Credit Repair

Secured Credit Card company lied? What can I do?

So in an attempt to repair my credit after bankruptcy I signed up for a secured credit card. I held the account in excellent standing for about a year and a half and then I was hospitalized due to cancer and unable to keep up with the payments. In January of 2007 I got a letter from the credit card company offering me the opportunity to clear the credit history and bring the account in good standings for a minimum amount. By the time I called (probably 2 weeks after I got the letter) the offer was no longer valid and they advised that my account was about to be charged off. I did not want to go through this credit nightmare again, so I asked what I needed to do to settle the account. I was told that I would need to send in a payment which was $400 less than the total amount due on the account and that would settle the account and prevent it from being charged off. So I sent the payment in. Needless to say - they LIED. Does anyone know what I can do to fight this BS?

Public Comments

1. Did you get any of this in writing? If not, you are out of luck. you are still obligated to pay under the original terms you signed up for. You have to pay the bill, plus interest and penalties. Let this be a lesson. Credit card companies have their bottom line at heart. Not your well being. Get everything in writing. And never sign anything you haven't read or don't understand.
2. Contact the better business bureau. They might help you.
3. They always say that their calls are monitored and recorded. Keep going up the chain of supervisors until you get someone to go back and listen to it. If not, hire an attorney and sue them for fraud. They have that conversation on tape somewhere. Probably need a subpoena to get it though. And future warning, to anyone reading: NEVER SEND ONE PENNY TO ANYONE ON A SETTLEMENT OFFER UNLESS YOU HAVE THAT OFFER IN WRITING FIRST. I see this over and over again, usually with collection agencies. They offer to settle for half. You pay it. A year later, the other half of that debt is sold to another collection agency. You have nothing in writing. You have to pay again. They do this garbage all the time. Sorry it happened to you.
4. I agree with Lisa A and Y Answers - always get it in writing before you send in any money. Call the person back and let them know what you were told and if they don't want to settle the account - contact the BBB and FTC.
5. Did you get this in writing? If not shame on you. Never do anything with creditors unless you have the agreement in writing. You are most likely stuck.