I have had the star card for over two years. I have enjoyed the terms and great credit offers and great but far between purchases, until I was sent to training for 4 months.
Well, we all know the military is notorious for pay issues and I didnt get paid for 2 months. I had savings but not enough to cover the entire deficit. I called three creditors, supported the issue with a copy of my orders and a letter from my Chain Of Command, everyone was very cooperative. Accept for Star card and the unethical business practices of Exchange Credit Service struck a blinding strike. They filed a garnishment and filed a late pay on my credit. I called them when I found out what they were doing. I was supposed to pay $110 per month but by the third month I they compounded the deduction by 10 fold $110 first month, 110 for the second plus 110 for the second and 220 added again from the first month; already by the second month I was behind $440.00. On the third month I was behind by 110 from the first month 110 from the second... Right? Wrong! They have garnished 110 first month 110 second month and a tripled compound deduction of a whopping total of $1320!! WTH... And to make it worse, they took $1000.00 out of my check. I called them and because the have military officers I still have to be respectful, any other credit service I would cruse the SOB out.
Well thankfully for my wifes job I paid the remaining amount to make ECS whole. Well I thought it was over, right? Wrong. They get payment from garnishments at the end of the month. I assumed that it would be credited on the first of the next month... Wrong!!! Now, this is the third month I paid the 320 from my account to get current with the 1000.00 garnishment. Guess what they dont have to apply payment till the 25th of the month! What the $^#@$ any other credit company would have their butt sued if they held payment. So now month 4, I paid the full amount and plus some, but now on my next LES mid month it showed a payment but ECS hit me again, some how in 4 months I owe a staggering 1800 plus now and no reason why. My wife called as was not as nice as I have to be. ECS agreed to stop the deduction; I thought it was finally over. Nope they garnishment is still on my pay after all is said and done. I have paid the card off but still have a garnishment of 550 coming out of my next pay. The supervisors at ECS states that upon recite I can just use my cared to get the balance to zero or they can send me a check in 60 day after the accounts close with a zero balance. To add other damages I have 7,30 days late, 4,60 late and 2,90 late. How I dont know. I was late 30 days once and paid by cash on the 53rd day of the cycle to prevent any further damage. It has taken my score from 730 to 595.
ECS is like the Mobsters, they dont care; they will take all of your month if wrong or if your right and they don't adhere to the fair credit reporting act. They are unethical, bad business practices and if you ever have a problem count on them to screw you.
I am meeting a attorney Tuesday the 18th, if I can I will sue the $*#%& for damages of my credit, not accounting for my payments until the next billing cycle, not applying it upon recite and finally interest charges and penalties. I will keep all you informed and up dated. If I can change what they are doing I will. All I ask of them is to be fair... Nothing else but taking over $4300.00 in 10 months for a service member that has a legitimate pay issue from the service is just plain wrong.
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