Fleet Credit Card Services - unfair late fee charge

# 7 for April 8, 2002

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on April 7, 2002:

From: Email User

RE: Fleet Credit Card Services - unfair late fee charge

I wish to lodge a complaint against Fleet Credit Card Services for charging me a late fee ($35.00) when I tried to pay off and close my account in December 2001. Throughout efforts to seek additional information regarding this fee, I have been been told lies which are verifiably untrue, and prove the lack of integrity and respect with which this company chooses to "serve" its consumers. I wrote to this company and made several telephone calls to them in an attempt to resolve this matter. Nothing had been done and I continued to receive bills for the questionable late charge, with more late charges ($35.00) and minimum finance charges (.50).

When I finally got to speak to a customer rep who appeared to want to resolve this matter, she told me 2 blatant lies:

1) that my final payment also included a $35.00 late charge (which it did not!!!); and

2) that I continued to use my card after closing my acct. therefore insinuating that I was still responsible for the late charge. I sent them my cards when I paid my final bill--only one $15.00 charge had not been posted to my acct. when I attempted to pay off my bill. I promptly paid the $15.50, but not the $35.00.

When I asked to speak to her supervisor about these inaccuracies, I was told that she was "empowered" with all the decision-making processes and thus refused my request to speak to anyone else!!! Now this company says they will take off the first late charge but still want me to pay 71.37 (plus more $35.00 charges, I am sure) for the other late charges which stemmed from me not paying the original disputed $35.00!!! Talk about a scam.

I have paid this company EVERY cent I owe them. They send out all these teaser solicitations to get you to bite on their offers but never tell you that they bite back harder!!!

Please help if you can--I cannot justify paying this bill to such an unscrupulous entity. Thank you very much for your time and assistance.