Complaint Review: Providian Financial Bank Visa

I got behind in my payment, and from then on it was a living hell. Each month I sent the payment,it was eaten up with high charges from the month before, late fee, extra interest, over the limit fees, I made the minimum monthly payment, but it didn't cover the charges. My balance went up instead of down. Each time I tried to call, I was sent from one person to another, no one could talk to you about anything.

Finally, they turned it over to a collection agency. I was able to cut a deal with them, but Providian still sent the statements. My payments were credited, but the same story, more and more charges, balance going up. Called the collection agency after 2 months, they have one balance, Providian has another. We'll fix it they say. Then, another collection agency calls, same account. They tell me Providian turned it over to them.

First collection agency is no longer in service. Providian says they don't know why it was sent to that agency, they don't use them, they do their own collection. Made a deal with Providian. Same stuff again, now the late fees and over limit fees have been refunded, but for some reason, they just can't seem to get the interest payments right, supposed to be 9.9%, but the charges and statement show 18.99%. Called back several times, it always is on the supervisors desk for review, or it will show up corrected on the next statement.

Ten statements later it has not shown up yet. This has been going on since October 2001. They tell me my account is current and in good standing, but it is now a bad debt on my credit report, and I can't seem to get it off. The nice people at Providian will be glad to switch you over to another number, so you can talk to a manager/supervisor, but there is nothing there but on-hold forever to get a recording that has nothing to do with what you're calling about, or finally a recording tells you our office is now closed, or our current volume of calls is too heavy to take your call at this time, then hangs up on you.

I have asked several times for a manager/supervisor to call me, and I have never gotten a call back. Now they don't even put a phone number or email address or website on the statements any more.

Cindy
Christiansburg, Virginia