I have a Home Depot credit card.
I have always kept very good track of my limit, and how much I had charged up.
My limit was $1500.00
I charged it up to the point where I had 85 to 87 dollars left of that limit. I was at $1413.00 to $1415.00.
Their idea of statements is extremely confusing. Special this, no interest that, regular revolving the other… They don’t give you a statement with just straight forward numbers showing exactly what you charged, and how much you now owe. They take the charges and cut them up into all these different categories, charge differently for the categories, etc…
But keeping track my own self, I KNEW that I had charged the above amount. I was not going to charge any more than that. I did not want to get any nearer to my limit.
I then lost the card.
The last time I used it, I used it at that self-checkout. It was very confusing. I obviously left it there. I never missed it for almost two months, because…… As I said…I was not going to charge any more. I did not want to get any nearer to my limit.
Then I was going through my bills and decided to put that card aside. Looked for it, and could not find it anywhere. THAT’S when I finally missed it.
I called and told them the card was lost.
Their immediate response was that they would close that account, issue a new card with a new number, and the old account info would transfer over. Sounded good to me.
“And oh, by the way, how would you like us to raise your limit ?”
That took me by surprise. They wanted to raise it to $2000.00 to $2200.00. I knew I was going to need plumbing parts soon. I agreed to a raise in the limit to $1800.00 and no more.
They raised the limit to $1800.00.
I waited more than 2 and a half months, and never recieved the new card.
Finally, when I needed the parts, I called and asked them what was up. They apologized and said they would send the new card right away, and that I should just go to the manager of the store in the meantime, have them call this number, and I could get the parts on my account, without actually having the card in hand.
(Continued in the next post.)
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Replies
I did as they suggested.
I bought $305.00 worth of parts and materials. (Got some new drill bits and parts for a compressor while I was at it.)
A month later, I still do not have the new card. I called them again.
They apologized. Said their records showed the card had been mailed. So, in case it had been stolen, they would cancel THAT number, issue a new one, yadda yadda yadda....
Long story short... By the time I finally got a card, and got a bill in the mail... it is showing me to be over $300 dollars over the limit. That is over 300 dollars over the NEW limit of $1800.00 Or in other words charged up to something just over $2100.00 !!!
Now I know damn well I was at least 85 dollars short of $1500.00 when I lost the card. They claim there have been no other charges by anyone else on my account/s. They raised the limit by 300 dollars. I charged 305 dollars. I should still have been 80 dollars short of my limit !
I called customer service. I got no satisfaction. I can't interpret this garbled egypto-greek rambling they call a statement. So I just try to explain the entire situation. I got nowhere.
I called them again later. About a month later. Same thing.
Both times, the end result was BOTH of them referred to this super elite task force kinda accountant they were going to send the situation to. This person was supposed to be able to go over everything with a fine toothed comb, and find problems that no one else could find.
Well, I just got my bill again yesterday.
The ONLY change that I can see is that they have now ADDED an additional $135.46 finance charge. So now I am up to $2,238.23
Continued...
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
I am convinced that they crossed wires somewhere in there when they were juggling account numbers, and they charged me that 305 dollars charge... twice. Once on one account, and then again on another account number.I have tried to explain this to them. They just play their games, and make sounds like they are really going to look into it. Then nothing happens.Well, that's fine, I guess. I am just a single customer. I KNOW what my records show. But I don't really see any chance that I am going to get them to change anything at all. Because my records are nothing like theirs. I'd have to go back to college to be able to interpret their records and then translate my own records over to match theirs.Had I known ahead of time, I would have saved every single reciept I ever got. But then I guess they would just claim that I was missing a reciept for 305 dollars somewhere...~~~~~~~So.... I cut the card in half. (Yes, the new card that I finally got, and have never used yet. LOL) I will pay off what they claim I owe them, even though it is just plain theft. And I will never use their credit services again.I will also do everything I can to make sure as many people hear about this as possible. Hence this thread.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Do they have a website where you can review the charges? I'm having a problem with too much debt, which I wouldn't have if they didn't raise my credit limit to 13,000 on a discover card.
What gets me is I pay way more back than I charge, but the balance keeps going up because of the finance charge. The way the bill looks, I should be getting ahead, but the finance charge is listed.
Be shooting a Discover card with 00buck soon.
