index page

Help...Creditors not working with me!

Date: Tue, 01/10/2006 - 20:15
Submitted by Michial320 on Tue, 01/10/2006 - 20:15
Posts: 12
Credits:
[Donate]

Does anyone have any good advice about what to do if a credit card company will not work with you???
I have sent a letter(from the sample letters on this site) to my creditor and they replied that I'm not eligable for any type of reduction. They won't reduce the interest rate, the amount owed, the payment amount...nothing. They are unwilling to work with me.
I have never been late with a payment and I have always paid more than the minimum payment.
I'm not sure what to do at this point. Any help is appreciated.


Yeah, well I was trying to 'talk' to them BEFORE I started becoming late on my payments. I guess that was my mistake. Due to my recent circumstances and without their help, that is exactly what is going to happen. I had hoped that I could have resolved the issues with them prior to ruining the credit that I have spent years keeping in good standing. It does appear to me that creditors are only willing to work with people AFTER the payments become late and unpaid. Thanks anyway.


Submitted by Michial320 on Tue, 01/10/2006 - 22:13

Michial320

( Posts: 12 | Credits: )


Michial320,

Welcome to forums :D

It is always advisable to contact your creditor if you anticipate falling behind with your payments. I don't think that you have done anything wrong by contacting your credit card issuer when you predicted that you might become late on your installments.

The problem is your credit card company is not willing to settle your account. Creditors often ignore such requests that come from consumers. Moreover, you have been punctual with your payments so far. A professional touch is needed here.

Discuss the case with your consultant and see how he wins the negotiation that proved to be tough for you. Best of luck.


Submitted by 4u.bryan on Wed, 01/11/2006 - 07:55

4u.bryan

( Posts: 819 | Credits: )


Credit card interests are killing the individual's budgeting system. You are recognized as a privileged customer in front of the credit card company if your bills are paid on time and in full. Revolving credit often reduces your potential financially and the scope of getting new/better credit deals.

Increase your payments for a couple of months proving your ability to pay the debt. I guess, building your credit is in your own hands only.


Submitted by david on Wed, 01/11/2006 - 14:19

david

( Posts: 1229 | Credits: )


Thanks for your advice. I just don't think that they are going to take me serious like this. I have threatened bankruptcy...still nothing. One company's reply was...'do what you have to do'. I just can't believe them. With $10,000 in debt, with just one creditor, I can't move the debt. I've tried for 2 years. I have to have them do something for me in order to pay this debt off. And I think they are going to force me to stop paying them in order to prove to them that I'm serious.
I can't believe that if you're trying to do the right thing, no one can do anything for you!


Submitted by Michial320 on Wed, 01/11/2006 - 20:57

Michial320

( Posts: 12 | Credits: )


This same thing happened to me...I knew I was going to fall behind on credit cards and called all of them to enroll in a program...and since I was not delinquent they were unwilling to work with me. Then after I fell 60-90 days behind, even then only one out of 5 was willing to do anything for me. I finally started worrying about the ones that were willing to work with me, and let the others fall behind because I had no choice. Good luck on this. Each credit card company does have a hardship dept though, you might try that.


Submitted by on Thu, 01/12/2006 - 08:13

( Posts: 202330 | Credits: )


Hardship department is a dept. within the credit card company that you talk to when you are having financial difficulties. They basically ask a series of questions to fill out an application...this is usually to waive late fees, overlimit fees, lower your interest rate and put you on a payment plan. I did it with two of my credit cards, others said I did not qualify. Some credit cards are easy to work with, some are impossible. A lady at Discover card is actually the one who told me about it. Then I got on a program with them. She said all credit card companies have it. So, when you call you ask for the hardship department. They may have other names for it, but should know what you mean. Like I said, others said I did not qualify for the program, because when I called I was not far enough behind. Discover was smart enough to get me on the program soon. Good luck, hope this helps.


Submitted by on Thu, 01/12/2006 - 12:05

( Posts: 202330 | Credits: )


Thanks again. Discover card is the one that I'm having trouble with. I will call them in regards to the hardship department and see what they say. Hopefully with me, they will also be smart enough to get me on the program. No wonder people file bankruptcy with these companies. Even if you try, they make it impossible.


Submitted by Michial320 on Fri, 01/13/2006 - 06:04

Michial320

( Posts: 12 | Credits: )


Quote:

It is always advisable to contact your creditor if you anticipate falling behind with your payments


I just wanted to add that I agree with Bryan on this, it is the 'right' thing to do on your part and responsible but it doesn't always help. A few years ago, my husband suddenly with no warning, got laid off due to corporate cut backs. He had his job for a while and was making better money that he had ever made, we were used to his income and we were in debt accordingly. When they laid him off, he was without work for a while, then started working for another company that paid less, guess what? they declared bankruptcy and he found himself laid off again. He had to move on to another job that paid even less. FOr lack of better words, it was HELL on us and we're STILL feeling it. I contacted all of our creditors and explained the situation to them and from that point, everything snowballed. It took us a while to get back on our feet--we were doing good to put food on the table. THen last year almost every debt we had went into 'charge off'. It has been hell.
I will say this so those of you here will know.
Three creditors that we had, DID NOT CARE.

