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I just got off the phone and realized I'm getting raked over the coals by Citizens' Bank, which holds the lien against my car.
JUNE: I make my payment for the month of June over the phone. The very courteous woman on the other end takes my credit card information, confirms the payment with me, and wishes me a nice day, which I reciprocate. Only two minutes later she calls me back, distressed, realizing she had in error also charged my card a $20 late fee ($242 vs. $222). After speaking with her supervisor she was told the best way to rectify the error was to take care of my July payment for me since they couldn't reverse that additional $20 charge against me for June. Thinking it sounded too good to be true I DOUBLE-CHECKED and asked "So you're paying my July payment FOR me?" That was reaffirmed.
TODAY: I receive a phone call from Citizens' Bank informing me that my July payment was now 12 days overdue, but I could pay $242 today ($222 payment + $20 late fee) over the phone. I proceeded to explain the situation that occurred back in June, and the gentleman today pushed back, claiming I was fabricating the story. After refusing to make the payment he put me on hold and pulled up some more in-depth information about my account where he saw the "notes" the prior representative had taken regarding the situation. The problem? She made no written record of having offered that free July payment to me. I had to oblige to pay the $242 today, indicating, grudgingly, that the ONLY reason I hadn't paid this month's payment on time was due to their negligence.
My theory? Back in June the woman's supervisor told her to scam me. He/she told her to tell me that my July payment would be paid by them to satisfy their mistake in June and get me off the phone that day but then not record it so that I'd have no recourse when this problem would then arise in July. Now it's just a "he said; she said", and any bank knows it would cost MUCH more for a disgruntled customer to fight such an error legally than for that customer to just stomach the fee. How this bank's management can sleep at night is beyond me.
Times are tough financially. $40 isn't pocket change for me, as auditors are very underpaid in exorbitantly-priced Washington, DC. I really don't appreciate this. I'd welcome anyone and everyone to boycott Citizens', as I now plan to.
I find it hard to believe they told you not to pay your bill. If anything they would tell you to pay short the $20 they charged you in error. So you should have paid $202 in July.
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