I have been a Chase Visa Card member since 1995, having the same credit card account for almost 13 years now. I have good credit and see to it that all my bills are paid on time every month. My Payment Due Date on this credit card has always been on the 29th of the month. I do not receive paper statements, I pay this account on-line on the 25th of the month to ensure that payment is received in plenty of time.
Chase mails promotional checks every month that offer low fixed APRs. On December 18th, after reading all the fine print, I used one of these promotional checks that offered a 1.99% fixed APR, good until September. I was aware that the low APR would be revoked if I was late with one payment. Therefore, as an extra precaution I programmed my computer and my cell phone to remind me every month on the 25th to pay this bill, which I successfully did every month.
As usual, on April 25th I went on-line and made my monthly payment, only to find there was a $39.00 late charge on my account. My jaw dropped, I thought What the h*? I immediately called Chase to find out what was going on. The gentleman told me that my Payment Due Date had been changed, I pleaded my case and he agreed to reverse the late charge and change my Payment Due Date back to the 29th.
After I got off the phone I printed out my on-line April statement (which I normally never do).
A single digit (a 4 in place of a 9) was changed in the Payment Due Date column (hence making the due date 4/24/08 instead of 4/29/08). I did not receive any prior warning or notification that my Payment Due Date was subject to being changed or had been changed.
I was totally floored by this unethical tactic and had no way of foreseeing that this was something I should be on the look-out for (especially after 12 years). Im 48 years old, have had many bills and payments in that time, but never experienced (or heard of) a company changing the payment due date.in my experience, anytime the terms of a financial obligation were being changed for some particular reason, I have received a letter of notification prior to the change taking place. Chase did NOT send me any letter or e-mail of notification. They gladly send tons of junk mail and promotional teasers to get people indebted to them, but they couldnt bother to send me some type of notification, which was of great importance, regarding changes they were making to my account! Is this even legal??? Dont consumers have a right to be notified?
Suspecting this underhanded switch-a-roo was done in an effort to screw me, the next business day (4/28) I called Chase again to find out if my promotional APR was going to remain in effect. The gentleman smugly informed me that NO, your 1.99% APR will be revoked as soon as this billing cycle closes! I argued the injustice of this and he basically told me Too bad, nothing we can do. He went on to inform me that my only option was to call back after the billing cycle closed (May 9th) and see if someone could help me then. I persisted that I wanted to get this resolved now but he just stone walled me and kept reiterating that I would have to call back after May 9th.
April 29th, I called Chase again, this time asking to speak to a manager. I spoke to someone named Joey who said he was a Customer Service Manager. After explaining my issue, he transferred me to Joan Pakrovsky in the Promotional APR Department. Joan just kept repeating there is nothing we can do now, call back after your APR is reset (to a much higher interest rate) in the new billing cycle and see if someone can help you then!
In my opinion, this is an intentional, slimy, unscrupulous scheme Chase has concocted to generate more money. They have no regard for their customers. If and when I get out of this mess (which may potentially cost me thousands of dollars in interest) I will never do business with Chase again!
Mad as h, not gonna take it anymore
Tampa, Florida
U.S.A.
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