The website looks the same as the paper statement.They have promotions balances over here revolving balances over there. Opening balances, original transactions, "special" promotions, etc.If you take all the numbers they have in "balance" columns.... The columns that tell you what you owe... You will see...597
454
315
934
390
305
497(Only one of which numbers I can find a reciept to match.) Thats over 3 thousand dollars.But what they have done is they have taken bits from this table, bits from that table, charged differently for them. Scrambled and re-added the numbers different ways, added other charges for them. Added in at least 3 different unexplained finance charges. Etc.By the time you get to the bottom of the statement you can't tell if you are supposed to hand over your first born, or if half your month's income will suffice.To be fair, the only way to avoid "too much debt" is simply not to use the card in the first place. You can't blame the card company because they gave you so much credit. You -did- use the card and rack up the debt. I am not complaining about debt that I have because I used a card. I am complaining because they have tacked on at least 300 dollars that I never charged, and now they are tcking on over a hundred dollars a month extra, ostensibly because I am "over my limit". I have to assume that is the reason for the unexplained service charge because well... it was unexplained...In the end, I am in total agreement with you. I will not use the card again. It's a legal scam.I am not a total idiot. I did expect to have to pay some sort of interest for using the credit. But I never expected to be facing exploding charges that would put a new york card shark to shame. They tell you 9.9 percent annual percentage to your face, or some such, and then the reality becomes paying back 2 dollars and more over the course of a few months, for the original buying power of one dollar.That sucks.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
I'm having a problem with too much debt, which I wouldn't have if they didn't raise my credit limit to 13,000 on a discover card.
ROFLMAO
Yep, it's not your fault that you spend more than you make.
busta :0)
Yeah, rub it in.
But they did increase the APR lately.
if you pay it off every month apr not a problem
credit management is one issue.CARD statements is another issue.I do well on the credit management and score between 754 and 790, but I just thought that I'd chipin to agree with Luka that the HD billing system is the absolute worst I have ever seen.onr thing I've learned is that you have to keep the reciepts. The purchases itemized on the image they send with the statement are worthless. Every month I was having to call and ask what is this and what is that 'cause they showed their code number , SKU, or their own cute in-house nickname for an item. twice in the past year I have ended up with a credit balance ( they owe me) because of nopt being able to decipher the bill. I think they've owed me about $82 for going on three months now. I suppose I'll buy something there again for that much. Most other cards will send me a check after a second month shows same credit.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Thank you Piffin.I maintain that their bean counters have developed a language all their own. LOL If "Stargate SG 1" were still being aired, I am confident that eventually we would see an episode where the team would get waylaid by the citizens of whatever weird planet the HD bean counters originally came from, and headquarters would have to send in a crack team of accountants to rescue the team. With the doctor this time having to take a back seat in the interpretations department, because even he could not figure this out.>>>>their own cute in-house nickname for an item<<<< Believe it or not, I have heard specious comments on no less than three occassions by their OWN checkout clerks, about exactly that. Their own "cute" in-house nickname for items. The clerks get just as confused when trying to ring something up, as you do when you find the item on the bill.I have two goals for this summer. One is to get my house into condition whereby I can actually move in and live in it. The other is to get the credit card monster beaten and subdued.So far, it has been slow going. But things are beginning to roll now, and I do have hopes of reaching both goals by oh say, december or so. LOLMeanwhile, this situation with HD credit is so frustrating that I just had to rant. My suspicion is that the confusion caused by their billing system is in no small way, intentional on their part.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Stargate SG 1 IS still on, just over on the SciFi channel. But Richard Dean Anderson isn't involved much anymore.
There's supposed to be new episodes starting in sometime in July.
But back to the thread- have you tried negotiating with HD? Sometimes if you talk to credit card companies you can make a deal about the interest you're paying. Maybe get the total knocked down a bit.
If "Stargate SG 1" were still being aired
Should be back with new episodes 14 July (link: http://www.scifi.com/stargate/)
With Altantis and Galactica behind that (and a "Science of Stargate" wedged into Friday after next's schedule).
It is Season 10 for SG-1, send in the "evil HD planet" idea . . . worst thing that happens is they steal your idea and run it and they don't give you any credit for it . . . <sigh>Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Paying interest on a credit card is insane. If you're in that position then you need to rethink your entire financial picture, and your business if we're talking about a business credit card. If you can't afford to pay it every month in full then you can't afford it period.
Amen.But for some of us, there are some lessons that we have to occassionally learn again.There are also sometimes when circumstances go against good sense. Either you take a chance, in the hopes of better circumstances in the short future, and lose the draw. Or you simply run into an emergency, and then circumstances take a dive immediately afterward as well. Etc...Good, blunt, common sense advice is a good thing.Continuing to drive the advice home, can quickly become captious.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Man, I speak from experience. A long time ago in a land far away I had a bunch of cards and they were all maxed out. I changed my evil ways and paid them all off without any legal intervention. The whole thing left me completely clear on the use of credit and the dangers of it.
