the agony of closing a credit card
Have you ever closed a credit card? Did their response make you feel like you were asking to drown a newborn kitten? I understand that they don’t want to lose my business, but resisting my direct request made me never want to deal with them again.
The phone call starts out fine. You ask to cancel your account, and they tell you no problem, they will transfer you to an account specialist. I wouldn’t be surprised if the account specialist moonlights as a high-pressure salesman (or woman). It took a great deal of effort to convince them to close the account.
Cue frustration and anger.
Waldo: Hello, my name is Waldo (I forget his actual name) and I’m an account specialist. How can I help you?
Me: I’d like to cancel my credit card please. (If this guy is the account specialist, who was I just talking to? The janitor?)
Waldo: Why do you want to cancel it?
Me: Because I don’t want to have this credit card anymore.
Waldo: Do you have any other active credit card accounts?
Me: Yes.
Waldo: Why are you closing this one instead of one of them?
Me: No special reason, I picked one and this was it. (Dang, I should have said I didn’t have any other credit cards)
Waldo: What could we do to keep you as our customer?
Me: Close my account. (I know, it’s sort of paradoxical.)
Waldo: We would like to keep you as our customer. What can we do to keep your business?
Me: Absolutely nothing. (Besides closing my account of course)
Waldo: Absolutely nothing, huh?
Me: Yup.
Waldo: Do you have a balance on any other cards?
Me: No (This was false, but I didn’t want to hear what was on the other end of the ‘Yes’ arrow on his account cancellation flowchart). Would you please just close my account?
Waldo: But we don’t want to lose you as a customer.
Me: But I want to close my account.
Waldo: Did we do something wrong?
Me: No. Would you please close my account?
Waldo: So there’s nothing we can do to keep you as a customer?
Me: No.
Waldo: Is there anything that would make you change your mind?
Me: No.
Waldo: So there’s nothing we can do to keep you as a customer?
Me: No. (By the way, you already used that line)
Waldo: Okay, please cut up your card. If you change your mind you can call us anytime within a year and we will reenable your account.
Me: Thank you.
For a company that said they appreciated my business, they could have shown it by doing what I asked.
We’ve created more “stuff” than we will ever need so I understand their frantic need to stay in business. Frustrating, isn’t it? I never call companies anymore to stop doing business. I send them letters and request they adhere to and acknowledge them in writing.
That’s an excellent idea. I will do that next time. Do they usually send you confirmation when they close the account?
I think you have to request (nay, DEMAND) it in your letter. Send it registered to be sure.
well it is even worse when after you have closed the account you get a letter a year later inviting you back. Certified mail would work as Registered would be prohibitive and expensive.
I wouldn’t mind a letter inviting me back because I could just throw it away.
There’s a trick you can use for your advantage with CC companies. When they telemarket you, call up and threaten to close your account. As you well know, they’ll ask you why and tell them it’s because of all the *&$% telemarketing calls you get. They’ll stop ’em. When I did that to at least one card (Chase, I believe), they stopped calling me.
On another note, when I called to cancel a Citibank card, they gave me no crap at all. I was so surprised I started volunteering reasons why. I had spent some time before thinking of reasons why I “could” quit, I guess I didn’t want to waste them.
I tried to close a Discover card account. They sent me a letter saying if anyone uses it they will automatically re-open it. Since I have used this card on the internet and the number is on file all over the country, I called to object to this, if anyone uses it, it will be fraud, and I don’t want to be responsible for the charges. Can’t they just refuse the charge, say that the account is closed? They said they would change my account number!!! But they won’t send me a card!!! I have had a lot of hard sell with them and that is one reason I am closing it, they pressured me to sign up for a service for replacing lost cards, which I would never use. I had to agree to get off the phone. Now I apparently have an account whether I want one or not. Although I can’t use it and don’t even know the “new” number. I guess I will try sending a certified letter, but since I don’t have the new number… I have to call again to cancel it.
Helen,
I feel your pain. I recently paid off another credit card and wrote a note, including it with the payment, asking them to close the account. We’ll see how well it works.
I was hesitant in writing this letter but I believe I had enough of those collectors from Citibank. I acquired a credit card from Citibank sometime in 1997 and paid it well. I am from the Philippines and I am mariied and has four children. Two which is now studying while the two kids ages three and two stays at home with a yaya. Until I met an accident on 2000 and wasn’t able to pay it anymore and to add additional burden, my wife who was also working then was relieved from work. Until now she could not find a stable job as before because of the market competition.
