Complaint Review: Continental Finance Company LLC

I was just searching the net for a means to report harrassing collections tactics of "Continental Finance Company, LLC" when the "RipOff" site popped up. I was feeling as though I was trapped with a preditory credit card agency simply because I was foolish enough to activate the card with the impression that there would be a $300 credit line. This proceedure can't be legal or is it????

When I first received this card from the Continental Finance Company, LLC. I contacted their agency and was told that before I could use this $300 limit, I would first have to pay $250 as an activation fee...whereby it would only allow me to actually spend only $50. I asked to talk to a rep and asked if he could send me more details on the card or if he could explain the details of the card to me. He told me about the activation fee; but like any conman sales ripoff, he neglected to give me the details of late charges and incedental charges that were to come. I can recall walling away from the phone call feeling as though I only need pay $50 a month until my limit was paid down. I could only spend as much as I paid. He also made me feel that there would be only a $25 service charge for late pay. I knew my credit needed a facelift and I could not get a regular credit card, so I...inspite of my reluctance to pay such a high activation fee...activated the card. I simply assumed that the $250 was my opportunity cost for not have perfect credit for a honest legitimate card. My plans were to repay the card after the 1st of the year with my income tax. After the 1st of the year, I ran into a snag with H&R Blocks policy changes and was told I would have to wait to file when I received my W2...rather than their previous policies to use my final paycheck stub of the year to file. This would of course delay my tax payment until February 1st of 2008. I received the actual card in mid-November, 2007.

By Mid-December, I received a call from their collections department on my caller ID and thus returned the call to find out if there was a possibility of extension to pay or to see what additional charges would be incurred if I payed late. I was shocked to find out that they were very unprofessional in their response. I was told in a very condesending manner that "I must not have read the terms of agreement" as if I was some type of moron that was wasting their time in even calling them with my concern. I explained to the rep that I actually didn't even remember signing up for their specific card and that I often surf and fill out card applications. I generally read the standard information that is made viewable and surf on. I felt obligated because I didn't really read the "terms and conditions" and I knew in my mind that this is how preditory scam and phishing companies ensnare despart viewers to sign up for terms that are often "preditory, legal-loop holes" that bog you down with fine print policy rules that makes your credit worst off than before; and that indebt you far beyond what they initially offer you up front.

I need not tell you that I was offended by the reps response and how you began to talk to me as though I was some dead-beat that was their company graced with exceptance and now I was going to have to pay the cost for using their $50 immediately or they would do something terrible to me. She didn't say those words; but she spoke to me as though I was stupid and now I had better give her their money or else. When I explained my intentions to her and admitted to having some unforseen income delays and would like to make a payment arrangement with them to pay them when I received my income taxes at the end of January, she began to tell me of all the incedentals. The first incendental was ridiculous. She told me that I would be charged, $30 for late fees per month (December and January). Then I would be charged an additional $30 Over limit fee...then I said, "hold on, what's the over limit fee...I only spent $44 dollars on the card!" She then told me that I would have to pay over the limit fee's because...now get this...they will apply the late fee $30 and account maintenance fee of $10, in addition to the Annual fee $49, the Account Processing Fee $99.00, the Program Participation fee $89.00 (what the heck is program participation anyway...the same as processing fee, isn't it...or the right to spend $50); and the $44 I owe them. I asked her why do I have to pay over limit fee's for them to charge me a fee for having to pay an additional fee...what the heck is that all about anyway. She then hung up on me and told me that there will be more calls until I pay them.

Angry and bewildered, I just prepared myself for the longhaul and said I could only realistically pay them when I had the money. After that day; in mid-December, I have since recieved threatening phone calls from them every single day...even Sundays, and on most days I receive 3 to 5 phone calls from them that day...whether I answer my phone to them or not. When I answer, they day it's just a reminder call and a chance to "make payment arrangements" (key phrase here) to tell me my bill is due. When I explain that I have been reminded over and over and that I already made the payment arrangement; they just tell be that I am past due and that they have me on an automatic dialer that will continue to call me until I pay the bill (threatening; isn't it). I finally called them one day and asked for a supervisor to see why they are calling even after I have made the payment arrangement they requested. He then got down and dirty with me and said I'm past due and that no matter what "payment arrangement" I made, they would still keep calling me. Since then; I have been called 3-5 time per day for 30 days (that's 150 calls). The calls begin...sometimes as early as 7:00am although when I complained to them again, the began them at 8:30am (due to collections regulations by the feds...their slick). They generally call as late as 9:00pm in the evenings.

