Complaint Review: Dell Financial Services - Austin Texas

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to request at least a freeze on the accruing interest for a loan that I did not intend. I paid my bill for purchases of Dell Computers by Jan. 17, 2004. Dell Financial Services says that they did not receive payment until Feb. 9, 2004 therefore a loan was taken out and has now accrued interest to over $800. Given the misleading payment request I request a cancellation of the loan.

This week I received a bill from Dell Financial Services with both the Account Summary and Transaction Description amount as $0.00.

Account Transaction Description Transaction Total

501-6419369-001 BUSINESS LOAN 0.00

Under Account Summary the Due Date is listed as 07/18/04 yet I was told that to date it is over $800. On the far right there is an asterisk with Currant Loan Balance $552.87 however there is no corresponding asterisk after the Total Due $0.00 on the Account Summary or the billing slip so I didn't notice it.

On the Please return this portion with payment' slip

Account Number 501-6419369-001, the Due Date is 07/18/04 the Total Due is $0.00

I called Dell to talk about a future order. By accident I called using my Dell Financial Services bill phone number. I spoke to Lynn who informed me that I had a loan out for over $800. I asked to speak to her supervisor as I knew that she was not responsible for the billing. I asked repeatedly as Lynn kept repeating that I had a loan and had no recourse except to pay it before another interest charge was added.

I tried to tell her that the Account Summary Due Date was 7/18/04 which she said was wrong and gave me the $800 + amount reiterating that it would increase soon if I didn't pay it immediately. It is not very Dell/customer friendly to charge interest on a loan without at least notifying the customer on a monthly bases.

Lynn began accusing me of being uncooperative. I insisted that she connect me with her supervisor. Her comment was that it would not matter, as he would just tell me the same thing that she had told me. At that, I heard a click and was disconnected. I believe that the call was recorded.

I tried to call back but could not get through. I used another number and after being put on hold and talking to several other customer assistant operators, I was transferred to Alfred ID 339-041. Alfred said that Lynn had accidentally disconnected me earlier.

Alfred read a statement several times about the loan that I automatically entered into when my full payment check was received late. I asked him several times why I had not received any notification of this or the interest charges as he said the loan began on Jan. 17, 2004 and four months had passed. Alfred raised his voice harshly and accused me of being uncooperative when I repeated my questions as to why the dollar amounts on the Financial Services bill were all $0.00. He had no answer. I requested that he send me a detailed statement of the loan and bill with dates of each added interest. I asked how I could get the rapidly increasing interest rates stopped. He asked if I wanted the bill mailed or faxed. I told him faxed and added that I would take this to Dell and the news stations that request complaints about such tricks and misleading billing.

Alfred then said that he would hang up since I had become so oppositional and used threatening verbiage. I said that I was just stating the facts of my concerns, requesting explanations, and appraising him of my future actions. He continued to accuse me of being threatening. I had to have him repeat the numbers in the address he gave me. He accused me of doing this on purpose. I told him that I am hard of hearing and have difficulty with numbers. He then yelled the following address:

Dell Financial Services

12234 N. 1H-35-B

Austin, TX. 78753-1705

ATTENTION: Directors of Customer Service

Initially I had some problems with my shipment and was not send part of the order until I requested the follow-up shipment. The person taking the order had not included a router I originally requested but listed it in the price that he quoted me over the phone. I later purchased one from Staples. I understand that these things happen but the present problem is not customer service or friendly at all. Dell advertises that we should just call and the folks at Dell will gladly serve us. This present billing mess is unfair, offensive to me, and the billing statement itself does not correspond with the $ amounts that Alfred stated to me.

I have not received the fax from Alfred therefore, I don't even know the original loan amount or the dates it began to accrue interest. Dell did not notify me of the dates of any interest or the original loan. As I stated I only accidentally came to this knowledge when I called the Dell Financial Services to order instead of calling Dell Inc. I didn't realize the difference. When did you intend to inform me of these charges? This is four months after you deposited the total balance check.

My first concern is to stop the increase in interest charges, as there is not a balance due. The only charge is interest and the original interest is now accruing interest. This is at the least bizarre. The Account Summary was $0.00 and the Business Loan was $0.00. This is a major miscommunication. As you can see, my verbiage may be loquacious but it is not as threatening as Lynn disconnecting my call and Alfred's threats to hang up.

Please reply to my request to help me end this now as a misunderstanding.. I look forward to your immediate attention to this problems. Sincerely,

Jane

Hanover, New Hampshire
U.S.A.

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