I was traveling with my brother a few weeks ago... found out he has a Visa with a $100K limit. He owes nothing on it, but the high limit blew me away.
found out he has a Visa with a $100K limit. He owes nothing on it, but the high limit blew me away
Yeah, well, the only thing that seems to "make" the CC people raise your limit faster than a standing balance is the lack of one.
Heard, many moons ago, that the "industry" term for people who pay their balances off every month is "deadbeat" (as in they are not making the cc company any money in interest charges). Keep that in mind the next time you see a person "take out a loan" for supper with that card . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
On occasion, I've had emergencies that I had to charge on a card that I couldn't pay off in 1 month.
But I did make a determined effort to pay them off ASAP.
Definately going to get them paid off as soon as I possibly can. Probably end up with some sort of charge at the end, to get them to close the account. Not gonna close it until it's paid off, because I know there are extra charges every month is you carry a balance on a closed account.As I stated earlier, I -have- tried to talk to them. They run around in circles, and then promise that some expert is going to look at it. Nothing happens.Well, except that they keep adding more charges...
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Well, if they add charges every time you talk to them-
stop talking to them.
Sorry. I know it's really not a funny situation.
but I couldn't resist.
We had a situation years ago with a card, I think MasterCard, where the interest rates were rediculous, and we had a pretty high balance. My wife made some kind of deal with them to lower the interest rate, and a payment schedule to get it paid off.
And we no longer have that card.
ROFLMFAOThat was hilarious !EVERY situation is a funny one if you allow it to be. If you can't laugh at yourself, you'll soon go crazy. Well, in my case, it's crazyER...=0)And on the serious side, My plan at this point is to ask them to raise the limit again, so that it is no longer "over limit"... And then I'll just start making payments as large as I can until I have it paid off. Never use it again.They WANTED to raise the limit before to $2200.00 I asked for them to only raise it to $1800.00 because I simply didn't want more credit. It's just way too easy to abuse. I am wondering if they are now going to resist that change so they can go on charging 'over limit' fees ?
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Well, you are really right.................he should stop talking to them. And start writing to them requesting clear concise explanations of his questions and that someone review the charges and provide a written response.
The only way theyy can be held accountable.
Did you use yer card at the Superman movie and was it worth the view?
be supe's on! Come and get it!
Paid cash for the movie.
Superman Returns is basically the sequel to Superman II; it ignores Superman III and IV ( not a bad thing).
It's a decent movie. As a comic book junkie, I enjoyed it. And I'll watch it again sometime to see what I missed the first time.
But Brandon Rousch is no Christopher Reeve.
So still a comic reader aye?
When I read it's when I dig out the old ones where they can all fight each other and save the world all in the same issue.
AndyC knows his comics too.
I can't believe they want $2.25 for a basic runofthemill comics these days.
be Mr.Mxyzptlk
Yeah, I'm still hooked.
I swear, between BT and comics, my wife is a saint for putting up with my "hobbies"
I have cut back on comics. They're gettin' too expensive. I can remember when they were just 10 cents, and then 12 cents for a long time.
but they were a nickle before that...
didn't ya redeem pop bottles to get the coin to get yer comix fix...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
NJ never was into redeeming SODA bottles for money.
We had to earn our money the hard way
by begging our parents for it
I made about as much money doing that as I did redeeming "pop" bottles
Like somebody just said, do the complaint in writing, and send it certified. You may or may not need the return receipt. As far as I know they have to sign for the mail with the post office either way. It's a little easier to show who got it if there's a receipt, so if that's worth the extra buck or two, then do it. Written documentation and paper evidence is always a good thing.
In the letter, I would say that you believe the extra charges are unfair, and that you would like them removed from the balance until the matter of where they came from is resolved. Could be spitting into the wind, but it's only another sentence in the letter, the ink doesn't cost much and maybe you can protect your rights. I've seen strange stuff happen.
I would also ask them for a written explanation of how the balance got so high. Put the burden back on them.
For your own good, I would look at the old bills that you got during the months that you didn't have the card and were paying the bills. Unless they suddenly started printing the monthly bills in french, they should show you on a monthly basis what the purchases were and what the interest and other charges were. Keep going over them until they add up to the balance that's shown for that month and you understand them.
I've seen people threaten to contact their State Attorney General or the Federal Government Agency in charge of consumer interest, and I've seen some actually do it. Never saw it do much good in the end though and it usually just backs the creditor into a corner so they come out biting.
Good luck.
Don K.
Reovations - New Construction - Rentals
didn't mean to rub it in as I was in your place several years ago. Only I thought it was funny that you were blaimimg the cc companies for your troubles.
I was in bebt for over 150K about seven years ago and now I only have a house note that will be paid off in two years. email me and I'll tell ya how I was able to pay off all my debts and still have good credit. funny thing is that now that my debts are paid off I don't need no stinking credit.
busta :0)
didn't mean to rub it in as I was in your place several years ago. Only I thought it was funny that you were blaimimg the cc companies for your troubles.
