denham
09-22-2008, 05:20 PM
I decided a few months ago to try a credit card that gave me cash back. Since I always pay off my credit card bills every month, I figured a cash back card would be an easy way to get some extra money. I used it to the limit - paid off my school tuition and a bunch of other stuff.
So I go online to their website to make a payment - only to get an error message. (I've made a couple other payments on their website, so I know what I'm doing.) I figured maybe their site was having trouble so I left it and tried again the next day with no luck. Finally on the third day I got the error message again and called them up. The CSR told me she wasn't sure what the problem was, but they would do a payment via phone and waive the 'pay by phone' charge.
Well lo and behold, what happens the day after my pay by phone charge goes through? My bank account is deducted for the website payment I tried to make. Bottom line, credit card company gets a double payment from me, and I get an overdrawn bank account.
A conversation with a supervisor at the company got me nowhere, she accused me of lying about the whole thing. Basically it comes down to my word against theirs. My bank says it's not their problem. And almost $2000 of my money is not available to me for 7-14 days, as that is how long it takes the credit card company to process a refund. I know I could get a cash advance on the card to get my money back - but that would cost a nice little chunk of change in itself.
I put this here because I thought I was being frugal with a cash back card - but I am going to be out at least $100 when all this is done with. Be careful out there folks, I have learned the hard way. I went out today and got an account with my local credit union - hopefully they are more ethical.
So I go online to their website to make a payment - only to get an error message. (I've made a couple other payments on their website, so I know what I'm doing.) I figured maybe their site was having trouble so I left it and tried again the next day with no luck. Finally on the third day I got the error message again and called them up. The CSR told me she wasn't sure what the problem was, but they would do a payment via phone and waive the 'pay by phone' charge.
Well lo and behold, what happens the day after my pay by phone charge goes through? My bank account is deducted for the website payment I tried to make. Bottom line, credit card company gets a double payment from me, and I get an overdrawn bank account.
A conversation with a supervisor at the company got me nowhere, she accused me of lying about the whole thing. Basically it comes down to my word against theirs. My bank says it's not their problem. And almost $2000 of my money is not available to me for 7-14 days, as that is how long it takes the credit card company to process a refund. I know I could get a cash advance on the card to get my money back - but that would cost a nice little chunk of change in itself.
I put this here because I thought I was being frugal with a cash back card - but I am going to be out at least $100 when all this is done with. Be careful out there folks, I have learned the hard way. I went out today and got an account with my local credit union - hopefully they are more ethical.