I am having a problem with Target Credit Card company, that I thought you might possibly be able to assist me with or tell me if it is a scam by Target?
I have been a long time customer with Target bank. 2 1/2 years ago I ran into some medical problems. I called up Target bank and asked them if I could possibly skip 2 or 3 payments due to a temporary medical hardship. They stated that they had no type of program that would allow me to do this.
I had no choice but to skip the 3 payments from Target. On the 4th month, I contacted Target to see if something could be worked out to continue paying them and become current once again. They stated that if I would allow them to automatically deduct $50 from my checking monthly and agree to close the account, there would be no late fees or extra interest added to the account. The $50 would just go to paying off the remaining balance. (At that time it was some $2,500)
I agreed to this. For 6 months they automatically took the amount out of my checking. After that, I paid Target Bank directly $50 a month. As soon as I was able I started paying $60 a month, in hopes of paying it off earlier than planned. I paid every month on time, never missing a payment or having a late payment.
After I had been paying that for about a year and a half or so, I received a letter from a collection agency saying that I owe some $2,600 but if I pay them a lesser amount in full with in so many days, the debt could be resolved.
I immediately called the collection agency and informed them that my account should not be in collections because I have not only been paying the agreed amount on time every month, but I have also been paying extra. They said a little more than a year ago Target National Bank sold my loan to TD Bank. TD Bank was not aware of any agreement, so I have been being charged late fees, interest, and such every month. That is why my balance is higher than it was a year ago, even though I have been paying (as what I thought) was more than the minimum due. They suggested I call TD Bank. Which I did. They told me that they could not talk to me because my account had already been handed over to a collection agency.
Then about six months later, I get paperwork that TD Bank USA, N.A. is taking me to court for the amount of $2,646.42. I immediately called the collection agency, CIR Law Offices. They told me that the reason that my amount is actually higher than when I first went into the agreement with Target National Bank was because the loan was sold and no agreement was transferred. Therefore I was being charged late fees and interest for the two years, plus now court and legal fees have been added to the total balance.
They said if I agreed to pay $100 a month instead of the $60 a month, I have been paying, then the $2,600 should be paid off in a little over 2 years. I explained to them I had already been paying on time every single month $60 and the balance actually went up! So, two years ago I owed $2,500.........I paid $60 a month for two years......now my balance is $2,600.........and you want me to start paying $100 a month.......so in 2 years I can be right back in the same place????? They said, you won’t be back in the same place, you will have fully paid it off in a little over two years. I told them that is basically what they told me two years ago also. Why would I fall for the same scam again!?!?!?
I called The Superior Court Of California, County of SanBernardino. They said there are two options for me. 1. I can ignore the court papers and a judgement for the $2,646.42 will be filed against me. She said then they can garnish my disability payments, bank accounts, and such until the amount is paid in full to them. or 2. I can file a complaint through the court which will cost $240 to file, plus pay any service fees and such. Then a court date will be set to prove my case and defend myself.
So basically they are taking advantage of people that don’t have $300+ to file on them in court. You are guilty until proven innocent. Because if I don’t have the money to file against their allegations, they will just garnish my money, further causing me financial hardships.
This shouldn’t have ever gotten this far. I missed THREE payments. I called them to arrange payments after that. I wanted to make good on it. I agreed to the payment arrangements they set for me. I was never late. I paid every single month. Most months paying even more than what they required.
Yet now they are taking me to court. My only options being:
Paying them $100 a month for 2 years and chance being right back in the same position I am in right now. Them saying...oh, we do not have that agreement. And end up paying over $4,000 total on an original $2,500 amount because of their shadiness?
Ignoring the court papers and phone calls and have over $2,600 taken out of disability checks or bank accounts. (Remember I have already paid over $1,400 on this balance, they have conveniently forgotten about).
Or pay some $300+ in court fees and see if I can possibly get this matter resolved in court. Money which I do not currently have right now. Due to the fact that I am 100% permanently disabled and can not work at all.
I personally think it is a big scam being put on by Target. I mean really I have paid for two years on time and they show gratitude by ignoring the $1,400, take me to court, want me to pay more than I owed 2 years ago or make higher payments and do this again in another 2 years.