I was being a bit joking, but the facts are I was laid off from a very good paying job, then took a considerably lower paying job after a few months looking. Then was laid off again with no severance or benefits after a year, and found employment at an even lower payscale as a contractor. This is an economically depressed area, so finding any job is an accomplishment. There were 2600 people laid off on friday from 3 separate companies, a UPS hub closed, the rest were auto related.
The child support bureau takes a large chunk out of my paycheck for 2 sons, plus I have one son in college. The job I have does not offer insurance for dependants, so I end up paying their dental and medical bills out of pocket. And I am not a well person, so there are a considerable amount of medications that I have to buy each month for myself, around $170 a month with my drug card. Then the $3.00 a gallon gasoline, increased electric and natural gas rates, etc take a cut. Then discover card rases my APR from 10% to 13.9%.
I do what I can, but I may have to have a garage sale. Watch the classifieds.
By the way, I still have a credit rating of 821, even though I am struggling. Somehow I make sure everyone gets paid, even if I have to eat wish sandwiches and only drink tap water.
I didn't read every post in this thread, but I suggest anybody paying the high % rates, find a new card every 6 months that offers 0% introductory and pay off as quickly as possible without the 18% anchor.
$1000 @ 18% with a $25 payment will take 5 years to pay off and $538 of interest charges will be added.
I've been considering that. Some charge a percentage to transfer, then go up on interest after 6 months. May be worth a looksee though.
you should be able to find one that doesn't charge an xfer fee. switch @ 5months to another @ 0% and keep doing it until it's paid off.
I have been considering one of those bill payer loans. You know, get a loan that pays off all the credit cards, and then have one monthly payment that is less than the sum of all the individual payments, and at less interest than the higher interest cards.Not quite sure how I would get a loan like that though. Not like I have high value property to use as collateral, etc... And frankly I am scared that I will simply end up screwed even worse than I am now.Anyone else have experience with those ?If I could get a deal that didn't screw me over, believe me, I'd have no problem cutting up the cards. Think I'll talk with my favorite bank executive next week.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
I think a credit counceling service is a better idea. Beware that there are many fraudulent ones out there though. Some friends used one, they negotiated a repayment schedule and my friends were able to avoid bankruptcy.
The bill payer loans are using secured property to pay off unsecured loans. They can take your property away from you. Ohio is talking about outlawing these type loans. Course its just political talk, I don't expect anything good to come from
Anyone else have experience with those ?
The people at Chase (not the cc side) keep sending me a "dissappearing debt" note plan sign-up form. The fine print reads a bit like a mortgage, in that all of your initial payments are vice the interest owed on the whole note, and some tny fraction of the principal with every payment, which then "draws down" the "due" note amount incrementally.
So far, every time I run the numbers, I wind up paying more in interest to the Chase note, than on my low interest cards (11.9% beats 15.6%). That's also why I haven't just gone to the Credit Union and taken out a Debt-Consolidation note--11.9% < 13.27%, although the 13% 'simple' is sore tempting).Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Luka,
not sure about the loans, but do you have any other cards? mine often send checks which can be used to pay off another (HD) card balance, with special terms like lower interest rate for a time. you might want to call and ask if they have some kind of "balance transfer" deal possible, let them know you want to get rid of someone else's card for theirs. i think MBNA is the one who sends me the most offers like this.
Hope this helps. Rich.
Whoa - MBNA has the highest rate of any card I have, and they charge 3% to balance transfer.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Yeah, they are the highest I have, but still may be better than the HD setup Luka is trying to get out of. Anyway, I was trying to give him another way out of his situation by calling on his other existing credit card accounts.
Rich.
Sounds like you've been Bushwhacked.
Busta, ain't anybody but me responsible for it when I reach in my pocket and use that card.I do not have any problem whatever with a single legitimate charge. I don't use that card in my sleep, I go into it with my eyes wide open.I do have a problem however with the way they seem to change terms on a whim. And the way they will predicate one charge on the back of another, then charge a third based on some "term or condition" that was automatically violated because of the first two charges. Etc.~~~~~~~"Spend more than you make"... A VERY good point. I would not have survived at all the first several years after I moved out here, had I not learned one lesson long before I did so.If you do not have enough money, you have two alternatives. Spend less or earn more. Not being able to pursue the latter of the two alternattives, I cut my spending back well past "the bone". I lived with living conditions here for the first few years that would have made any bum living under a train trestle think he was in the Taj Mahal.It was after several years of the continued depression that comes with that, and the fact that I was getting near a point where I knew I would have very slightly more money every month, that I decided to get the credit cards. I have used them to improve my livig conditions. And a time or three, they have been absolutely invaluable in an emergency.But... I really do need to get them paid off. I need to completely get rid of all but the very best three. And the three that are left should never be used again unless I know I can pay it off again immediately the next month. Never spend more than what I have....