After I saw how malicious they were...I began buzzing the calls with loud noises when they called...since I could always see their phone number on caller ID. Once they saw that was what they would recieve for harrassing me; they just started calling and hanging up...how unprofessional is that? Is that a legitmate business practice, or what?

Now to make this long story shorter, I'm being told that I will be bombarded with harrassing phone calls every day of the week 3-5 times per day in order to pay some preditor loan shark (short of breaking my arms and legs) $365.16 (so far--as of January 25, 2008--from the original date of activation--November 29, 2007) because I spent $43.64.

Doing the MATH.........................Spend

$ 43.64 ....................................... Payback

$365.16

Mind you that if I do not pay this; the fate of my credit will be continuously be charged additional charges to the $365.16 until the amount is paid.

THAT'S WORST THAT SALLIEMAE and they were put all on National TV for such preditory practices. SHOULD I PAY???? I would like to be a responsible customer to anyone I make a financial agreement to; inspite of the huge charges they apply; but after the service and threatening calls and intimidation practices, I'm sure that I don't want to deal with them. If I pay that type of money to them and cut up the card...I would be an even bigger fool to pay someone almost $400 for spending $43.

If there is a lawyer out there or if there is a single class action suit being filed against this company; I would very much like to be a part of it.

HELP...HELP...HELP...HELP. They are contributing to the economic and financial instability of this country...these assholes are just plain UN-AMERICAN!!!!

The contact information I have for them is as follows:

Written Inquiries: Continental Finance

P.O. Box 8099

Newark, DE 19714-8099

Direct Merchant Dispute: Continental Finance or Mail Payments:

P.O. Box 30034

P.O. Box 30311

Tampa, FL 33630

Customer Service:

(800) 518-6141 Lost or stolen card:

(866) 839-3485 Billing Inquiries:

(866) 449-4530(will show as Not Provided on caller ID) Payment Arrangments: (800) 518-6142

Links to Continental to be wery of:
(((Redacted))) Sponsored LinksContinental Finance Card CreditCardXPO.com

Apply for the Continental Finance MasterCard Online. Bad Credit OK.

Continental Finance Card cfcapply.com

Unsecured MasterCard. Application Results in Seconds. Apply Now.

Continental Finance - Unsecured MasterCard Credit Card. Apply for ...Less than perfect credit? Continental Finance is a provider of MasterCard credit cards specifically for people with credit problems or a prior bankruptcy. (((Redacted))) - 17k - Cached - Similar pages

(((Redacted)))| Continental Finance Master CardContinental Finance Master Card Complaints: Fraud & cheating! (((Redacted))) - 53k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Finance - Unsecured MasterCard Credit Card. Apply for ...Have you been turned down for a credit card recently because of your credit score? Continental Finance is here to help you with the second chance you've ... (((Redacted)))- 36k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Finance MasterCardWe appreciate the opportunity to serve you with the Continental Finance MasterCard issued by First Bank of Delaware, Wilmington, Delaware. ...(((Redacted)))- 22k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Finance Gold MasterCardThe Continental Finance Gold MasterCard, a credit card for those with bad credit, offers consumers with bad credit the chance to rebuild their credit ... (((Redacted)))- 30k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Finance Blue MasterCardProvides Continental Finance Blue MasterCard from the personal experiences of cardholders.(((Redaced)))- 37k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Financial - Equipment Leasing Finance & CompanyContinental Financial Is a National Equipment Leasing and Finance Company. www.continentalfinancial.com/ - 13k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Finance Mastercard/Rebuild Damaged Credit/Credit Card ...Build or re-establish your credit with the Continental Finance MasterCard. This card is designed specifically for those with bad, damaged, or poor credit. (((Redacted))) - 13k - Cached - Similar pages

Continental Finance MasterCard - Credit.comContinental Finance MasterCard. ... Continental Finance MasterCard. Free Online Access; Excellent Online Tools for Managing Your Finances ... (((Redacted)))- 62k - Cached - Similar pages

Floretha Dallas, Texas

U.S.A.

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