What's the effective way to reverse a CHASE late fee?

[upi402]

Maybe kinda micro econ, but a symptom of the macro "rob America blind" economic paradigm in force.

CHASE credit card moved my payment date up. They charged me a $39 late fee and bumped my rate up 4 points (so far). It used to be a WaMu card, but...

How do I go about reversing this effectively? Is writing a letter still the way to go with these crooks? Is there ANY government agency to prevent them from killing us for our gold fillings anymore?

[Orrex]

1. Start by thanking them for only bumping you up 4 points

When I missed a payment by less than one hour, my rate jumped 12% and hasn't come down despite not missing another payment before or since.

And I mean it about missing the payment by less than one hour: I thought that I had until 5:00 pm Central Time, but it was in fact 5:00 pm Eastern.


After that, see if Tyler Durden has any plans in the offing.

[Skink]

5. There's this Chase drive through in Texas that you could easily wait at for more..

than an hour. They finally put up a sign saying teller busy with walk in traffic also. So if you are like me and pay bills at drive throughs the day they are due make sure to allow for time.

[Orrex]

6. I'd never heard of that--what a great way to screw the customer

Because, after all, we who hold Chase credit cards are their customers, which is kind of sad.

I called in to their automated pay-by-phone system and learned that I was late, and they're fuckers about that, too. I've had other credit cards that simply tack the late fee onto your balance, but Chase adds it to the current minimum payment. I'm sure that at least some people wind up being late because they're short of cash, so I'm sure that an additional $39 fee doesn't make the payment any easier to scrape together.

[barb162]

18. These usurious practices suck.

I hope Obama does something about it, like no card company can have a rate more than 5 points over prime. BTW, I have a 75 buck late fee on one of my cards.

[Kat45]

23. Now it's 4:00 pm Eastern.

I learned the hard way when I was paying my bill online on the due date (my fault there, I know). I got home late but thought I would be ok because I figured I'd have until 5 to pay the bill. I was paying the bill around 4:15, but it turned out that it had to be in by 4:00 to be posted that day. I was quite pissed! But there was an alternative: they would post the payment that day if I paid a fee of $12.95! I certainly don't see any justification for that fee. If they can post it with the fee paid, they can post it without the fee paid. Man, these banks will try anything to get more money out of our wallets.

[Another Bill C.]

2. Don't take it any more.

Check out switching to a credit union.
I don't carry a balance on my credit card so I don't have experience with late fees, etc. I do know that, when I have a problem or complaint, I can always reach a reasonable human being to discuss it with.

[CountAllVotes]

14. I use credit cards to my advantage

I use ones that have cash back and pay them off at the end (yes the end) of every billing cycle. That way I can never be late.

I've made about $400.00 with various cash back cards this past year between Discover card, another one I have with 1.25% cash back on all purchases, 2% on groceries, 5% on gasoline, and also the Costco American Express card.

If you use them right they can save you a tidy sum of money. The key is to pay them off ASAP when the billing cycle closes for the month.

:dem:

[Art_from_Ark]

21. I've got a Japanese card that automatically deducts my balance

from my bank account. That way, my payments are never late-- unless there's not enough in the account. And they ask me up front if I want to pay for the credit card purchase in one lump sum, or in installments. If it's a lump sum, there's never an interest charge.

[elleng]

3. According to 3 friends, Chase has done this to cards it has bought.

My friend called them, and had the adverse changes rescinded.

PS because its Lent, cursing is a NO-NO!

GOod luck.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

7. Psssssssssst

Lent hasn't started yet.

We can still curse.

Whew........................

[elleng]

8. AHA!

FAT TUESDAY COMING IN AN HOUR!!!!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. We have

twenty-five hours left.

Quick! Say something filthy!!!!

Geraldine will start:

[stevedeshazer]

4. Call, don't write.

Letters are routinely ignored or "lost".

Be prepared to wait to get through to an actual agent while wading through their infernal phone menu choices.

