Okay, here is my story. Way back in 1997 I signed up for the AFCA program (for those of you not familiar, they help you get an unsecured Visa card in exchange for a monthly due. I paid the dues, used the card, it helped me get an old tradeline. Good so far. Then they sold the CC account to Household. Unfortunately, it looks like they still wanted their monthly dues. They put a 31-60 late on my Equifax over $15! So, what would be the best course of action? 1. Write them, cancel membership (the CC account was sold to Household, and I just paid it off so I am thinking about closing it anyway...the terms are poor) and agree to pay $15 for removal of the notation? 2. Turn it over to Lexington for dispute? This is the only derog I have had in over 7 years and I want it off. 3. Some combination of 1 & 2? Anyone else ever have this happen? Thanks!! P.S. I am not disputing that I owed them $5/month, but I thought they had gone out of business since they sold my account.
AS FAR AS I CAN TELL...if it was sold to HOUSEHOLD...it is HOUSEHOLD'S problem to charge you... You no longer have business ties with the first company....SO DISPUTE IT!!!
I am dealing with these clowns as well. This is a company that baits you into purchasing a credit education (and I say that lightly) program of video tapes and books that basically provide you with no information you cannot get by purchasing a book. They offer the "Guaranteed" visa if you listen to their hard sell - you basically are not offered the visa application until you have been given the sales pitch. The membership includes "coupon service, discounts etc." that reminded me of CCB applied advantage - basically worthless. The fees as I recall were $29.00 a month for 18 months, then $14.95 a month for 12 months, $5.00 per month afterward. After 18 months you could cancel with 60 days notice. I submitted a cancellation letter for the membership and received no response. I would call, be placed on hold indefinitely and finally mailed another letter cert mail/rr - I had not done this the first time. They of course, insisted they never received my first letter, none of my messages were recorded regarding my calls by the "customer service" reps etc. They insisted I pay two more months. I simply told my bank not to honor the charges and now I have them listed on my credit report for a delinquent in the amount of $38.00. I also found out by researching that they were ordered by the Comptroller of the Currency to stop offering "guaranteed" credit cards from the bank I received the card from. I am still trying to determine how to fight this one.
A little more info - this company has such a bad record with the BBB in Colorado - where it is headquartered they revoked their membership in BBB.
bump...I had no idea there was so much fraud around these guys...I guess they think $5 a month forever is not enough to fight?
$5.00/month...THERE isn't much we 867 members as of 19:11 DENVER TIME 09/04/2001 don't know the answer to... We will take the $5.00...1/2 cent each!!!
I signed up with this program in 1999. I never received the card and when I called and went to there office, there was no one there. I had already paid the initial fees. They left TOWN!!!!! I contacted some bank in Colorado and they were suppose to send me a refund. Well over the course of 6 months, I got tired of waiting to I wrote the BBS in Colorado and the Texas Attorney Generals Office. I finally received my refund, but it took nearly 7-8 months. Two months after that, I received a written response from the Colorado Office of the AFCA. They of course did not know who I was, but the guy, specifically admitted that they did not doubt that this company may have owed me a refund. Good Luck, These people are some scandalous BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!
For those who have contacted them, what address did you use? My original paperwork says Lakewood Colo. but the address on the derog is Denver.
