Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before

[cyrano]

So apparently I have a credit card with Wells Fargo. Who I think are great big evil avaricious pederasts. Apparently I've had it for about twelve years. Apparently I maxed it out and then doubled the limit with fees and interest. And apparently I live at 4902 Calle de Escuela in Lewisville ID, a street address I once lived at in Santa Clara and the town my parents live in.

The only thing I can guess happened is in 1991 I got a $400 credit card from First National Bank of North Dakota while in college and stopped using it. Then Wells Fargo bought FNBND sometime in 1996 poossibly and instituted a yearly membership fee. When they couldn't contact me, they charged me a 'failure to pay' fee and then combined that with 'over limit' fees. And so now, over a decade later, my parents get mail (because the postmaster knows them and says "Isn't that the name of their boy?" Ah, small towns.) that now they're really pissed and by golly I'd better cough up the $850.
So I called the Customer Service rep who said 'I'm going to be honest with you. You can dispute the charges but since you paid on the account for five years they won't take it very seriously.' I appreciate her honesty at least. And since they have my social security number, that pretty much absolves them of needing any further proof of my guilt.

So hurrah for being completely screwed. I hate my life.

Comments

[technoboggan.livejournal.com]

Just re-read your stuff. If your original account did not have a "member fee" and the card was inactive (ie: you weren't using it) after the turn-over, you have a /really/ good leg to stand on. "Please send me a copy of your paperwork signed by me that states I agreed to pay this membership fee. Oh, you don't have it? It was part of your agreement with Wells Fargo? Lovely. I didn't agree to it. Please remove those charges from my account, and all resulting charges."

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

Except that, sadly, the way those fees are usually instituted is with an insidious little bill insert that says that by saying nothing, you agree to the fee. The only way to say you object to the fee is usually by cancelling the card before a deadline. =/ But the last bit about the terms of the account sale is definitely a worthwhile tactic, esp if you weren't getting bills at the time.

[spenceraloysius.livejournal.com]

But, if he never got the bills, then he can claim he was never notified of the fees and thus there is no consent. :)

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

Right. I was getting at that, but didn't end up stating it so straightforwardly. =)