Home Depot was one of my favorite stores, and I know I've done more than $10,000 worth of business with them. However, now I have such a sour taste in my mouth regarding Home Depot. I made a purchase costing $118 on their credit card (Only recently learned that the credit card is through Citibank) in January.
I've always paid my accounts off before the expiration of due date. However, for some reason or another, this one slipped by me and I completely forgot it.in late June I received a call from Home Depot Credit Card (Citibank) advising me that I owed something like $240. Of course I'm shocked and asked why would you guys allow anyone to go 6 months and not contact them. They advised that they did contact me but by email. Well, I advised the email must have gone to spam and all email that goes there automatically gets deleted. Now I realize that that's not their problem but I told the caller since you're calling me now, this means you've had my number all along and if only I had been called the 1st, 2nd, etc. Month, I would have absolutely and immediately taken care of this.
Nevertheless, while on the phone with the caller, I made the payment of $118 with no intentions of paying anything further but after being contacted about 4-5 times a day including Sundays and knowing that all fights are not worth fighting, I simply paid an additional $140 in July.in my mind, I knew this was more than enough.
NOT! I got a bill telling me that I owed $42.75. Immediately, I called the corporate office, at which time I was advised that Citibank was the ones the customers get credit through. I advised her all I know like many other customers, is that Home Depot is providing the credit. Afterall, their name and colors are all over the card. She transferred me to Home Depot Credit which is actually Citibank.
I was advised that the $42.75 including late fees. I advised that this couldn't be because I had already paid in June the initial purchase $118, although late, from January and then reluctantly paid $140 in July 26 which adding together is $260. I was told that a $35 late fee was charged to me on July 8 on a balance of $260. Again, I said, "WHAT?" That's not possible. According to Mr. Bernard Brown, Senior Supervisor out of the Florida office, they continue to charge late fees on anything not paid.
The Attorney General needs to intervene on big companies like the ones that are working in cohoots against the consumers and charging outrageous fees.
For the record, I will never shop at Home Depot or Citibank, and I will never pay this criminal charge of $42.75.
Cynthia
Detroit, MI
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