I've been busy cleaning up my credit for a year or so that I haven't minded my fiance's credit repair. Citibank stopped sending my fiance statements 6-8 months ago and my fiance stopped sending payments. Citibank called my fiance periodically and, when answered, the reps (big surprise) were rude and would hang up on my fiance. Nontheless, today, we received a call from a collections agency representing Citibank asserting that there was a balance of $2500 or . The CA asserted that Citibank was going to file a claim against my fiance unless we pay, settle, or go on a payment plan. After negotiating with them all day, the best I could the payment plan down to $255 a month for three months and then we'd regroup after three months. My fiance spoke with the CA and asserted all she could do was $50-75 a month. The CA said they'd check if that was acceptable and call back, but of course they didn't. So, I called and they won't budge of the $255/ mth, no interest, no fees. The problem is that we just can't afford $255 a month. I'm in school and living off student loans. My fiance has other credit card bills and is already working two jobs. Does anyone have any suggestions? Should we try calling Citibank directly? I'm really upset about this. I'd appreciate any help you could give.
Dunno. But they did. And, of course, when I illuminate this to them, they tell me that we still had the duty to pay the bill, to call and get a statement, etc. Any advice?
Actually not to sound horrible. but you certainly do have an obligation to pay the bill every month. If you stopped recieving statements , its your responsibility to call them and ask where the statement is. Its even in their automated system , the number you can call on the back of the card. it will give you a balance, payment due on the date if you call it. It will also give you a payment mailing address. Why do i know. It happened to us. they did not send us 10 months of statements for a bedroom set we deffered the financing on. Then in the 11th month , wham. all the finance charges. It did not go delinquent , we just felt it was unfair. However , they sent us the agreement with citi . And trust me you will lose every time. I can garuntee it 1000% we had to pay. I would just work out a payment plan .
If you notified them they were not sending statements within a month or so, they would likely have waived late fees, etc. Where were the statements going? The Fair Credit Billing Act, along with defining how to legally dispute charges, requires timely mailing of statements to your current address of record, or to your new address within a certain number of days of notifying them. Timely is, if I remember right, at least 14 days before due if interest or late fees would apply. 10 months later you have a weak argument.