Dell Financial
MBNA
Wells Fargo

so if you owe these people and have some tough luck come your way, don't look for any compassion out of these folks. I wrote them letter after letter after letter, telling them our situation, begging and pleading with them to work with us. They charged off on us, which I guess is what they felt they needed to do. But I tried to be responsible and do the right thing. I still have all the letters saved for a rainy day, should I ever need them.
shirley


Submitted by imkimssister on Sat, 01/14/2006 - 15:34

imkimssister

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


Sorry to hear about your situation. Sounds like I'm not the only one out there with this type of problem with these creditors. I'll just do my best with the letters and see what happens from there. Oh and luckily I only have one of those same creditors that you spoke about. I probably won't even try with them...


Submitted by Michial320 on Sat, 01/14/2006 - 20:52

Michial320

( Posts: 12 | Credits: )


Well, I didn't tell you this so you wouldn't try. You should still go ahead and write your letters and try talking to them. I'm just telling you my experiences. I saved every letter I wrote, even the first ones explaining hardship to them and asking them to work with me, so should I ever end up in court over these accounts, I can explain the situation to the judge and show that I told them of my situation right off and asked them to work with me. IF nothing else, this is why you should write the letters, so you can save a copy for your files and keep a paper trail.
hope I've helped. :D shirley


Submitted by imkimssister on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 10:50

imkimssister

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


I agree with you, Shirley. Some creditors might not respond to your letter, but that should not stop you from doing the right thing. Moreover you have one valid point here:

[quote=shirley]so should I ever end up in court over these accounts, I can explain the situation to the judge and show that I told them of my situation right off and asked them to work with me. IF nothing else, this is why you should write the letters[/quote]

BBB has processed around 2000 complaints regarding billing & collection for the companies in your post. That clearly reflects they are not attentive to customer queries.


Submitted by stanley on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 12:42

stanley

( Posts: 1639 | Credits: )


Quote:

BBB has processed around 2000 complaints regarding billing & collection for the companies in your post.


wow, how sad, but also glad to see that I'm not alone. That is my next move, if I don't soon get the responses that I want from these accounts, I am complaining to the BBB.

Not the MBNA because I am now paying on these through collection agencies. But wells fargo and Dell just won't respond.
thanks stanley


Submitted by imkimssister on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 14:30

imkimssister

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


I didn't mean that I wouldn't work with them at all. What I meant was that I only have one of those same creditors that you mentioned and that I won't even 'try' to work with them because I will probably just pay them in full. The amount on that one is not that much, especially compared to the others. And I will be writing letters and doing what I can with the others.


Submitted by Michial320 on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 15:17

Michial320

( Posts: 12 | Credits: )


Its really a shame that they wont work with you until you stop sending them payments.I know I always sent what I could to my credit card companies,and I would get calls telling me that it wasnt enough.Now after joining a consolidation program,they are receiving less,but are leaving me alone.I wish I could pay these people off,but thats just not an option,but someday this nightmare will end for me and I will never let myself get into a financial mess like this again.Thank God for this board and Debt consolidation.For now Im keeping the peanut butter and jelly companies in business.If things go as planned,I will be shopping in the meat dept in about 22 months.HA HA.


Submitted by twokidtwocat on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 17:04

twokidtwocat

( Posts: 602 | Credits: )


TWOKID I'm going along the same line as you. we have a freezer and have some 'old' stuff in it. Its still good, just been in there a while. me and hubby agreed that we would eat everything out of it first before we go grocery shopping again...which helps financially. peanut butter and jelly, nothing wrong with that. we have a couple of cases of Riamen that we're gonna eat too. hey, in order to get your life straightened back out financially, you can't afford to waste anything. right? hugs, shirley

p.s. the two grown kids living at home not putting anything in $$$ are the ones that are complaining. oh well, get a job and YOU go grocery shopping. LOL


Submitted by imkimssister on Tue, 01/17/2006 - 13:07

imkimssister

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )


and I forgot to add that my anniversary was three days after christmas and our hot water heater went out! As I said, sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel is a train coming at you 200 miles per hour. lol My stove went out before the hot water heater but before I could even try to do anything about it, the water heater forced my hand. In the meantime I went out to walmart and got a 'roaster cooker' and am using it until I can get the new stove. Husband is mad because I drive around in a car that leaks bad when it rains (its a convertable), and will get between one to two inches of water in the floorboard. And during the winter, if it rains and then freezes, I have a winter wonderland in my car. LOL Its a mess but it gets me from point A to B and I don't have the credit to get anything better right now....nor do I need the new car payments. Husband wants something new, I want to make due. so we're making due. I don't complain. I have a tarp now that I put over the car when it rains, we don't have a garage. So, you have to do what you have to do and just keep plugging in hopes and faith that one day the light at the end of the tunnel won't be a train. hugs, shirley


Submitted by imkimssister on Tue, 01/17/2006 - 15:48

imkimssister

( Posts: 1301 | Credits: )