Yesterday I spent over an hour on the phone with Citi bank contacts, with both customer service as well as the fraud department. I had received a notice from Citi Cards stating that I had a balance of $230 on my account. I called because I hadn’t received a bill from Sears ( now billing through Citi bank) for years, as I haven’t purchased anything from Sears within the last several years.
The plot thickens below:
The first person I spoke with couldn’t even locate me in their records; my social security and phone numbers didn’t even match up. We moved on to the fraud department where I was told that the charge was for a “protection agreement” of $145, plus late fees of $39.00 for each of the last three months I hadn’t paid the bill. I explained that I hadn’t paid them because I hadn’t received a bill. Deaf ears.
I was then moved on to a third representative in collections who informed me that this was for a snow blower repair protection agreement. I pulled my husband into the conversation and he said he had, indeed, been contacted by Sears (via a phone call) back in October to see if he wanted an extended warranty for the machine and he said he did. But, apparently during the changeover from my long held Sears credit card that was shifted to Citi bank sometime in 2007, all my pertinent information was lost or erroneously entered. Not one single person I spoke with could match me up with my personal information. And so, I assume, that was why I never received any bill in the mail.
We finally said we’d pay the original $145.00 via our debit card and were told that wouldn’t be acceptable but we could pay via check. We agreed to that, but we asked if the late fees could be eliminated, as this was an error on their part. I was told that would not be possible according to their rules. So we went ahead and paid the full amount that was now calculated at $260.09. And then we went on to cancel our Sears/Citi Bank credit card.
This was made as difficult as possible; I was told that I needed to answer three questions before I cancelled; each question concerned loss of any accrued bonus points and the need to pay an additional fee if I ever wanted to reinstate my account with Sears, plus my agreement to pay any “other outstanding” fees associated with this account.
I went ahead and said I absolutely wanted to cancel my credit card. Then I asked if my husband’s account would automatically be cancelled since he had the same account number as mine. This also wasn’t acceptable by Citi bank rule; my husband had to get on the phone and cancel under the same conditions as were used with me. As an aside, the representative had the audacity to laugh in my ear when I said we were both canceling. I must applaud Citi bank for incredibly great customer service training tactics, which must include some sort of intimidation training.
So…what does this story have to do with John Edwards? When he speaks of corporations, to me, he’s, first and foremost, speaking of the most egregious assaults upon this country, such as the secret energy task force and oil corporations sitting around the VP’s table in the White House. He’s speaking of the Enron style theft of pensions. He’s speaking of corporations that control the mainstream media. He’s speaking of Halliburton, a company nearly bankrupt before the rise of the Bush regime, and now thriving on taxpayer dollars. He’s speaking of major insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies that control the lives of innocent people, the haves and the have-nots (as Bush likes to say). He’s speaking of corporations that kill our pets. He’s speaking of agri-businesses that contaminate our food supply and kill the small farm.
But he’s also speaking of the everyday, garden variety of theft and destruction by corporation. We were just subjected to this yesterday and I expect we’ll all be subjected to this again and again until and unless we are as serious about reeling in corporations as John Edwards is.
My husband and I merely lost $115.00 to a credit card company allowed to run amok. Some people lose their pensions and some pay with their lives. So I tell this story as an example of how desperately we need John Edwards. Right here, right now.