Complaint Review: Chevy Chase Bank - First USA - JP Morgan Bank

I want to alert all users of Chevy Chase Bank Credit Card that is serviced by affiliate First USA, and owned by JP Morgan Bank, of the consumer abuse and difficulties presented by this affiliated group when one receives a "special" 0% interest for 12 months.

I opened an account in March. My first problem was that they didn't transfer the balances in a timely manner which created late fees with other credit companies.

The worst problem was a change in the date of billing by the company and change in Chevy Chase Bank's branch in payment.

My bank refused to make a payment as had been their policy of the past. I then sent by mail my payment - and First USA claimed I was late. This lost the 0% interest rate and bumped it to 24%.

In addition, a late fee of $39 was charged.

Immediately I tried to pay the account in full. My payments were returned twice in one month with returned payment fees of $39 and one late fee of $39, plus 24% interest.

The first return was blamed on too many digits in the phone payment service (of course they blamed this error on me - how do you prove it? You can't). Other companies have machines that will not accept payment if the digits entered are too many or not enough. Is it correct to disallow a human on the other line to take payment and then use electronics against the consumer? I believe that Quality Control measures should be on the bank if they choose to use electronic devices which allow for this type of problem.

The second return was due to Chevy Chase Bank freezing my LOC on my checking account. By the way, my local branch teller came up to me and sold me on this great credit card. The LOC was frozen with no notice to me whatsoever. I had my bank statement in front of me when I made the payment and my LOC was there and fine. When I called (transferred three times) the LOC person stated it was frozen and they couldn't tell me why. Neither can the branch manager. Coincidence?

The result. In less than 4 months of having this "rip off" credit card - I've been charged almost $110 per month in fees and interest on a credit line of $3600.

Not one month was error free, and I have spent hours on the phone with rude customer service reps - who have contradicted each other, threatened my credit, misinformed me about what they have the authority to do, hung up on me, and one actually stated he had a department full of "supervisors" I could speak to. Needless to say - someone should look into intentional infliction of emotional distress after this last comment.

I want to share my situation with anyone else who has had a similar experience. I suggest that you not call and speak to customer service reps who waste your time and threaten your credit and health.

Write to the company and dispute the charge. Send by certified mail - and cc: the President, CEO's and your state and local representatives. Complain to the FTC, the State Divisions of Financial Regulation, The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and call your local newspapers. Let's not roll over and let the corporate bank muggers take our money without a fight!

If the internet is providing any evidence corroborating my frustration - maybe the CEO of JP Morgan Bank, Jaime Dimon at PO Box 15298, Wilmington, DE 19850 should hear from you about your problems. Maybe they'll change their policy of inconvenience if they are inundated with the same time wasting policies they impose on their consumers.

Also - notify the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov and complain! Don't stop until these consumer abuses are illegal.

Good luck!

Valerie
Kensington, Maryland
U.S.A.