Is there anything that can be done about this? Is this happening to others that I don’t know about? How can they be allowed to do this? It is a giant rip off!!!!!!!
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Rsdmom
Highland, California,
RE:Striderq
#5Author of original report
Tue, April 29, 2014
Thank you so much for your reply. I did not know that about Disability. Thank you. I am greatful for your help. Have a great week! Take care!!
Rsdmom
Highland, California,
RE: Robert
#5Author of original report
Tue, April 29, 2014
First off, I would like to say I was looking for help, guidance, or support......not a bashing!
I take full responsibility for opening the account. I never asked for the amount I charged to be dissolved. Only to be able to pay the amount I charged and not double or triple that amount. I am not a dead beat craditor. With the exception of those 3 months, I have been a long time customer of Target and Target Bank and have always paid the minimum amount due, if not more, every single month. Never being late.
Since the agreement between Target and myself, some 2 years ago, I have made every payment on time. So why should they take me to court some two years later? Makes no sense. And why should I pay for two years on time, just to be told that what I have paid is no good.....because my loan was sold to another bank?
I have not charged a single cent to this card in over two years. I have paid on time. So why do I have to pay to dispute this in court?
You say that I am at fault? How can that be? I have paid more than the minimum due for two years, on time. I have been a good customer and good payer on the account. I don't understand your bashing, Mr Robert. At all! I am a good citisen that happened to have a very unexpected accident a few years ago. But instead of being a dead beat, I owned up and tried to catch up on my bills, despite being deemed 100% permanently disabled.
But I can NOT afford to keep paying this $2,500 debt over and over again. I need to pay the $2,500 I owe ONCE. That's it. Just once! Why should I be asked to pay the entire amount over and over again, just because I can not afford to pay for court? Seems pretty silly to me.
And your bashing did NOT help the matter any. I am currently trying to sell things so that I might be able to file the court fees for the complaint against them. But thank you enough for caring to bash me.
Robert
Irvine, California,
Oh yea it's a scam..oh brother...
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, April 25, 2014
I personally think it is a big scam being put on by Target. I mean really I have paid for two years on time and they show gratitude by ignoring the $1,400, take me to court,
- Oh yea..it's a scam that they spent years setting you up for this big fall. It all started when they held you at gunpoint until you opened up the credit card. They also had their "Gestapo" follow you every time you went to the store and at the register they forced you to use the credit card. They did ALL of this because they looked in their crystal ball and knew that at some point you would stop paying them. Where they could just take you for $50 a month for a couple of years before they decide to finally sue you.
Yep, that is so much more logical than the truth. A credit card is an account where they are allowing you to BORROW their money. Under the agrement that you would make minimum payments every month to pay the balance off. YOU(and the reason doesn't matter) failed to fullfill that agreement. That is why you are in this situation now..not by any "scam" you think they are doing.
Is there anything that can be done about this?
Now let's get serious and out of this BS "passing of the buck" you are trying to pull off. You need to go to court, I am not sure why the clerk told you that you had to pay $240 to defend yourself. I think they may have mis-understood you and thought you wanted to file a case against them. Personally I would look around and see if you can talk to a legal aid agency or find an attorney who would give you a free consultation to confirm the exact status.
Now, in court you can explain this exact same thing to the judge. You can explain your current financial situation and if you act professionally and are sincere the judge MAY request that they work out a deal with you based on your situation. It would also help if you could provide proof of these payments over the last couple of years.
Striderq
Columbia, South Carolina,
Garnishment of disability pay...
#5General Comment
Fri, April 25, 2014
If the disability payments are from Social Security, the only entity that can garnish them is the federal government. So if you have an account with ONLY disability pay in it, this company can not take it. HOWEVER, you need to alert your bank of the possibility of the garnishment. If they get it (and your account is only disability) they will return the documents to the court saying that the account can not be garnished. If you have other money being deposited into the account (part time job, annuity, etc) that amount of money can and will be garnished to fulfill the judgement. Either way, you need to realize that your bank will charge a fee (usually around $100) for processing the garnishment.
I'd suggest to go to court and take all your old statements showing the payments. If you have a hard copy of the agreement take it also. Show all of this to the judge and he/she may order payment amount that you can afford.
