Sorry about the scream everyone but those who know my current situation know that I'm trying to avoid further problems with my creditors by trying to rework my payments before things get worse. Discover Card is the least coopertive company when you run into a problem. I called them up, explained my situtation and that I was trying to avoid deliquency or something worse by renegotiating my payment plan now. Guess what they said? They said I would have to become delinquent BEFORE they could work with me which may happen soon because I will not be able to afford the full payment my former debt management company came up with much longer so my only other thought is to send them what I can and hope for the best. I tried to get them to just recind to my former account terms and they wouldn't! Any other thoughts?
How far up the food chain did you go to discuss the account? Just a front-line CSR? Supervisor? Middle-manager? Did you speak to those in the Hardship Resolution department?
The CSR said she tried a few different things and that's what they told her. With everything else-my lay off, having to persue a lower paying job, and my moving.......it all seems to be crashing down. I know it's not good but I may have to pay less then the minimum to get their attention at some point once my family and I move I may not be able to keep up the current payment that my former debt management company set up. I don't know what else to do.
You need to call again, and sometimes *again*. From your reply, I take it that you spoke to a front-line CSR regarding your account. Don't accept her word on the issue. You were previously working with a debt management company, that means that Discover DOES recognize hardship and negotiate repayment plans. Depending on the company, the individuals may be called "Consumer Advocates" or the Hardship Resolution Department. They have a record already that you've attempted to work them, because of your debt management company. Keep a log record of who you speak to and on what date in regard to your account. Ask for the Supervisor. Ask for the Supervisor's Supervisor. Tell them, if they review your account, they will see you've worked with a debt management company and that there IS a mechanism within Discover that works with consumers - it's in your credit history. They want to paid, it's in their interest to work with you but you have to recognize you may need to make more than just a few telephone calls. *Keep a log*. Confirm anything and everything in writing. Follow-up with letters to the specific department and/or the individual you speak to about your account. Send the mail certified because it's in your interest to keep a good, clean paper trail. Don't give up or think you have to just take your chances on paying less, hoping for the best. There's no reason to incur late charges, or any assortment of fees. If you have a fax, let them fax you the details. If you *really* don't think you can negotiate on your own, there are NACA attorneys who do this as part of their practice and they re-negotiate credit card and medical debt all the time. I think you can do it and come to favorable terms on your own.
I have emailed them again and have also snail mailed them again. Hopefully I can get someone to listen soon. Otherwise I will be paying what I can and hope for the best.........even though that's not what I want.
No..no...no. Don't e-mail. *Call*. Telephone and be as tenacious as a junk-yard dog in talking to a supervisor about your account. Call and keep calling. Remember, this is your life and anyone, anywhere, can just cut-and-paste- any story in response to your e-mail. Call. If you talk to Ms. Sally Jones on Tuesday, who switches you to Bob Smith, write it down, with the names and dates and time you spoke to them. Then confirm any details in writing. Ask for their full name, mail stop address, telephone extension and if you have a Case File No. for your account. Get their snail mail address and confirm details. You're not going to be the first person who ever stepped up to the plate and told them they've been laid off or they can't make the minimum payment, as currently written. Tell them your circumstances have changed. They do this all the time, and credit card debt is re-negotiated just like medical debt. Sometimes they'll offer six months of no interest...they will work with you but call.
But what you were told, isn't true. <s> Call *again*, and again and again. There is always someone higher up the food chain who can give you the attention and information that you need. As I said, ask for the supervisor, and if that individual is unresponsive or uninformed go higher. For example, my SO telephoned a credit card company to request a duplicate copy of a billing for an account that I am the sole owner. The CSR person was most unhelpful and refused to even talk about the issue. Claimed that I had to write a snail mail letter just to get a duplicate billing copy... Not true. The cc company's voice-mail prompt offered the option for duplicate copies. Moral of the story: Don't take one CSR's word on an issue and there's always a way to get up the food chain. Just be polite and ask for the supervisor, ask for the department that handles hardship cases...just keep on asking.
Afreed. The CSRs are seven dollar an hour morons who read from scripts and punch a few keys. They have no authority to do anything. Immeadiately ask for a supervisor if you want to get anywhere. Good luck brian
Thank you for your ideas everyone. I will update when I get it figured out what I'm going to do and update everyone with my progress. Discover might be a good card for those in a great financial position but for those who can't stay self disciplined or otherwise might run into a problem it's not the best card. Even when I was in a better position, terms like fees and APRs weren't the greatest.
