On 11 March I received a message on my answering machine which in essence said: "... This is not a sales call. We have important information regarding your account. Please call 1-800..."
I called the number and was told that I owed $79.04 that was overdue. They couldn't tell me initially what I had purchased, so I accessed their web page and paid the bill immediately. I then called them back and learned that the $79.04 resulted from an initial 31.75 purchase for a TurboTax program in November (increased interest rate and accumulated monthly late charges).
This phone call was the first notification I received from them! They (CitiBank) said they e-mailed me and called previously, but my computer had been down since December (virus infestation required complete hard drive reforatting). I asked them why they didn't write a letter or phone. I just get the run-around when I talk to CitiBank's customer service reps.
Yesterday, I received five statements reflecting the initial purchase and additional interest and fees. Why didn't they send the first one as a remeinder? I was in North Carolina part of December at my daughter's wedding, but my neighbor picked up my mail, and there was nothing from CitiBank.
I feel that CitiBank is required to ensure that they notify the cardholder before notifying the credit bureau and ruining someone's credit. It is ludicrous to think that someone is going to ignore a bill if he or she is aware of it. I feel that CitiBank's practices are unethical and abusive, at least in my case.
I have submitted another letter to them requesting case review and clearing of my credit record (it has been impeccable until now). If I don't get satisfaction, what should be my next move?
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