I work in a bank, I would not name the bank for privacy purpose. You see I wanted to really pay my card but due to the problem I had face I really could not. Since I work in the field and my right leg and arm was thorn due to accident, I had to pay almost everything of the hospital bills. Our company did shoulder some of the hospital bills but I suffered the most.
I admit I stop paying the credit card and still admit it.
Last year there was this collector who called almost everyday and was very rude, and kept cursing.
he also came over our house and he curse and rudely talk to my in-laws and wife.
Since I was in the field most of the time my officemates would received the calls, he would also rudely talk and curse them. Until he finally caught up with me, and i talk to him, I requested him to request Citybank to ‘”WRITE OFF” my account. But he said Citybank does not do any of the such, I said Citybank is still profiting from my account. Once my account is written off then it would be lesser to their taxes here in the Philippines. Until I can pay up, Citybank will still profit again. You see up to now we hadn’t able to recover from our predicament.
He curse me and “HE CURSE MY CHILDREN THAT THEY SHOULD ALL DIE AND MY WIFE AND THE MORE THAT OUR LIFE BE MISERABLE”. That was the last straw.
Fortunately, before I can do something drastic. A couple who suffered the same faith send their predicament to a popular radio station and I did not know what happen. We were relief for now.
Until this past few months happen, a Citybank collector came by our house again, shes a woman now.
She talked to my wife and my wife requested the same thing again. But she was rude and deliberately curse my wife. My wife even told her look at my parents house our we living in wealth? My wife asked her full name anf office address but she did not give she said she was “SHERYL” and shes from Castillo Law Office. And in the office a certain “MABEL” kept calling the office they were rude even to the officemate who answer the phone.
Yes we cannot pay up. But I believe those people have no right to hurt us with hurting words. She said they have all the right to be rude and curse us since we do not pay up. We admit it,
because we are already in a miserable plight. My wife and I are not sleeping in money, we have to work so we can feed our children three times a day. They kept telling us you work in a bank, so you have enough money. Do they understand do they think telling your story to strangers like them easen up our burden? Do you think we are happy with what happen to our situation. No.
A big company like Citybank seems to desperate for a measly sum of P15,000.00 or $300.00 to put their company is such bad plight. Bastos at walang modo ang collection people nila.
Many customers share the same sentiment.
I hope our sentiments be heard. Thank you.
We share the same plight andrew and I’m stressed beyond words with those credit card collectors. Like u, I’m married but without kids. I lost my job more than a year ago and remains unemployed as of this time. My husband couldn’t pay my debts bec. of financial constraints. I also experienced, countless times their rudeness whenever they would call up the house. It’s a constant source of migraine… I’m dreading the day when they will come to our house (which is my in-laws) and make a scene. I’ve been devising plans on how to pay them (like selling my jewelries) but I have more pressing concerns to attend to. I still keep my statements in the hope that one day,when i’m capable of paying them I’d go straight to their office, pay up and end my ties with them.
Tasha
I am having the same problem. I lost my job and I was unable to pay my financial obligations. I am married with 2 children, and my husband could not pay all of our bills. We prioritized money so that our kids were clothed and fed. We managed to hang on to the house and cars for now, but my temp job is ending soon. And, Citibank is calling me everyday at home and at work. They fuss at me as if I were a child. They threaten to take legal actions. I asked them to please do so if it will mean they will stop harrassing me on my job. Still, they call again the next day. I don’t know what to do. And I have been unable to convince my husband that filing bancruptcy is the best thing to do. Any ideas?
Sir/Mdm:
Are there Debt Consolidators in the Philippines? I am here in the USA I want to consolidated my Credit Card Bill Payments In the Philippines, since they were all issued there. This entails low interest and and can be settled in a year.
Malou: You my friend need to start reading your spam. I get tons of debt consolidation e-mails, and it doesn’t matter if they’re from the Philippines or not. Money is money, and credit card companies will gladly take whatever money you have.
It is not only Citibank but most credit card companies that outsource their collection to unprofessional, rude and unscrupulous centers. I guess even the law firms they tapped use outsourced centers that know no better on how to collect professionally. The only card company I had painless dealing was with Philamlife’s AIG card. It seemed to me to be a small law firm in a non-business district. AIG even ran an offer to cut your outstanding balance. In my case, they cut about eight thousand pesos which was good for me. So I paid the P15,000 in the deadline specified.
I am a very lonely person. No one ever comes to vist me or even talk to me, ever. When I go to the store to cash in my food stamps, the store clerk uses as few words as is possible to make the transaction.
