Providian has on many accounts held payments set to them till after the due date so they can charge late fees, There has been many times when we mailed payments out 7 to 10 days before they are due and they want get posted til a week or after the due date. The bank says if we have a problem we should call in our payment, which they charge for and the bank can charge for. Now there are negative credit reporting by them for later payments that were no late on my behalf. Plus there is always some kind of fee added in, you never pay on the principal of the loan you always pay fees and excessive interest.
Consumer Complaints & Reviews
I have read in the past about Providian's habit of delaying crediting payments but I didn't think it would happen to me because I always allow enough time between when I mail the payments and the due date to avoid any problems. This past month i mailed out my payment on the 7th for a due date of the 14th. I realize that may have cut it close, but Providian didn't post my payment until the 29th, and subsequently hit me with a $29 late fee.
When i called to complain, I got absolutely nowhere. I immediately cancelled the account after fruitless discussion with an alleged "customer service" representative. Fortunately for me I was intending to pay off this account anyway, so I say good riddance.
Every month, no matter what date my payment went in, it was processed after the late date. I have asked them to stop my account and I have been charged late fees and over the limit fees and interest and such and it now has skyrocketed to over $1100.00 on a balance of $500.00. It is ridiculous and they are no help.
Providian cashed a check made out to them for one hundred dollars for one dollar and promptly charged me a $29 late charge saying I was late. A photo copy of the check showed it was clearly written for one hundred dollars -- a nice way to pick up late charges from someone.
They said it was my banks fault. My bank said they asked for $1. This went on and on. Every month they would charge $29. I was left out after awhile and it was between the banks. I finally said give me a close out and paid them off and closded the account.
About a month later they sent me a statement saying I overpaid by $41.50. I called and asked for it. They said put it in writting. I did. Never got it. Every month the same thing happens.No return envelope because they owe me money. This month was different.They sent me a statement with a $29 late charge. This bank is in the wrong era. They belong to the era that had Al capone and Dutch Shultz.
On at least one occasion occurring this month, and I believe on several prior occasions, Providian has failed to acknowledge receipt of payment in a timely manner and has charged late fees of $25 each to my account as a result. I cannot be certain how many times this has occurred. I do not pretend that I have never been late with payments, however, I believe that on prior occasions to this last I have been unfairly assessed late fees.
I accepted this loan with Providian Financial June 1996. I paid this loan faithfully a minimal of $130.00 per month and always on time. They said they were receiving the payments late so I asked that my due date be changed to the 15th of the month instead of the 1st. Although the payment wasn't due until the 15th I would mail the payment the 1st of the month to make sure they received it by the 15th. Still they claimed the payment was late.
I even made double my payments a couple of times just to see how much of a difference would it make. It made none whatsoever. At one point I just got frustrated and went 3 months without making a payment. They threatened to take me to court. At this point I didn't care. I realize I was pouring water in a bucket with a hole in it. Anyway there attorney contacted me and we talked back and forward. He tried to presuade me to agree to a $250.00 payment rather than $130.00 per month. I refused.
I later got a letter saying that my interest rate had dropped down to 12% any my payments were set at $140.00 per month. I went along with that. I sent in my $140.00 payment. The next month when I got my statement, the interest was 23.30%.
I sent a check in the amount of $250.00 to your office for a payment on my $300.00 credit card. My payment was sent on the 19th of May. Since the 26th of May I have been called about four times about this payment. It has not clear the bank yet. But, everything else that I mailed out that same time have.
Now your office wants me to make another payment right now. They don't want me to stop payment on this check. I don't think that I should be responable for the mail. Being charged $29.00 for late charges it doesn't make since. When banks give you 10 days grace. And you are not considered late until the 30 day. I have not had a credit card in over 20 years and now I know why.
My husband wanted me to get one because I travel a lot. But this is not worth the strain on my health. I've had a stroke in 1995 with a head injury, in 1997 I had a kidney transplant. Your people are rude and at times down right nasty. I know that this doesn't mean a thing to you. All you want is the almighty dollar and what you can make off of it. At least if you are in this business you need to be or have more common sense on how to handle you customers.
I have become very upset over this matter and wish someone would check things out before they make calls like they do. I take blood pressure medicine and I have touble when I get upset. How would like someone to call at 8:30 pm. and start in about your payment which you know was mailed about two or three weeks ago. Also I don't bounce checks like you people said for me to check with my bank. To see if it cleared. And then say that it hadn't come back or was bounced and that charge would be added to your account. I'm getting where I will not answer the phone thinking it is one of you collectors. I have the Doctors calling to check on this new medication I take and I will not answer because of your collector. They call the 26th, 28th, June 1st 5 times.
Items not authorized were put on card (shopping club etc...). Over credit limit fee charged that was totally untrue. Very high fees for being one day late.
The due day changes constantly without notice which guarantees you will be late and therefore Providian gets rich off of late charges.