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
I do have a problem however with the way they seem to change terms on a whim. And the way they will predicate one charge on the back of another, then charge a third based on some "term or condition" that was automatically violated because of the first two charges. Etc.
got some news for ya bud, read the fine print cause you will find that everything is there that you don't understand
busta :0)
I am sure that you are correct.All the more reason to get rid of the card as soon as humanly possible.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
I left my discover card at a sears once and they had it locked in the safe. Just had to remember where I used it last.
I think mine must have just got thrown in the trash.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
I'm not blaming the card company, but the interest rate is not what they originally offered. It's legal thievery. No way do they need to collect such a high percentage, plus they collect a percentage of the sale, so it would seem they are making a killing off me. Don't miss a payment or they will really tack on a charge, and possibly raise the interest rate to where there are few options left, virtually guaranteeing default.
True.Yeesh. I'm getting more and more antsy about just getting the frikken things paid off and getting rid of them.My total debt on cards if still less than 5,000.00 Even still, by the time I have them paid off, I'll probably have paid several multiples of the dollars that I actually "spent" in the first place with the cards.I still see that as a 'ke sirah' kinda thing. I used the cards. I'll pay the interest and the rest.I was only moved to make this thread because of the just plain outright theft by them, of charging me for 300 dollars more than I ever charged, and rubbing salt in that wound by now beginning to rack up what are to me major charges because of the "overage" that that theft caused.I am not complaining about my other cards. I agreed to the terms, I used the cards. They have charged me for bogus charges every chance they got, but it is all in the terms and agreement. But what has happened at HD is just plain theft in my opinion.Legal thievery. You got that right. I can't wait to get rid of all of them. I will keep one or two for emergencies. They ARE good if you have an emergency. But they will be paid down to nothing and kept there.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
That is my goal. I've done it several times, but this time is proving harder due to my poor economic conditions.
my hd card sents a monthly idemist list of what I bought, not by month but by trip, each charge and who charge it.
but this time is proving harder due to my poor economic conditions
Amen, brother.
Toughest thing in the world is when all of your scrimping & saving is in tens of dollars, but at the end of the month you 'need' hundreds. Tough sledding, but, hey, there it is.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Luka, your in business and you dont save all your receipts?? I've never had any problem w/ the big box Cards but at 21% they only come out of the wallet when the no pay/ no interest specials are in effect.
Good luck with the accountants I know how frustrating that can be.
Go to the HD web site and look at your account.
Luka, there's something I don't understand about the story. Let me see if I can summarize a timeline...You start with a $1415 bill and misplace the card. Two months later realize the card is gone and call for a new one. Wait two and a half months for the card to arrive, then buy parts using the "call this number" method.Another month, still no card. Finally the card and bill arrive and your balance is higher than expected. Call customer dis-service, wait a month, call again. Now you're amazed that your balance is over $2200.Just exactly what did you expect? The story runs for six and a half months and you apparently never made a payment. If you miss one payment the 9.9% goes up to 15%; miss a second payment and it goes to 24%. $135 finance charge? You're lucky it's that low.Or did I miss something in the story?
You missed that I made payments every month, because I didn't write that I made payments every month.Just because I did not state that I continued making payments, you naturally assume that I did not make them ? You could just as easily have assumed that I made the payments every month... As I did... But you chose to assume the negative. Apparently I have made a bad decision or two somewhere, so all my decisions are now to be assumed to be bad ones ? Think about it. Instead of reading what I am writing, and assuming that I am being forthcoming, you are looking for some way in which I am being dishonest. Or am trying to blame my own ineptitude on the credit company.They continued to bill me every month. I made every single payment. I missed zero payments. And I paid every payment on time.You missed a lot more than just that. You have me somehow going from 1400 dollars to over 2200 dollars because of late charges, higher percentage rates, etc... And all my own fault.My balance should have been $1415.00 when I lost the card. It should have then been $1720.00 or thereabouts once they raised my limit to $1800.00 and I spent the 305 dollars using the "call this number method". Instead they showed me overbalance on my next bill by more than 300 dollarsAs far as I can tell, in all that frikken juggling they do, cutting purchases into different categories, making charges, then cutting the -same- purchases into other categories and making other charges. (The SAME numbers are represented in more than one category. If you add them all up, the result is well over $3000.00. That's more than $1000.00 more than even -they- claim I owe.) Plus them switching from one account number, to another, then another... They have to have stuck that last 305 dollar purchase in there twice somehow. THAT, along with an immediate overbalance charge, and/or whatever the monthly payment was for that billing, took my balance to something over 2100 dollars. On my most recent bill, they added an extra 135 dollar service charge with no explanation. That charge has brought the balance to over $2,238.00~~~~~~~I should never have been over balance. I NEVER charged closer than 80 dollars from my limit. I didn't miss a payment. Nor did I pay late. The "mistakes" I can see in hindsight were to even get that close to the limit. And to have made that last purchase without a card with a stable bill attached to it... in my hand. "Mistakes" that should not have taken my account over balance. But which now justify assuming that it all must be my fault somehow ? And therefore I should be just letting them steal from me without a peep ?What did I expect ? I expected to be able to easily follow my billing statements. I understand the statements from all my other cards readily enough. I did NOT expect to have an additional 300 dollars and more that I never charged, added to my bill. And I did not expect to have to try to explain MYself, when THEY made the mistake.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
When a situation is so complicated, it is not likely to be solved to your satisfaction on the phone. The person on the other end is not likely to get everything right, and therefore the office that handles the problem will not be able to easily understand your problem. You will leave them only with the option of finding a flaw in your reasoning or an obvious breach of policy on their part.
