Twelve days after making a substantial payment of $2800.00 to Aspire Visa, prior to leaving for a birthday dinner for my daughter and her family, that we were planning on paying for, my wife and me called the toll free computer screening network Aspire has.
The purpose for this call was to verify that our large payment had in fact been posted to our account. We had been through this before, when to our horror we found that we had no available credit after a $3000.00 payment to Aspire.
The service rep. Told us then that Aspire holds large payments for ten days before posting them. We didn't recall seeing such a stipulation in our original contract agreement. Less than an hour before my daughters dinner party Aspire through their own computer system told me that my available credit was about $2500.00. (by the way both these large payments were in the form of cashiers checks from our bank)
Before arriving at dinner my wife and me stopped at a clothing store to by her a coat to match her outfit, moments after verifying my available credit. Our credit was refused at the check-out counter to our embarassment.
After leaving the store we were very concerned, although we agreed that the stores credit card system may be at fault. Again we call Aspire's toll free number, this time from our cell phone which is not cheap. Again we are told via the magic computer voice that we have $2500.00 available credit.
So I continue pushing the buttons and listening to endless computer voices until I actually get to talk with a living person named Michelle. Michelle begins announcing the companies policies about holding back large payments for ten days. I tell Michelle that we were aware of these policies from a prior horror story associated with Aspire Visa. And that according to their own computer that we had now listened to twice in the last hour, our payment was received on the 30th. Of January.
It is now the 11th. Of Feb. 2003 past the magical 10 days she had just spouted. When I asked to speak with her supervisor, (you guessed it! We were hung up on). Again I recall Aspire on my cell phone, this time ther was a change. Within seconds of Michelle hanging up on me their computer now said that my available credi was $24.00. Gee, what a coincidence!
Its clear that Aspire Visa is all about exploiting people who are desperate for a credit card, or are trying to reastablish credit. Their policies are geared to discourage excellent payment records by it's customers. They make much more money on those that have less than stellar payment records.
This exploitation goes well beyond any ethical standards, and possibly beyond legal standards. My wife and me are now going to register our story with governmental agencies.
Our hope is for some sanctions against Aspire Visa for its outrageous, if not illegal practices. My daughters birhtday party? She was forced to pay for it. We plan on paying her back.
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