Sears - Citibank
Paid-Off Store Card Sent to Collections for $900 Balance

I had my Sears charge and Sears Plus charge for over 10 years. I closed the Sears Plus about 2 years ago. Last December I paid off the remaining balance on my Sears card and requested that the account be closed. I had always paid at the store with cash (not anymore), because I never had a dispute, and silly me thought that the receipt showing the payment made and the account number would count as proof of payment. I got a phone call in June of this year saying that I was in collections with a balance of $900. The balance I paid in December was only $240. I was also informed that the receipt I had was no good. I was ticked.

After many phone calls between me, Sears and Citibank, they finally agreed to only a settlement, making me pay a balance of $700 in 2 payments. I was mad, but I decided to get them out of my hair once and for all. This time I made the payments by check and waited for the letter that should have shown a zero balance. Nope. I got a letter thanking me for the payments, with a balance due of $200. I called again, and first they said they show no settlement, then they said it would take 30 days to reflect the settlement. So I waited 30 days, and what do you know, another bill with a balance, with interest charges. Then I was told that it will show the balance after the settlement. So I asked, why a settlement if you won't settle? Then they claimed that I will receive a letter by November showing a zero balance. Let's see if it actually happens.

To top it off, an account that was cleared and closed was somehow reopened with the full $2600 balance. After I read off receipts and told them I had the bill that showed a zero balance on that account, all of a sudden they hadn't scrolled down far enough, and it is a zero.

All this started when Citibank bought the Sears credit cards. I tell everyone not to do business with Sears or Citibank! They have ruined my excellent credit rating and refuse to fix it. They harassed me at my workplace over this fiasco, causing me to lose my job for "too many personal phone calls." I have decided that if it doesn't clear up, I will seek a lawyer. Their phone reps are rude, and phrases like "deadbeat" are common in their vocabulary. If I was a "deadbeat," then why has my credit rating been fantastic until lately?

Oh, and speaking of credit: I got both accounts when I was 17 years old, in high school, and working at McDonald's making minimum wage and only 10 hours a week. They gave me a limit of $4000 on the Sears card and $7000 on a Plus card. I wasn't even making $2000 a year! They purposely suck in people who shouldn't or can't get credit. If you want a card, go to your bank first. Don't mess with Sears.

By the way, don't mess with Discover either. They are owned by Sears.

Company: Sears - Citibank
Country: USA
Site: sears.com

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