Since this is pretty much handled by computers, it is unlikely that they have made a mistake.
In this situation, I would carefully and unemotionally compose a letter with the pertinent facts and with your expectations. Keep it as uncomplicated as possible without leaving out specific and pertinent information.
Group your facts and make use of white space on your paper.
Once you are able to clearly present your complaint, the human reading your letter will be able to understand your position and will be able to process facts. This human has emotions and probably enough authority to reverse certain charges to satisfy a good customer. Therefore, be nice. :)
"Since this is pretty much handled by computers, it is unlikely that they have made a mistake."LOLHAHAHA!there are still People making enries!I get to make a call to correct something at least once a month at one place or another
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Good point - GIGO!
"Since this is pretty much handled by computers, it is unlikely that they have made a mistake."computers do what they are told to do.the question really is, what were they told to do. not necessarily what the programmer thought was being told
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter
Of course you are right. My intention was to imply that most transactions that go through are processed with a laser reader and that, aside from mismarked items, the computer is probably going to get the charge entered correctly. If it makes a mistake, it will most likely make it with many millions of transactions in the same way. HD programmers would have to jump on a problem like that fast! I doubt that is the problem here.
I think that in talking with an operator, the chance is greatest for an error to creep in. This is for the same reasons of communication that result in a lot of misunderstanding about what someone meant in many BT posts. Emotionally stated conditions along with poor assumptions and an operator who might be thinking about quittin' time can lead to the types of errors Luka seemed to be facing.
Sas,Again with the assumptions. You do really well at spinning it a certain way with your assumptions. I don't get the feeling that is intentional. It may be just the way you think, due to prior experience.~~~~~~~When this sort of thing happens, and I make that phone call to try to deal with it...I get my ducks in a row first. I do not make assumptions. I state my case as clearly as possible. I am willing to re-state the case as often as is needed for the person on the other end of the phone to actually understand, and to have all the information they feel they need, to take any action. I do so without being nagging, forcefull, belligerant or emotional in ANY way.I also listen carefully to the person on the other end, because I realize that it is just as important that I understand them, as it is for them to understand me.Now, the operator MIGHT have been thinking about quitting time. Or lunch time. Or last night. Or anything else other than that phone call. I don't know that. And I won't assume that to be the case.~~~~~~~Computers do exactly as they are told. Mistakes are made because humans input data at some point. Or tell the computer at some point, what to do with the data that has already been input.Mistakes ARE made.My account was dinked with, at least 4 different times, by 4 different people. All of whom had no idea what someone else before them had done. I have no idea if they did, but it is possible that even more people than that accessesd my account to actually try to figure out the problem. The bottom line is that there has been ample opportunity for mistakes to have been made by people.~~~~~~~I do have to agree that talking on the phone is a situation prone to mistakes. As I stated... because of that, I make certain I know what facts I am able to know, ahead of time. I am calm. I do not get emotional. I repeat whatever needs repeating. I actually listen. Etc. ~~~~~~~BTW: I didn't talk to an "operator". I talked to a customer service rep in their credit department. Three times.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
You can sign up through Chase (who issues HD cards) to look at your statements/charges online. I used it to reconstruct transactions at tax time. I think the on line statements are more detailed..
https://www.accountonline.com/webdepot/pl/PLCR_HOMEDEPOT/REQUEST_SIGNON
Luka:
Always put your complaints and advices to HD in writing - Do NOT rely on telephone or in person meets and oral statements.
