First Consumer National Bank - Spiegel SCAMMING CUSTOMERS OLD BETHPAGE, NEW YORK
For many years my Spiegel account has been through the First Consumer National Bank (FCNB) and I have never had a problem. I have online billing and every month without fail, a check is disbursed for my Spiegel account.
I started having problems last month. My Spiegel bill indicated payment had not been received and there was a late charge for $35. Immediately I called my bank to verify that a check was disbursed and cashed. I was not surprised to learn that my payment had indeed cleared, so my next phone call was to the telephone number listed on the back of the Spiegel statement. I was connected to an automated operator and given instructions to WRITE to Card Processing Center in Old Bethpage, NY.
It isn't until after the Card Processing Center responds to my letter and after many many phone calls to 866-503-XXXX, that I learn FCNB is no longer in business. I also learn that the Card Processing Center is the new company now in charge of my balance to Spiegel. NOW I know why they are claiming not to have received my payment... It's a new company at a completely new address!
I think the Card Processing Center's name is extremely misleading which I honestly believe was deliberate. Their name allows you to believe you are sending your payment to a processing center for the company you have always done business with and I think that is deliberate. Finding the phone number to an actual person requires heavy duty investigation work. Just when you think you've finally found someone to discuss the issue, you are once again given instructions to write a letter and wait for a response -- which I have done several times already.
I've decided to report Spiegel as well as the Card Processing Center of Old Bethpage, NY to the Better Business Burea, but would appreciate any information that would allow me to get money sent to FCNB that was not credited to my Spiegel account.
Thank you!
Jasmin
New York, New York
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jane
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
After the wrong company
#2UPDATE Employee
Mon, October 27, 2003
For those cardholders who are filing complaints agains Spiegel or Card Processing, you are going after the wrong companies. You shjould be after FCNB & FCNB only. Let me explain why. Many years ago Spiegel contacted a finance company called First Consumers to issue catalog "charge cards" for them. FCNB (First Consumers) issued these cards & serviced as well as collected on these products until recently.
In the spring of 2003 FCNB filed bankruptcy. Because this is a totally seperate company that was HIRED by Spiegel, Spiegel itself was not effected. Spiegel still has their stores & catalogs. In fact, since FCNB went belly up they hired another financial institution (worlf financial or WFNB) to issue & service NEW cards for their catalogs.
ENTER CARD PROCESSING. Card Processing Center is a 3 party credit card servicing agency. Card Processing was contracted as og june 30th 2003 to handle collections on these accounts. Card processing was not contracted to handle customer service, hence no customer service # or representative to speak to. Card Processing Center is doing exactly what they were contracted to do, COLLECTIONS. This is why any disputes or customer service issues (fee waivers, etc) must be sent in writing. To date, no company has been hired to do customer service on these accounts. Card Processing is not to blame for cardholders dissatisfaction with the way this conversion was handled.
Think of it this way- It's like you contract a company to fix your roof & then file a complaint against them because they didn't fix your plumbing. Mean while you didn't hire them to fix your plumbing so of ciurse they didn't do that.
It is unfortunate because in this conversion the ones who pay the price are the cardholders. I am in total agreement that it stinks. However ging after Spiegel or Card Processing is a waste of breath because these companies are not the responsible party.