My wife missed a payment by 4 days on a store credit card she rarely uses anymore. Total balance minus fee & interest was $20.16. Late fees & interest were more than that.

She called and did the plead for mercy thing on the late fee and interest. They agreed to waive it, she paid the balance due. Once the payment cleared she called and closed the account.

Apparently, although they said they were waiving the interest (minimum interest charge of $2) something happened and it didn't get waived so the payment she sent based upon the total they gave her was $2 under the balance. How they let her close an account showing a balance I don't know. This month she gets a statement for $2 past due plus $2 min interest plus $39 late fee.

She called and was told, "Sorry, once the account has been closed there is nothing that can be done." Supervisor said the same thing.

How to proceed?  I feel like they're being asses bc they can now that she closed the account.

I may be missing something but I don’t see an issue. If there is one, you’ll know.

So just let the bill rack up and don't pay?

I would write a letter to them, on paper explain what she understood was going and letting them know, based on good faith, she did what she believed was true based on the conversation between her and the company, send it registered, signature required so you have proof they received it.

Then I would write all three credit companies and put the same information into her credit file.

Right now with all the BS going on, the credit companies are actually going to be a bit easier to get a long with, so you need to use that to your advantage.

If you value your credit score you may be stuck just paying it and taking the loss.  Edit, sorry, not GD.

Once the account was closed they lost their money making opportunity with you.

So, no more Mr. Nice Guy.

Fuck you, pay me.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

..Once i pay off any loan, I give it a full cycle period and make sure my balance is truly ZERO and then and only then will I close it out.

That's a good point.  You also need to use the same tactic if you play the transfer from a high-balance CC to a "0% for 13 months" CC game.  Pay down the 0% card over 11 months, then let it sit unused for a full cycle before doing it again.

For $43 I would pay it, wait two months to make sure it has a $0 balance, then close it.

Snail mail AND email the store customer relation department, copying that CSR and the supervisor:
"Sorry, but a $39 late fee after I've closed the account is a pittance compared to the shitstorm I will bring down on you and your store. I'll be sure to let the world know I gave you every opportunity to fix the problem, but you said nothing could be done.

I will tell of my experience via every social media outlet available, contact the the consumer affairs reporter for every newspaper/TV/radio outlet in every market you serve, as well as the FDIC and State Attorney Generals office for starters. I'm sure I'm not the only customer being charged excessive fees after cancelling an account.

If you think the $39 is worth the public embarrassment your employer will suffer then so be it."

Smells like Karma, you knew you would be closing the account before they did you a solid. You were in the initial wrong, as you stated and they attempted to help you and you pay them back by dipping out. Should of just kept the card and not use it. Your credit score will have a soft blow if they close it 3-5 years down the road if you have higher credit limits from other cards, which after that long of hopefully life progression, you would be making more and have a solid credit history.

Huh?

Easily understood.

Bill was late being paid, late charges due per contract. OP/wife complained, late charge removed, bill wasn't completely paid off though OP/wife thought it was, closed account, remaining balance wasn't paid, got a bill plus late charge again.

Just pay up, don't do business with that CC or store again. EVER.

But.....they weren't wrong either. They just decided to follow the contract [cc] this time.

I get that they didn't have to waive the fees. The part that infuriates me is they told her they waived the charges when they hadn't, gave her a new balance due, she paid it, and then they dig out the ass-pounding ramrod from the closet and charge $39 late fee on the $2 charge they said was waived.

We had no problem paying the late fees if they didn't want to waive them. It was the lie/mistake on their part that ended up totaling more than double the initial fees/costs.

That being said, the wacky eyes was from this gem.


As if income and credit history are a problem... that's not the problem. We both have higher scores than 99% of the country. A hit from a piddly no-namer isn't too concerning to me.

Banks close credit accounts with an outstanding balance all the time.  You are still required to pay the outstanding balance.  Otherwise people would just max out their cards and cancel them.