I have deliberately obtained several citibank credit cards. i have one in my grey cats name and one in my old blind formerly black cats name. one for each of the six gold fish( only five remaining now) and one for my foot dog.
I make purchases and deliberately do not make payments so that they will call me and talk to me.
They usally start off by asking if I am the person they are enquiring about( Black Guppy).When I answer yes. They say” Well mr. Guppy, may I call you Black?
why haven’t you paid this bill.
I keep them going for what seems like hours until they either catch on or they run out of patience.
Sometimes they forget themselves and they act like compassonate persons. When they do that I pay the card off right away. I don’t want to talk to them again.
Oh the fun I have and there is never any want of conversation.
Sometimes when they ask for Blind Cat or Foot Dog I say they are not here but to call back at the most inconvient times for them. Like three oclock in the morning when my phone is off.
Little do they know that I have lots of money and could easily pay them but they unknowingly provide me with more intertainment than the boob tube or the internet.
I can only imagine what Old Trickster’s credit report looks like….
Citibank collection people are really very rude. They should go back to first grade and learn more about good manners and right conduct.
The comments here are just so amazing and amusing (old Trickter’s!) If I read the figures correctly, as of end-of-year 2003, total Credit Card Outstanding balance of Philippine banks amounted to around 5% of their total assets and about half are past due. The 5% is around US$1bio.
I have a different situation. I don’t have that agony of closing my credit card account. What I have right now is the AGONY OF OPENING A CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT.
I sympathize danny p.’s plight. Almost everything now is purchased using the “plastic”. If and ever danny p. will be issued the “plastic card” (be it from Citibank, HSBC or SCB or from a reputable “bank with no return”), and then your statement of account will arrive, I strongly suggest to you danny p. that you collect all plastics (i.e. plastic containers, bags, toys etc.) in your house and neighborhood, and then use it to pay your credit card bills. Afterall, its a fair deal. PLASTIC vs. PLASTIC. Who knows that bank will have a new product to offer to its unsatisfied customers – PLASTIC MONEY. In this way you will never hear harsh words and statements from their COLLECTORS WHO WILL BE MADE OF PLASTIC, if ever you will be in default.
pls give me more information about my citibank acct with you
status… acct balance… latest payment.. etc.
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
thanks,,,,,
email to mcvilladiego@yahoo.com
melchor villadiego
(Edited by Dan)
Goodness Melchor! You should never post your credit card number on the web. Someone could use it to buy things online.
I blanked out your credit card number for your own protection.
Also, what gave you the impression that I could give you information about your credit card account?
All I wrote about was how hard it was to close a credit card account.
Also have credit card problems. Most of you are right that Citibank should not be harassing their creditors for measely sums of money which have become delinquent, for economic difficulties and unforeseen financial crisis in the family, especially if creditr already promised and acknowledged credit with Citibank. In my case, collectors have namedropped the BIG names and used Titles to pressure me, like Attorney Enrile, Macapagal, Arroyo, Diokno, etc. Others who even think you are “hiding” make up “emergency” stories to get you to the phone. I have received calls from Citibank collectors telling my staff that the caller is a certain “doctor” or “father (priest)” or a “high school friend”.
To Citibank, please professionalize collections procedure in the Philippines. Don’t treat you long-term clients like me (20 years with Citibank card) shabbily, just because ill fortune took us by surprise. Please be more discrete and consider how you would feel if you were in our shoes.
i’m also suffering from the rude and uncivilized collector of Citibank as well as Standard Chartered Bank. They keep on calling at the office and even told to my officemates that i’m not paying them. Good to know that my officemates answered them back that my transaction with the banks are not their business.
in February 2003, i called up SC and requested to close my credit card to avoid further charges. they told me to pay P2,300 for them to process the Loan Restructuring Account. they were able to process it on august 2003. so from feb-august greater interests were added up to my account. from P26,000 it became P36,000 payable for 18 mos. i was able to pay the account for 4 mos. P2,300/monthly. I wasn’t able to pay it continously be’coz i suffered from hyperthyroidism. i can’t go to work regularly. i tried to pay them but in a lower amount P500-1000 only for 2 mos. they called me again and threat me that they’ll gonna take LEGAL ACTIONS for that since i was abandoning my credit card account. I told them that i don’t have any intention to run away with my account, it just that, i’m in a financial crisis right now and i badly needed P30,000-P40,000 for my radioactive theraphy. How could i finish paying them when the bank charged interests over and over again. the last time i called the bank, my account was reduces to P24, 064. but now, the amount reached P32,000 again!!! I was trying to pay them the best amount i could stretch from my budget but they’re so rude!!!
