So, I have good credit. I don’t carry a credit card balance. I pay my bills on time. I have a Citi World Dividend Mastercard or whatever the heck it is that I’ve had for maybe four years. Actually, it was a different card up until a month or so ago, but they changed it, not me, so it’s been one continuous account as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, I’ve NEVER missed a payment on it.
So I forgot to pay my November bill. Just forgot to go to their website and schedule a payment. Those jerks charged me interest, a $39 late fee, and raised my APR. For ONE missed payment in four years. They didn’t even contact me to say I was late. My Discover card emails me and tells me if I haven’t scheduled a payment and my due date is approaching. But Citi didn’t do that.
The first level CSR didn’t even think they should. “Oh, we have so many cardholders, I don’t know how we could call them. It would have to be on the computer.” Well, of course, moron, I don’t want you to call me. Why do you think I do as much business with you as I can on your website, and long ago stopped getting paper statements? I don’t want to talk to you on the phone, or get any regular mail from you.
Anyway, the second level CSR that I got when I asked to cancel waived the fees, gave me some extra cash back bonus temporarily, and dropped my APR to 1.9% for 9 months, then it goes back to the rate I had before I missed the payment.
I’m planning to cancel the card anyway, but they don’t have to know that.
The message here is, when your credit card company does something stupid, call them and complain. They’ll probably help you out.