Complaint Review: Target Retailers National Bank

I am at my wit's end in regards to this account. I have been dealing with this for almost 3 years now. Here is the run down on what has occurred: I started this Target account in 1999 with a $500 credit limit (approx. August) at the time that I opened the account, I signed up for the optional insurance which is supposed to cover any payments should you lose your job, become disabled, or in the event of death, etc.

On November 8, 1999, I was laid off due to the fact that the company I worked for was going out of business. I made my scheduled payment in December and began immediately requesting the insurance paperwork to begin my claim. I continued to request this paperwork for at least the next 6 months by calling the 800 number on the back of my Target card. Meanwhile, I had no income and therefore could not make the payments so, they closed my account.

The insurance disclosure stated that it would cover all expenses that were on the account up until the date that you were laid off; my card had been charged with approx. $200 at the time I was laid off. I continued using the card and ended up charging up to my limit of $500. While I was continually requesting the necessary paperwork (and could not get it, and still to this day never got any of it) they began adding late charges to my account. I do not believe these fees were my responsibility because they had not responded to my numerous requests and had they the insurance would have been making the payments and therefore there would be no late fees.

I continued calling weekly to try and get this claim going (I called both the insurance company and Retailers National Bank). Eventually, Target changed their insurance company and that's when my attempts came to a dead halt. The new insurance company would not even talk with me because this all occurred before they were in the picture, and the old insurance wouldn't help me because they were not working with Target anymore.

Jumping ahead: finally in September of 2001 this account was sent to Chase Receivables. I called them and explained all of this and they agreed to take a payment in the amount of $300, which is what I believe I should be responsible for (the additional amount I charged after being laid off). At that time I did a check payment by phone. I took their word that this payment would take care of the problem and therefore had put it out of mind until now.

I called collection agency to follow up to my dispute because I had not gotten any response from my letter. They told me that they account was closed out and all dispute information was sent back to the customer, Retailers National Bank. I then called Retailers National Bank and was transferred to the department that was handling my account where I spoke with a gentlemen by the name of Charles.

As you will see from the above, I have been dealing with this account for a ridiculous amount of time. And, as if to add insult to injury, Charles told me that there were not any notes on my account from all of these numerous calls that I've made over the past few years. Charles also made a comment that this account was written off already in 2000 (and my impression was that it wasn't too big of a deal).

Well, I think that this is a very big deal because it is reflected negatively on my credit history for something that was not entirely due to my negligence but to this company's lack of response and customer service. So, I sent dispute letter to RNB along with a copy of my license like I was instructed to do by Charles.

I just called Retailers National bank again to check the status of the dispute letter that I sent them. And, what do they tell me: they can't help me because the account has been sent to an outside collection agency AGAIN!
Then they tell me that they don't show that I was ever signed up for the insurance and I have to find a copy of my original application in order to prove it to them.

I asked why they didn't have a copy of it since they are the ones that approved my account and billed me each month for the insurance. I was told that they don't keep copies of that and they can't pull up any history on my account to find out what I was charged for. I am so tired of this! Is there anything I can do to get this cleared up because this bogus excuse for a company won't help me. HELP!!!

Angela
Seattle, Washington

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