Most reps, in my experience, are given the power to reverse a late fee one time only. Just politely make your case, it should work if you don't have a history of such activity on your account. They'll even move your payment date in most cases. The trick is to get an actual person. At the bank call center I used to work in, pressing # O was the way to bypass.

If the rep is uncooperative, ask for a supervisor. It may mean another few minutes on hold, but it's worth the $39.

I used to be one of those supervisors, and I would nearly always grant the request on the spot if it got as far as me.

Good luck.

[barb162]

19. Yes, I have gotten that reversed by calling a few years ago.

I sent the damn thing in about ten days before it was due and they said they got it late. I think they were lying through their teeth as it was just the next state over.

[lakeguy]

10. ask for a one time courtesy over the phone

i have done that a few times before, hopefully it still works.

[Tarheel_Dem]

11. Sucks, don't it? BofA just did the same thing to me. I called the same

evening that I attempted to make my payment online. I make all my credit card payments online. The due date was 2/16, which was President's Day. I sat down on Sun afternoon (2/15) to pay some bills, and BofA was the only account that wouldn't allow me to schedule the payment for the due date. They charged me $39. I was able to get through to a CS Rep who reduced the late fee by half (big whoop). She also assured me that she would make sure that my rate didn't change. I've been checking my account every couple of days, and so far, no change in the APR.

I was so pissed, I was shaking, that they had scheduled my payment for a "banking" holiday. I don't consider Prez Day as a holiday, because everyone I know has to work. I fired off an email, and I think they've been trying to reach me by phone every day since, 'cause I get a call from the same 800 number daily, while I'm at work. I've got a lot to say when we finally make contact.

In a nutshell, I think you'll get better results from talking to a human. If you're not satisfied, ask for a Supervisor.

[metapunditedgy]

12. Good luck. I got a late fee too. We moved, and the bill was lost in the mail.

I rarely use the card so I forgot about it. The bill finally arrived, naturally a day after it was due.

I called and told them the story and asked them to reverse the late fee. They said no way, it wasn't their fault it didn't arrive in the mail. (Lesson 1: Never tell them it was late in the mail.)

I talked to several people (but no one would bump me up to a supervisor), and finally one guy said, "Frankly, this is the only way we can make money."

So I paid the $39 late fee.

THEN, what really got me mad is they sent me another bill next month for exactly $1. It turns out I owed interest on the late fee while it was in my account. (Even though I paid the late fee on time.) Something about one late payment triggering perpetual infinite interest.

I could hear the person on the other end typing away as I asked her about it on the phone. Probably going to say nasty things on my account record.

So I will be canceling my Chase VISA as soon as the bill clears, and I will tell everyone about how miserable they are, and then I will watch the news and I will dance as they are dragged down into the black hole that is their balance sheet.

It's very sad, because this credit card used to give me great customer service. That's why I kept it. No more.

[minntabo]

35. I HATE CHASE NOW

hey, totally agree. i was 2 days late and they hit me with that $39 fee.

so i paid it, but then it didn't feel right since i always pay on time, sometimes weeks in advance, so i called them up

first rep gave me the "sorry, we no longer waive late fees" spiel. i couldn't get anything out of her no matter what my story was.

i called again 5 minutes later out of complete anger and this time the rep didn't explain anything, but just kept repeating "no, the fee cannot be waived" in his distinctly i****n english accent. i spilled out a story and told him how a great customer i was and how i was never late, and he just kept repeating "no, the fee cannot be waived," which got me really really pissed. so i ask for a supervisor immediately as he plays his little game.

a young lady takes my call and after giving her the spiel, she tells me that there's nothing she can do with the late fee. i repeat my story and ask for mercy, and she still doesn't budge. i then tell her to xfer me to the cancellation/retention dept and to my surprise, she said she is also the head of that same dept. i tell her to cancel my account immediately.

and that's my story. out of a chase card, a loyal chase customer for over 7 years.

of course i still have 2 other cards with chase, but that's besides the point. going to cancel those as well soon i guess. one of them is a wamu card, xfered to chase after the acquisition...

maybe it's the economy out there now, but if anyone had success in waiving the late fee, let me know.

