I have had numerous issues with a credit card where at one point for a period of 6 months they sent all correspondence to a different COUNTRY than where I had lived for the past 1 1/2 years...After 6 months of constant calls, they finally figured out the issue and because they had sent me a new credit card to someone else, but it was never returned, they closed my account and issues a new card/number. With that, when the new laws went into effect where the minimum payment on credit cards with a higher interest rate went into effect last year, they of course, took that opportunity to raise my minimum as well. I complained to them and told them there was no way I could pay the additional amount because I had severe financial problems last year (Up until last year I had perfect credit for 18+ years, including a mortgage loan with that same bank). They did nothing. As soon as I was not able to make the minimum payment, they raised my interest rate to over 25% because by then, some of my other credit cards (with other banks) had a late payment...NONE more than a month, and all caught up...Anyway, this things became even worse with our son being diagnosed at the end of last year with autism and we have had to cover all medical expenses and therapies, etc...because of insurance not covering these.
Anyway, I tried to call the credit card company and they did nothing to work with us. Finally, my husband got some extra money from his job and we paid off in full two credit cards, but not the third because they had been so difficult with us and the interest rate was outrageous. I gave up attempting to talk to them.
They called us continuosly for 3 months and we continued to tell them to send us something in the mail and to stop calling us, as we had not received even a BILL from them and no letters attempting to work it out. They did nothing. Last Saturday I received a letter saying that they were willing to work a payment plan with me, so today I called them. They told me there was nothing to do, that the account had already gone to collections and basically treated me as bad as they did last year when they were sending all correspondence to Pakistan...(I do NOT live in Pakistan). I asked them why then they had sent the letter and they told me it went to collections on the 30SEP 2007...The letter however is dated 27SEP 2007, but the postmark on the letter is 6OCT 2007...and I did not receive the letter until the 13th of October 2007...So, they actually mailed the letter AFTER charging it off and sending to a collection agency.
I told them, as I have numerous times in the past months that I have never received anything from them until now and of course, they told me it wasn't their problem that they called many times and I never answered...that was not true, as we at least on 2-3 occassions of the constant harrassment told them we had NOT received anything in writing to please send us our options in writing.
Anyway, at this point, what will happen? Don't they have to TELL you before they send it to collections? I assume so, and that's why they sent us the letter, but again, they sent it to collections before they even MAILED the letter.
Any help will be greatly appreciated. I am worn out from dealing with them. Again, I believe in paying my debts, I had perfect credit for over 18 years, and only fell behind because of numerous issues last year, including our son's medical needs...

