Complaint Review: Aspire Visa - Atlanta Georgia

I don't know if these people are incompetent, or stupid, or both, but they certainly are dishonest! I'm a former Customer Service Representative and Supervisor, and have trained many CSRs. I've run call centers and handled disgruntled customers. The complaints you see here about Aspire are credible and accurate. This business makes unilateral changes in their credit terms and, in my case, did so based on a credit report they obtained years after I initiated my account with them. And, because I know how to read credit reports, I can firmly state that my credit was even BETTER when the changes were made than it was at the time the account was started. Further, this was a good pay account, and should have had NO derogatories on it. ROUND 1: When I received the notice that my interest rate would significantly increase and that other terms were being modified seriously in Aspire's favor, I called to cancel the account. Their CSR offered to let the existing terms remain in place and, because she did so, I kept the account open. ROUND 2: About a month later, I received a notice from Aspire, saying that, "As [I] requested," they were providing the reasons why I had bad credit and the terms subsequently were being changed. I called them immediately, spent 40 minutes on the phone with a total of four different people (including a Customer Service Supervisor) and ended up speaking with a woman who told me that the notice was a mistake, that there was no problem with my credit, that no negative reports were being made to credit reporting agencies, and that there would be no further problems. ROUND 3: But, lo and behold, about ten days later, I received a SECOND notice, identical to the previous one except for the date. I called once, got the automated system, waited through seven menus, selected "9" to speak with a CSR, and the system hung up on me. That call wasted eight minutes of my time. I called right back, didn't press any buttons, listened to four menus (three of which cycled three times), was told that I would be connected to a CSR, then heard silence. The system said, "Good-bye" and disconnected me AGAIN. On my third call, I finally got through to a CSR who asked me for the SAME information I'd already given the system (16-digit account number, last four digits of my SSN, and my Zipcode). I asked why she needed it again, and she said that she didn't have the information. I reluctantly gave the information for the THIRD time, and she then put me on hold, without explanation, for five minutes. When she finally returned to the line, I asked why she'd put me on hold; she said that she had to verify my information. I asked why she didn't pull up the account when I gave her the card number and she couldn't answer me. A couple of arrogant replies later, I realized that she was unable AND unwilling to help me, so I asked to speak with her supervisor. When the supervisor finally picked up after a few MORE minutes, he gave me attitude as well. I finally asked to speak with HIS supervisor and was told that she was in a meeting. I then asked to speak with HER supervisor and was told the same thing. I asked who was running the shop, and he told me that he and his staff were doing so, and were doing a good job. We disagreed on this point. He offered to have a supervisor call me back, then asked for my phone number (remember, I've already given it -- or parts of it -- THREE times). I asked if he had it on his screen and he beligerantly and repeatedly refused to answer me. He was about to hang up on me, but I wanted to get the situation resolved, so I gave it to him AGAIN. He called back about ten minutes later and instead of connecting me with a supervisor as I'd requested and he'd committed to, he put me in contact with the department that generated the negative credit letters. I ended up speaking with the same woman I'd spoken with about the previous problem letter (she indicated this by referring to what she had told me the other time I'd called), and she, again, assurred me that it was simply a mistake. Knowing that there was no reason to believe that the mistakes wouldn't keep happening, I told her that I wanted to cancel the account. At that point, she asked for my account number. I asked her if she knew who she was speaking with, but she didn't know. She then lamely said that the Customer Service Supervisor hadn't given her that information. I asked if she had thought to ask for it. No answer. Then I asked to speak with HER supervisor. The Supervisor, again, asked for my account number. Here we go: this was the FIFTH time I'd given it to them, and I told her so. I said that I wanted to cancel the account, and she asked for my name. I reminded her that THEY HAD CALLED ME! She said that she still had to verify it. I gave her my name AGAIN, asked that my account be cancelled, that my credit be returned to me immediately, and told her that I'd already destroyed the credit card. The moral of this lesson? Don't get sucked in by Aspire. If an experienced, well-trained Customer Service Supervisor has to go through this crap, imagine what YOU'LL have to deal with! Don Bridgeport, Pennsylvania Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Aspire Credit Cards

CLICK HERE to read about Credit Card Scams... find out how to get your money back. Consumer makes harsh but accurate statements. *Rip-off Report Investigation follow-up provides valuable information. Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Aspire Visa