[2Design]

13. play their game - call and ask for one time forgiveness

if your account doesn't show they have done this in x months - it is done right away

order another card at 0% for purchases and start using that and pay off the current card (search on internet for card or go to bankrate.com)

[TwixVoy]

17. WTF?

So your solution is to get yet another credit card and start charging it up some more? No wonder we are so screwed.

[upi402]

15. Thanks all! They reversed my $39 fee, but reading

the email was like licking a dead fish.


They said they reviewed my records and my due date is the 11th. But it WAS the 15th!!! and that's why I never had late fees all those months I auto-payed via my bank - every month was the same payment date for me, the 12th.

They extended me this grace -this one time. Okay, so I'll pay them off next paycheck instead of today and then close the account. I'll extend then some grace too, but just this one last time.

[upi402]

16. Here's a very useful reply to my GD post:

"...Chase Corporate Office and demand Corporate customer service escalation department. Do not let them transfer you to regular customer service.

Chase Bank executive customer service office a shot: 713-262-3866, If you have a specific credit card complaint, that info is here, and the general Chase Bank executive customer service desk is 800-242-7399.

Seems like you are not alone - look at what people are saying:

"Marcia of Valrico FL (02/14/09)
I also have been victim of Chase, the attorney that filed the class action law suit is filling for a temporary restraining order against Chase, that should stop them for a while until the end of class action law suit! "

http://consumeraffairs.com/credit_cards/chase_credit_ca...

Chase Shrinks Credit Due Dates Without Warning, Profiting Off Fees
Got a Chase credit card? Check your bill to see if the due date shrunk. For the past ten months, the due date on reader NDphoxylady's four Chase credit card due date was the fifteenth. Then, without warning or notice, it became the tenth. NDphoxylady only noticed when she was charged a $39 late fee and a $20 finance charge. When she complained to Chase, they told her that simply changing the due date on the bill was adequate notice. Nu-uh More »

http://consumerist.com/5018998/chase-shrinks-credit-due... "
bkkyosemite

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5118920&mesg_id=5119151

[barb162]

20. Yes, that is useful.

I think Chase is as dirty as they come...as are all the big card companies.

[sophie4242]

27. Thank you so much -- it worked!!!

I had a hell of a time with regular Chase customer service -- both my initial representative and his supervisor were utterly unsympathetic to the fact that the only reason my payment was late (two days late) was that I never received my monthly statement. I tried telling them I've never been late before, and had credit cards with them for years, but they only gave off-the-script responses. They said the statement had been sent, and there was nothing they could do about the $39 fee. No one time courtesy, no half-off, no nothing. Finally, I said I would cancel my card if they couldn't help me. No response. So I canceled my card.

Then I searched on google and found this forum. I used the exec 1800 number above, and they were extremely friendly and very helpful. And they refunded my charge within 30 seconds.

Thank you!

[antigop]

22. Try the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Website is here...
http://www.occ.treas.gov/customer.htm

Several years ago I had a complaint against my credit card company and found this office to be extremely helpful.

[FLDCVADem]

24. Funny I should see this...

...as it's been ages since I've had time to read DU.

Our Chase BP bill was due on the 8 Feb, which was a Sunday. I did the EFT from my credit union, but it didn't hit until Monday, 9 Feb. Sure enough, when my bill came this week - finance charges and $39 late fee.

I called customer service this morning and asked to have the charge removed, as a Sunday due date is in effect a Friday due date without notice. Hell, even the IRS gives you a one day break if 15 April falls on a Sunday. Her response? "You should have paid on time". I mentioned that we have had the card for coming up on 20 years, never been late, etc., and she said too bad. I asked for a supervisor...she responded that "No one here is going to help you". I said fine, but everyone has a boss and I want to talk to yours. I got the supervisor, same response.