Another, more drastic option is to talk to a local lawyer about filing bankruptcy to take care of this and any other bills you have.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Rsdmom
Highland,California,
RE:Striderq
#5Author of original report
Tue, April 29, 2014
Thank you so much for your reply. I did not know that about Disability. Thank you. I am greatful for your help. Have a great week! Take care!!
Rsdmom
Highland,California,
RE: Robert
#5Author of original report
Tue, April 29, 2014
First off, I would like to say I was looking for help, guidance, or support......not a bashing!
I take full responsibility for opening the account. I never asked for the amount I charged to be dissolved. Only to be able to pay the amount I charged and not double or triple that amount. I am not a dead beat craditor. With the exception of those 3 months, I have been a long time customer of Target and Target Bank and have always paid the minimum amount due, if not more, every single month. Never being late.
Since the agreement between Target and myself, some 2 years ago, I have made every payment on time. So why should they take me to court some two years later? Makes no sense. And why should I pay for two years on time, just to be told that what I have paid is no good.....because my loan was sold to another bank?
I have not charged a single cent to this card in over two years. I have paid on time. So why do I have to pay to dispute this in court?
You say that I am at fault? How can that be? I have paid more than the minimum due for two years, on time. I have been a good customer and good payer on the account. I don't understand your bashing, Mr Robert. At all! I am a good citisen that happened to have a very unexpected accident a few years ago. But instead of being a dead beat, I owned up and tried to catch up on my bills, despite being deemed 100% permanently disabled.
But I can NOT afford to keep paying this $2,500 debt over and over again. I need to pay the $2,500 I owe ONCE. That's it. Just once! Why should I be asked to pay the entire amount over and over again, just because I can not afford to pay for court? Seems pretty silly to me.
And your bashing did NOT help the matter any. I am currently trying to sell things so that I might be able to file the court fees for the complaint against them. But thank you enough for caring to bash me.
Robert
Irvine,California,
Oh yea it's a scam..oh brother...
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, April 25, 2014
I personally think it is a big scam being put on by Target. I mean really I have paid for two years on time and they show gratitude by ignoring the $1,400, take me to court,
- Oh yea..it's a scam that they spent years setting you up for this big fall. It all started when they held you at gunpoint until you opened up the credit card. They also had their "Gestapo" follow you every time you went to the store and at the register they forced you to use the credit card. They did ALL of this because they looked in their crystal ball and knew that at some point you would stop paying them. Where they could just take you for $50 a month for a couple of years before they decide to finally sue you.
Yep, that is so much more logical than the truth. A credit card is an account where they are allowing you to BORROW their money. Under the agrement that you would make minimum payments every month to pay the balance off. YOU(and the reason doesn't matter) failed to fullfill that agreement. That is why you are in this situation now..not by any "scam" you think they are doing.
Is there anything that can be done about this?
Now let's get serious and out of this BS "passing of the buck" you are trying to pull off. You need to go to court, I am not sure why the clerk told you that you had to pay $240 to defend yourself. I think they may have mis-understood you and thought you wanted to file a case against them. Personally I would look around and see if you can talk to a legal aid agency or find an attorney who would give you a free consultation to confirm the exact status.
Now, in court you can explain this exact same thing to the judge. You can explain your current financial situation and if you act professionally and are sincere the judge MAY request that they work out a deal with you based on your situation. It would also help if you could provide proof of these payments over the last couple of years.
Striderq
Columbia,South Carolina,
Garnishment of disability pay...
#5General Comment
Fri, April 25, 2014
If the disability payments are from Social Security, the only entity that can garnish them is the federal government. So if you have an account with ONLY disability pay in it, this company can not take it. HOWEVER, you need to alert your bank of the possibility of the garnishment. If they get it (and your account is only disability) they will return the documents to the court saying that the account can not be garnished. If you have other money being deposited into the account (part time job, annuity, etc) that amount of money can and will be garnished to fulfill the judgement. Either way, you need to realize that your bank will charge a fee (usually around $100) for processing the garnishment.
I'd suggest to go to court and take all your old statements showing the payments. If you have a hard copy of the agreement take it also. Show all of this to the judge and he/she may order payment amount that you can afford.
Another, more drastic option is to talk to a local lawyer about filing bankruptcy to take care of this and any other bills you have.
Good luck, Hope this helps.