Always keep a copy of your completed letter (bearing your signature).
Always send your written correspondence via Certified Mail.
Always request a Return Receipt.
When it's returned to your bearing the signature/scribble of someone at HD, staple it to your Certified Mail Receipt (bearing the stamp from the Post Office), and staple both to the copy of your letter. Keep everything is a safe, dry space - Do not fold, spindle or mutilate. Do not ever give up your copy with the receipts.
He said/She said will not work to assert any rights you may have. Federal law often requires written evidence of you asserting your rights before any remedy is put in place. Making, keeping and then locating that written evidence (the written letter with evidence of delivery - the Certified Mail Return Receipt) is often crucial to establishing who is at fault and, more particularly, that you are not at fault.
It's never too late to write. Synopsize the sequence and history of the transaction/dispute/problem in your letter if need be.
But always write.
I've gotten some great advice here today.Thanks guys.Busy day for me today. I'll try to come back and read today's replies again later.=0)
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
They do have their own shorthand descriptions for items on their reciepts. I have to immediately jot down on the back of the reciepts what the items actually were or run the risk that in an audit I might not be able to determine why I am charging something to a particular property.
I can see how anyone might have trouble reading their CC invoices if their cash register tickets are so confusing.
Good luck getting it all straightened out and paid off.
If having a low wage work force was good for a country's economy then why hasn't Mexico built a fence?
Yeah, I do same thing - write job name and descripption on each receip , otherwise can never figure out what GRSSWD1GAL means a month later.
rich.
Your HD receipts are legible after couple years? The thermal printing breaks down after time and you have to read the sheen at a slant on the ones I've kept.
No, I have to photocopy almost all reciepts, even the ones not from HD.
I hate that thermal paper.
If having a low wage work force was good for a country's economy then why hasn't Mexico built a fence?
Number one: start using the mail so you can send a certified letter to the co. telling them You believe there is as far as you can tell over charge of $$$.00 and you want to dispute the charges. That is so you can prove you have tried to get to the bottom of this. The back of the bill tell you how to officially dispute the charges, most of the time it is not by calling them on the 1 800 it by writing them.
Have the company generate the signed receipts, they have to have a copy of them in some form. Send them to you. If they don’t want to just tell them you are going to go to a none profit credit service near you to see if they can’t get to the bottom of what seem to be fraud by the company. Further inform them that if they find a discrepancy you will forward the information to the att. Generals consumer fraud division of the state/s where you live. The state where company is incorporated at. Where the state the credit card company is located.
Keep all the correspondence and make copies to send to the states att. Generals. If you can’t get it figured out.
Talk about fine print...LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Number one: start using the mail so you can send a certified letter to the co. telling them You believe there is as far as you can tell over charge of $$$.00 and you want to dispute the charges. That is so you can prove you have tried to get to the bottom of this. The back of the bill tell you how to officially dispute the charges, most of the time it is not by calling them on the 1 800 it by writing them.
Have the company generate the signed receipts, they have to have a copy of them in some form. Send them to you.
Number 99,975.95: If they don’t want to just tell them you are going to go to a none profit credit service near you to see if they can’t get to the bottom of what seem to be fraud by the company. Further inform them that if they find a discrepancy you will forward the information to the att. Generals consumer fraud division of the state/s where you live. The state where company is incorporated at. Where the state the credit card company is located.
Keep all the correspondence and make copies to send to the states att. Generals. If you can’t get it figured out. SamT
I had a HD card years ago, I don't run balances, every bill that I got came too late to avoid a late charge. Their claim was it was a post office plot. Talking to people that had the same prob. card went into file 13.
If I were you I would get out of the business, if you need to pre plan a loan for 1500.00 for minor crap and can't find a way to pay ot back on a basic 30 day account then something is completely wrong with your career choice or estimating abilities. Moat guys I know make that much in 3 days without trying. Here is my financial advice, go work for someone who can teach you how to make money, get a second job, work weekends, read some books on business. I am shocked that you would consider embarrassing yourself with this thread. For God's sakes man, construction has been at an all time record level for the last 4 years, where have you been?
you assume that Luka is doing this professionally for clients. The basic comments are true but...his work and materials are for his own home so your presumtuous statements are without much application here. He is not doing this as a business, just trying to hold a turn to keep things from unraveling.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
As I said, buy some books. Getting loans via ANY credit card is ridiculous. Airing your neglect to learn about personal finace is even more so.
Luka
I didnt read the entire post so I dont know if this was mentioned.
But get a itemized copy of the charges and determine if their was any activity on the card after you think you lost it.
From what I read there was a possibility that someone could of got a hold of it and used it.