I used the executive number from this thread (saw this thread last night), called, and it was resolved in minutes.

But the damage is done - I applied for a new CC from my credit union with better cash rewards and a higher limit. I won't close the Chase account, but I'll cut up the cards as soon as our new cards arrive, and Chase won't get a dime of my business again, if I can help it.

[fasttense]

25. I made the mistake of signing up for the Amazon.com's credit card during Christmas

because it saved me $30. Seems Chase runs it. The first and only bill arrived saying I owed $15 in late fees. I called and complained and they took off the $15. I paid it off and told them to cancel the card.

But, this is funny, I got a bill today from Chase. They said I owe exactly One Dollar as a processing fee. WTF, $1 processing fee? It probably cost them $2 just to send me the bill and the cheap envelope.

I wonder how much the $1 will turn into if I don't pay it for a year?

[TBF]

26. For BofA you just call their customer service. Not sure if Chase is as easy to deal with.

Of course BofA has other problems. :)

[Warpy]

28. Pay that puppy off ASAP

and send it back to them in little pieces.

They will continue to pull this shit as long as you have one of their cards.

This is how they're scrambling for nickels and dimes from people who can ill afford it in a desperate attempt to shore up their assets.

The convenience might have been worth it when they played by a few rules.

As you have just seen, there are no rules any more except the ones that say you're always in the wrong and owe them whatever they say you do for whatever reason.

[d206s]

29. PIG!!!!!!!!

Chase is another blood sucking PIG !!
They are the poster child for capitalism !
SCREW THEM !!
PAY IT OFF IF YOU CAN and hope they burn in HELL !!!

[dickthegrouch]

30. Senate Banking and Finance Cttee

Helped me win big against Citibank (at the time).

The other best thing you can do is keep every single Amendment to Terms and Conditions of use they send you. READ THEM, and then tell them to explain exactly which line of the T&C allows them to do what they did. Citi's legal dept finally caved when I hit them with that (and changed their T&Cs within two weeks to make sure they could continue to screw the rest of their cardholders). I actually got damages from them in that case.

[upi402]

31. right on!

i got it reversed and will cash them out next pay cycle. glad big eddy took them to task, and Senator Rockefeller too!! Wow!

but i did fight a lawyer once, and won!
not like getting the senate involved and whomping a financial institution, but a friend in common was on the board of governors for the bar here and helped right the wrong.
without that we are victims to capitalism unchecked... powerless victims who have no choice but to consent and submit.

as for terms and commitments; for birdbrain me, even IF i didn't work all day and raise a family- and i actually read those - i'd forget 99% of all those reams of redundant, deceptive, convoluted, legalese i had read by the bleary-eyed morning after.

[dickthegrouch]

32. I had forgotten them too

Until I knew I was being shafted and had a glimmer of a possibility for correcting the problem.

I don't have a perfect memory, I can barely remember what I had for lunch, but when it comes to rules, I can follow them extremely well.

I knew I hadn't broken a rule, and was fairly sure they had. I just looked for it and found it.

D

[annamarie111]

33. I got my my late payment fee reversed!

Thank you so much Upi402 for posting the number for Chase Bank executive customer service office.

I called the number on the back of my credit card because I'm a new customer and since I've signed up for the card I've gotten sick and my mails have all piled up, I didn't get to open my first statement and of course I missed my payment.
I explained to their customer service what happened but they said since it's not a bank error that they can't do anything about it. I asked for the supervisor and the supervisor won't budge either even after telling them that I'm paying my full balance that day. He acknowledge that he understands I didn't mean not to pay my debt and even though it is an honest mistake he still can't do anything about it. I've also told him that other banks does a one time reversal on late fees if not once or twice a year (like wells fargo). Still "NO". Even when I said, "how about lowering your penalty fee at least, after all I only owe$150 originally". Still, "NO!"

