Complaint Review: Hurley State Bank

In February, 2001, my husband went to Tractor Sales in Burlington, WI to purchase water softener salt. AT the time of purchase, he was urged to open a charge account to receive an additional discount. The entire ourchase, less discount came to less than $60.00. We gave it little thought, and awaited the bill , which we would have paid off had we ever received it. In the month of March, we began getting annoying computer generated phone calls from Hurley State bank. We ignored them, thinking it was some telemarketing scam. These calls came approxiamtely 2 times a day, and we became annoyed, eventually calling the 800 number which was included in every phone call. We came to find out that it was the bank which had issued the Tractor Sales credit. We came to talk to several CS reps to straighten out what appeared to be an error in our mailing address, the reason we had not received a bill for the softener salt.

My husband, myself, and an adult daughter gave them our address at least 5 times on 5 separate occasions. Still no bill came. My husband returned to Tractor Sales hoping to correct the error at the point of sale. The annoying phone calls continued. AT one point, a CS rep, actually told us that my husband must have given them the right address!!! Again we checked with the store and found that everything was correct. Finally in May a bill arrived, charging us nearly $100.00 in interest due. I called Hurley State Bank to find out what the purchase amount was. I promptly wrote a check and mailed it in with a letter explaining that I would not pay for a processing error on their part. I only paid the purchase price. I did this because if the bill had been amiled correctly, I would have owed no interest!!!!!!!!!! No brainer.

Well , the annoying phone calls continue. They now clain that we owe them $120.00!!!!!!!!!! Well no way will we pay this. I have also spoken to at least 4 different 'customer service reps' who really need to find out what that means and explained this situation ad nauseum.

I truly believe this was done on purpose and is in effect a fraud. By not sending us a bill at our address they can charge interest rates in the 50%. How can this happen in America?

Gina Bembenek