i just want to know if there’s any provision in the law/constitution that will protect people like us…
anybody know the rule??? can they (credit card company) bring us to prison???
than’x guyzzz!!! hope we could all overcome this…any may the Credit Card Business be all go to hell!!! afterall, they try to put our lives into hell, isn’t it???
hello,
im a credit card agent from citibank! i felt bad in behalf of the company,! it wasnt really citibank hus doing such rude actions in collecting debts,it was the call center agents hired by citbank to follow up clients about their debts. and to those who are illed,disabled, etc..we have an insurance that once u sign up 4 citibank, u check the creditshield! which will cover up all your debts with citibank, which means you are no longer liable to pay your debts!nor your wife, or children will pay! so all of you out there hu cant pay thier debts and illed or disable i advise you to call the citi hotline and inquire about the credit shield! you have paid for it, you just dont notice it but its there in your monthly bills! hope that i have lessen your burden out there!
Hello to all of you.. I very well am experiencing the same plight like the rest of you are. STANDARD CHARTER BANK collectors have been harrassing me to pay my bills. I was enrolled with their restructured loan and is required to pay the monthly amount of P8,000. But since my current work does not pay too well I just pay what I can like 3,000 per month. I am not running away from it, I just need more time to align my financial stature. Just like aljun, they call me all the time, at home, celphone even at my previous work place.. they told my officemate that I have great debts with them which in returned created nasty rumors about my being.
My credit amounted to 180,000 but for reasons that my ex husband used my credit card and now I am paying for it. I hope these collection agencies knows how to empathize with people who cannot pay yet but are willing.. It just needs time. I asked them if they can offer me a different scheme but they said they can’t. I even asked that guy who called me if he wants me to steal..he said if thats the only way to solve it.
Can I do something about the harrasments? does SCB offer other schemes if in case the previous scheme they offer you is too high??
mai
hi! i am also experiencing problems with credit card companies. I cant pay my three credit cards, Citibank, JCB and SCB, because I dont have enough money to pay them, because of financial crisis. and they keep on calling me in my office and in my cellphone. They keep on harrasing me (collectors). Natatakot na ako! I can’t even sleep well at night! Can u tell me what to do? will i go to jail if ever i didnt pay my debt? Is there a law in the Philippines, to those people who don’t pay their credit card bills, to be sent to jail (hell!)?
I know how you guys feel. i’m in the same boat too. Citibank calls me at home & at work everyday, sometimes even 3 times a day. When they ask you to sign up for a card, they are very kind & courteous. When it comes to asking payment, they are very good in using foul language.They don’t care what kind of problems you’re in. One agent even told me that I shouldnt have gotten a card in the first place if i coudnt afford it. TO CITIBANK: WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD! Life in the Philippines is not the same it was 10 years ago. You dont need to have a college degree to see this. Your 100 pesos cant buy the same things it could before. Almost every one is in financial trouble and you respond by raising your interest rates from 3.25 to 3.5%!!! This is one of the many ways how this company “cares” for it’s clients. Also, I advice everyone not to beleive in their “if-you-pay-now-we-will-enter-your-account-in-our-amnesty-program” horse shit. I’ve already paid 4 times and my account is still earning interest. If they can’t scare you, they’ll lie to you. These collectors even speak as if your debt came from their own pockets. Right now, i completely stopped paying them. I slam the phone real hard whenever i hear the phrase “this is blah blah from citibank”. The people i work with know that i am buried in debt. This is not something i am ashamed about. So many things are beyond your control, like citibank raising interest rates (which makes it even harder to pay up), gasoline prices, this fiscal crisis, etc. I’m not a bad person but if you want to fight a monster, you have to become one yourself. Too bad there is no Fair Debt Collection Practices Act here in the Philippines. I read somewhere this was just still a bill filed by Miriam Santiago during her term as senator several years ago. If there was, I’d be the first to sue their ass for harassment.
Here are my tips for dealing with collectors:
Citibank: Why can’t you pay?
Answer: No money
Citibank: When can you pay?
Answer: When i have money
Citibank: You need to pay bla bla tomorrow or we’ll bla bla…
Answer: WIll CItibank close down if you dont get my money?
Citibank: You shouldnt have gotten a card in the first place!
Answer: You shouldnt have issued me one in the first place!
Remember, No one gets jailed for debt. This is a civil case not a criminal case unless you have fraudulent intentions from the very start. If they take you to court, it will take years to settle, considering the pace of justice here.