I then called the number Up402 posted and a genteleman who does sound like an executive answered the phone. I told him my story and he sounded surprise that I'm called him. "I'm wondering why you're calling this number", he said. I was silent, not sure how to respond. Am I not suppose to call him? And then he said, "where did you get this number". and I replied, "online,". "Ah I see," he said, and from then on he was very nice while listening my story and while and accessing my account info. I was also trying to convice him by explaining to him that I do have an excellent credit score, and I've paid thousands of dollars on my amex and wells fargo credit card on time. But he didn't seem to care about that story, seems like he already knows he's gonna do something about this. He then said he's gonna transfer me to one of his representative and that they can help me. He stayed there why Colleen came on the phone. Colleen had been very good with listening also. Told me right away that they'll refund me the fee if I make a payment right then. I told her I did want to make a payment but I have to do it automated later because the customer rep earlier said I have to pay $14 if I have to make the payment on the phone with him. Colleen said no, she can also waived that fee! Before hanging up she gave me her direct number and encouraged me to call her anytime I have a concern and just to let her know ahead of time if I can't make a regular payment.

This is Colleens number

888-622-7547
ext 6814

[annamarie111]

34. I like Wells Fargo

I don't understand. If the higher guys are willing to do this, why don't they train they customer rep to do the same? That way there'll be less work for everyone, so long as the excuse is legit and the person doesn't have a long list of repeated late payments on their record. Chase customer service is the only one that refused to give me a late payment fee reversal and I've been through so many banks and credit unions, and retail related credit cards in the past and had no problem with them.
I also didn't like BofA so much. Had them decades ago. Too many fees.
I've been with Wells Fargo for a long time. Don't have a problem with them. If there's ever an issue I can walk in the bank and talk to an account manager and they'll fix it.
One time my husband kept using out debit card from austin telco and didn't even check that there's no money there anymore. He got a $20 over the limit charge for every cup of coffee he bought which was like 6 cups! Austin telco reversed every single one of them.
My husband likes to do this, he forgets to use the right card and and never checks our accounts. He did it before with Patelco Credit Union, 4 times in a row! Walked in there and Patelco again reversed all of the charges!
I must admit, I do still love America.
I was born in the Philippines and things there are much worse. It's hard to get a credit card in the first place.

[indiangirl]

37. Re: Chase late fee removal

Hi,
My minimum payment fee was due on 22nd july and i overlooked. I looked at it today, 24th july and paid the minimum amount and noticed there is a late fee of 39$ posted onto my account. I called the customer representative number 1-800-432-3117 and the rep said she couldn't help me with it. she gave me an address and asked me to send a hand written letter to Mr.hanick kelly at the address

chase card services
p.0 box 182918
Oh1-0554
westerville, OH 43081

requesting him for the late fee removal. Then I read your posts and I called the Chase Executive number 1800-242-7399. some lady picked up and heard my story and transfered to some other lady. That lady confirmed my identity and said she will remove the late fee. Both were very decent when speaking.

Now, My question is I do not see the late fee removed from my account yet. Its just been minutes that i spoke with her and I am very curious, I am checking it again and again. Could you please tell me how long do i have to wait for it to show up in my account.

thank you

[indiangirl]

36. Re: Chase late fee removal

Hi,
My minimum payment fee was due on 22nd july and i overlooked. I looked at it today, 24th july and paid the minimum amount and noticed there is a late fee of 39$ posted onto my account. I called the customer representative number 1-800-432-3117 and the rep said she couldn't help me with it. she gave me an address and asked me to send a hand written letter to Mr.hanick kelly at the address

chase card services
p.0 box 182918
Oh1-0554
westerville, OH 43081

requesting him for the late fee removal. Then I read your posts and I called the Chase Executive number 1800-242-7399. some lady picked up and heard my story and transfered to some other lady. That lady confirmed my identity and said she will remove the late fee. Both were very decent when speaking.

Now, My question is I do not see the late fee removed from my account yet. Its just been minutes that i spoke with her and I am very curious, I am checking it again and again. Could you please tell me how long do i have to wait for it to show up in my account.

thank you