire balance on this card to another credit card and not pay them any more interest.
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