Providian, Emerge Rip-off Sold my account to Emerge without my knowledge Was told that my account was closed Now it looks like I have an open delinquent account San Francisco California, Tilton New Hamshire, & Dallas Texas
I had a providian account and it was closed due to the fact that I had been out of a job for awhile and could not keep up with the bill. They put all these fees from out of no where during the month and could not help me with the charges. I got a letter stating that the account was closed.
I had not recieved a letter or phone call regarding the account for months when all of a sudden this Emerge account bill was sent to me as though I still had an open account with all these NEW CHARGES from out of no where. I did not know that providian had done this thing.
I thought that someone had used my social security number to get credit! But needless to say, that was not the case. Upon going online to look up this so called credit card company, I found out that it is a scam. I am very frustrated about this because now it effects my credit even worse. I look like I have two delinquent credit card accounts instead of one, not to mention the credit issues I am already trying to straighten out.
I recieved no letter letting me know anything at all. In other words now I look like I have all these dilinquent accounts that I do not have. People need to know not to deal with providian as they look like a legitimate company.
Alysia
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Alysia
Minneapolis,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
I was decieved ..deception is not a good business practice
#4Author of original report
Fri, March 21, 2003
The problem is that providian never gave me an offer to pay the account. No settlement at all. I called them. Here is my dilemma, the account is closed. I want it to say closed on my credit. I am already trying to pay things off on my credit and it is not a good thing for them to say that I am so many days behind when it was closed before. I have never seen a comany do that before in my experience.
So now I am looking like I have an open account that was closed in another company name? Unfortunately, it is a rip off if you are getting charged for usage of the account and you have no awareness of what is going on. I thought that someone had used my social security number because an account that closed at $900.00 was now $1900.00 and on top of that it was not even the providian account???
You tell me how that is fair.I understand business, I had one of my own. But the problem is that deception is not a good business practice and as consumers we have a right to be notified. That is how I got ripped off. I was not even using that card but it doubled in how much I owe. I cannot accept that. I had not seen a providian bill for months and months and all of a sudden I have a $1900.00 bill? That is crazy.
Mike
Radford,Virginia,
U.S.A.
How is this helping?
#4Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 21, 2003
They closed the account because it was obvious she couldn't pay. Now this "re-opening" is serving only to worsen her credit report, reset the statute of limitations on the debt, and threaten her with more nonsense fees. I'm sure she can't charge anything on the card any more because it's way over the limit from old debt and fees. So she has nothing of value by having the account "open". Companies that deal with subprime customers like to say they're doing a favor. Really they are taking license to rip them off because they have nowhere else to go. If they wanted to do a favor, they should forgive all the nonsense fees and offer a fair settlement to pay the account off.
B
Tucson,Arizona,
U.S.A.
I know it doesn't seem like the best...but it was to help.
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, March 21, 2003
The only thing I see wrong with this post is that the author is complaining about being given another chance with an "open" account. Emerge took all of Providian's accounts and opened them for settlement payments or second chances. I know because I had an acct. closed with Providian a few years ago and they offered me a settlement.
A company is not a rip off if you can't pay your bills. Credit card companies are businesses, too, and all businesses make money.