A Response From GE Capital
This response to my original letter came in two parts, the first an unsigned, error-riddled missive from an unknown service representative. It is fortunate for them (and not out of character) that the second letter arrived first.
January 21, 2003
Dear Mr. LeCour:
Thank you for your inquiry of January 15, 2003, concerning Mrs. Care Credit account.
Unfortunately, we are unable to address your concerns concerning her account, since you are not a signer on the account. The account is an individual account in Kimberly LeCour name only.
In order for the concerns to be address, Mrs. LeCour will need to contact our customer service number listed at the bottom of this letter, or correspond with us by letter.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-333-1071.
Sincerely,
Correspondence
Fortunately, they redeemed themselves later in a three-page, comma-happy letter, a second response that I doubt I would have received had I not copied the original letter to Jeffrey Immelt, the Chairman and CEO of General Electric. Information which was duplicated from my original (and also lengthy) letter is omitted here for the purpose of brevity.
January 30, 2003
Dear Ms. LeCour:
I am in receipt of a letter dated January 8, 2003, from Richard D. LeCour, which was forwarded by GE Capital Consumer Relations, and received in our office on January 27, 2003. Mr. LeCour’s letter concerned your CareCredit account, for which GE Capital Consumer Card Company, (GECCCC), is the credit provider. I appreciate the opportunity to address the concerns outlined in the letter.
GECCCC is bound by state and federal legislation regarding the release of sensitive information on the accounts we service. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide Mr. LeCour with a response, or with documentation, since this account is listed in your name only. We apologize; however, since you have provided us with a verbal authorization to speak with Mr. LeCour concerning your balance, we are unable to address our response to him; therefore, we are directing our response directly to you.
Please accept our sincere apology for any unprofessional treatment extended by our representatives. Customer service and satisfaction are a very integral part of our business, and our representatives are trained to provide that type of quality in the services they render. We sincerely appreciate that you shared your experiences, so that we may evaluate and explore other options, in order to provide our customers’ with a consistent high quality of service, that you, the consumer, expect and deserve.
CareCredit offers promotions that are interest free if repaid before the promotional period expires. Minimum monthly payments are required during the promotional period and finance charges are accrued, but deferred. If the promotion expires, all deferred finance charges, plus any remaining unpaid balance, are posted to the acount’s regular balance. This information is included on each monthly billing statement.
We apologize if there was a delay in receiving [the March 4, 2002] statement; however, our records indicate there was no postal issue, and the statement was sent to your billing address the first week of March 2002.
Whenever the minimum monthly payment indicated on the monthly billing statement, is not provided by the due date, a late payment totaling $29.00 is assessed to the account. This fee and additional terms and conditions governing the account were outlined in the Cardholder Agreement, which is attached to the credit application and sent with the credit card soon after an account is opened.
It is the policy of GECCCC to collect on a past due account. Our employees are trained to perform their duties in the highest standard and in full compliance with applicable law and policies. We sincerely apologize if our effort to collect on a valid debt was perceived as rude; however the notes on your account document that the telephone call completed on Sunday, September 8, 2002, at 11:32, (EST), which would have been 8:32, (PST), and is within compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act.
Please be advised, GECCCC, the credit provider on the account, is permitted by Ohio and federal law, to access late payment fees and finance charges on a revolving credit account, as long as such charges are assessed in accordance with the terms of the credit agreement.
We apologize if there was a misunderstanding regarding the regular purchases or the promotional agreements and time frames. We also apologize if there was a misunderstanding concerning the terms and conditions governing the account; however, the information was provided in an appropriate and timely manner. Had payment been received within the promotional time frames, there would have been no deferred finance charges to the balance of the account.
You are considered as a valued customer, and I would like to personally apologize for any unprofessional treatment rendered by our customer service representatives. Since the account balance was paid 23 days after the expiration date for two of the promotions, we have credited the remaining account balance.
These credits will be reported on the next monthly billing statement, which will conclude on February 4, 2003.
In addition, we have removed the delinquencies from the account history and this updated information will be included in our next monthly reporting to the credit bureaus.
As documentation of the preceding information, please find the Optional Finance Plan, the Cardholder Agreement, and the monthly billing statements. In addition we have included the authorization and estimate, and the itemized transactions completed at the Regents of UC Davis that were subsequently billed to the account.
Our representatives have tried to explain the situation on numerous occasions, and we apologize they were unable to provide you with an adequate explanation, and regret the situation was not handled in a more professional matter. We hope the preceding information clarifies this matter to your satisfaction.
If there are additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Robyn Rountree
For GE Capital Consumer Card Company
The fact is not lost on me that her letter was ALSO copied to Jeffrey Immelt; appease the customer, suck up to the big guy, and attempt to save face. Under the assumption that the February statement arrives with the expected credits (if it arrives at all!), I guess I’ll drop the matter of the $1.55, the skirmish, battle, campaign, and the entire war won…
I too have been ripped off by GE Capital. They are thieves. Preying on those who are two minutes late getting one payment in. And it doesn’t matter to them if you paid over your minimum the month before. They’ll jack your interest rate up to 28.7% for any reason they see fit. As far as I am concerned they owe me money. I have paid off the account and closed it, but after reading a few letters I just bet I am going to get another statement from them saying I owe them more money. This was a Sam’s Discover Card. I had know idea it was through GE Capital. I had heard bad reports from their customers before and had always steered away from GE. I was shocked to see my interest rate go up so drastically and called to find out why. They couldn’t tell me. That’s when I found out it was a GE Capital card. I knew then I had made a BIG mistake not checking into the bank behind the Sam’s Discover card. I told Sam’s how I was badly treated and suggested they stop doing business with them or I’ll stop doing business with Sam’s.
Can someone tell me where I can mail the President of GE CARE CREDIT a letter? Based on what I have read I am not sure anything will come of it.
I tried to pay off my balance on medical treatment at the 11th month ( one year contract) and based on the fact I was late twice in making my payment they are charging me the finance fees which resulted over 3 thousand.
I had two life altering events occur over the past two months and I was late by a week in payment. What a horrible scam. What can be done?
mmarbec@comcast.net
I have been fighting with GE money for months now. They offered a good interest rate without mentioning that they would op to pay off the newer loans first. I paid thousands over minimum to close high interest payments and then pay on the low interest. They took the money, applied it to the wrong interest [not the oldest bills] and then demand double minimum the next month. They are way ahead on cash in from me and demanding more while charging interest on interest. I am looking for a legal way to SCREW them. I have most of the contact names and they are trying to buy google which would give them unpresidented access to records. We have to stop them. They bought Discover card which was started by Sears. This matter is now befor Congress and I hope you all look it up and lean on them.
are you the same company that has accounts on cars,.,??
my husband purchased a toyato camry,, paid it off and is trying to transfer the car to someone else..there is a lein on the car…
was your former name,,, CUSTOMIZED AUTO CREDIT SVCS????
thanks
please let us know
We need a RELEASE OF LEIN LETTER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS PROCESS.\
THANKS
DORIS
Have I got this right? You’re asking if Richard, a private individual who happens to keep a blog, was previously known as Customized Auto Credit Services?
Seriously?