It could of even been a HD employee . If it was the case then you can contest the charges
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Again, you are presumptuous and painting generalities with a broaad brush.I have a bank business line of credit, and a Home equity acount, both fairly large, and with rates about 12% and they are both collateralixed.I have a $20,000 limit on just one of my credit cards which charges 8.9% uncolateralized.Guess which I use. It would be foolish not to use the CC, esp when I can revolve the money for free for up to 45 days. Simply smart use of resources and tools
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
If your credit is good then you are paying way too much for money secured and unsecured. It amazes me how anyone can get sucked in to these credit card deals or the fine print loans.
Where did I say I'm paying any interest?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Shell, I have been "out of the business" for about ten years.I am living on a very small fixed income, and as Piffin said, I am just trying to keep things from unravelling. I have actually done amazingly well for the number of years I have survived on the small income I have. It is not embarrassing at all for me to come here and talk about this kind of stuff. Because I am and have been stuck between that proverbial rock and a hard place for many years. In those years, there have been times when I have made the wrong decision somewhere. Just as anyone does. Usually, the wrong decision has a more devastating and/or faster effect, simply because I am already so close to the edge. But the people I know here have ALWAYS come through with some good advice.The best source of advice in my life, simply because of the variety there always is, is right here. SOMEONE -ALLWAYS- has a solution that works for me. As is, or in some variation thereof.As always, I have gotten plenty of good advise here.The only thing embarrassing here is the huge amount of assumption, and insult you have loaded into your posts. You have embarrased the hell out of yourself. Get a life.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
Another thing, the economy is not booming everywhere. It's "busted" here. There are still some McMansions going up, but lots of stuf for sale with no bites.
Just ignore him.
His ignorance is showing, and it's not pretty.
I haven't read all the responses but one of the tricks HD uses is what they call no interest for 12 mo's purchases.If your purchase totals more than $299 it qualifies.I'm wondering if this is what happened to you.The statements are difficult to understand as they attempt to show you the interest which is accumulating. This is waived when the item is paid for.How do they decide where to apply the payments? I don't know.I found myself spending more money at HD so that I could get the purchase above $299 so that I would qualify for "no interest" program.
I know there were several times I went in and found what I needed and maybe it totalled $200. I would go ahead and buy another $100 just to get the no interest incentive.Good luck!^^^^^^
S N A F U (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up)
Been there, done that !! LOL~~~~~~~Ok, to update, this is pretty much what I am going to do...I have to choose my battles. I have other battles to fight. Including some pretty hefty ones handed to me by my doctor recently.I don't have enough "id" to go around, so I am going to try to settle this as simply as possible.I am not going to contest anything. I don't have, and won't have whatever it takes to exchange details, legal forms, and whatever else the "battle" may entail. Screw it. I'll write it up to the cost of an education.I will ask that the credit limit be raised so that it will no longer be over limit and accruing "over the limit charges". If they will not do that, I suppose I will have to try to borrow enough money to pay it down below the "limit".Then I will simply pay the card off as quickly as I can, and never use it again.It was nice to have a card with which I could buy materials to build, fix, etc with. But the extremely confusing and may I say maybe devious way in which they handle the account, just makes it way too expensive in both the short and the long run. I'll do better without it.
Politics: The blind insulting the blind.
As an early poster pointed out, you are really dealing wiith a bank - I think it's Citicorp of SD - Home Depot, Lowes and most retailers "contract out" their credit business. Folks in the store and corporate really do little with the credit side of things - so be forewarned that the local store folks probably are not much more informed than you are about charge accounts.
The big box stores "contract out" as much as they can - employee benefits, customer credit, software/operating systems, store display/stocking, repair/maintenance, etc. They apparently have the data to show it's cheaper than doing it in-house.
And that can be an advantage - if you do buy considerable amounts from a business, let the manager know the problems you are having - store management does have some leverage to "work out" some credit card problems - they don't want to lose a customer and from a business perspective, it would go against the bank, not the store as a "customer accomodation."
I worked as a department supervisor for a while at a Home Depot - I didn't get into the exchange of money, but I saw plenty of fraudualent schemes being foisted on a daily basis. It got really bad in the store I worked - at least once a day someone would try to use either a stolen credit card or try to pass a bum check or counterfit money. So store employees are trained to be very alert to anything that doesn't fit a certain norm.
Hey man! Just think of the comics you could get making $500 bucks a day.
oooo, aaawchie mamma hot stuff, give me some bucks for back issue sales and warn ebay that I'm coming into town!IMERC, actual I think the 5cent comicbooks came around after the normal 10 cent comics were already established in the late 30s. I seem to recall taht the 5cent comics were from some comic publishers that sold their comics at a nickle for a while during and because of the war.
be but don't quote me on that