In the end, the bank will just be asked to accept what you can offer or they dont get anything at all, that is after providing evidence of your financial status.
I hope this gives some of you a little peace of mind. Please pass this on.
TO CTITIBANK: I HOPE ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CONNECTED TO YOU HAVE SOME FORM OF MISFORTUNE WHICH WILL CRIPPLE YOUR FINANCES PERMANENTLY SO YOU WILL KNOW IT FEELS LIKE TO BE AT THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE.
I was wondering if anyone has had this problem before and has a word of advice.
I recently recieved a phone call from a law firm(or so they say) saying that my husband owed them $25,000 from credit card debt.
first of all the credit card was from pre 1992 and had been reopened by my husbands ex-wife. She recently filed banruptcy on the card and stated then that she was completly responsible for the debt. But now they say that they are going to sue us and put a lean on our home. They have been divorced since 1997. Are we still legally responsible for her debt? Or are they just trying to scare me into paying?
They never have even spoken to my husband concerning this debt. They call me at work and call MY parent telling them “If you want to help your daughter just put this on a credit card, and get it taken care of” I hope some one can help me? Please.
I have the same predicament as anyone of you here. Your debt may be as big as mine. But putting all the amounts together, this is just petty cash to the banks issuing the card. I strongly suggest that we form a group and combine all our forces to counteract this kind of malicious attack to our person and well-being by sucking us to the bud. We didn’t live and intend to be indebted to any institution or person. It just so happen that we were caught up due to some financial crisis and problems beyond our control.
These banks are also as vulnerable as we are, and they know that. Did you not wonder why they are charging 3.0% to 3.5% per month on interest? That is between 36% to 42% per annum!!! And with the minimum payment required, it will take between 65 to 85 years for us to pay our balance. By charging high monthly interest rates is how they offset those who can not pay for whatever reason, and that includes us. So let us take action! Why should they force us to pay on something we can no longer afford? Life if much precious than the money they collect from us. Our basic necessities should be given priority and paying them, if we have extra money, should be the last.
Bank: Why can’t you pay?
Answer: Coz’ I have nor more money.
Bank: When can you pay?
Answer: When someone gives me money.
Bank: You need to pay your account tomorrow….
Answer: We’ll if your bank still have the guts to lend me more money to borrow!
Bank: Then we have no recourse but go for legal action.
Answer: But I have some rights also for my protection.
Bank: Let’s talk all about this in court.
Answer: No, not until I get my whole crowd of support.
Bank: Why? Who do you think you are?
Answer: Oh, just one of your former valued client joining a group planning to throw you afar.
Bank: And how do you think you will do it?
Answer: By simply forming a long line in your branch to form a picket.
Bank: We’ll see who jumps on the gun!
Answer: I think not you because you will already have a bank run!!
Citibank sends this check to their customers, whether they like it or not and tries to collect debt payment even if you did not transact/use it. How come? My husband was a victim and he sent the check back and now their bill arrives for forty thousand with interest? Is this legal? What can I do? He is also being harassed at home and in the office. The piece of paper does not mean anything for us to pay any debt. The check is still intact and unused and they try to milk us dry. What is happening? Is there any kind of law in the Philippines regulating such fraud? How can they do such? Do we just ignore them and dream that it will end in six months? HELP! let me know your thoughts on this.
In response to #25. Never, ever, ever, sign up for credit card protection programs (Not Citibanks,not anyone elses). No consumer group I know of recommends these. Why? Because they put so many terms in that you will never be able to take advantage of it. They are just another way that credit card companies such as Citibank steel money from you.
…And when Citibank says they don’t about these practices there collectors use it is a lie…just like everything else that comes out of the mouths of those who work for Citibank.
Yeah, I believe CITIBANK is really going nuts. My mom got her credit card maybe 8 years ago, but it came to a point that she was not able to pay her debt because she lost her job and that time i think she only have about Php 8,000 unsettled amount. After so many years that we have not receive any notice from the bank, finally they send us a notice last year and guess what…. they are now asking my mom to pay more than 2 million. I don’t know how or what computation they are using to come up with such amount. And I dont think they are using what’s inside their head because nobody in the right mind who will pay for 2 Million while they debts is only less than 10K even if it was a long time ago unpaid debt.
Hi to everyone!
I really appreciated reading all of your predicaments.And like all of you i am also in the same boat.It somewhat gave me the strenght knowing that I am not alone.I have a suggestion since citibank is sucking the last drops of blood from us like vampires,we are like zombies walking around no where to go.Lets put a stop to this and NotPay Them at All!!!!.The Hell with them!These guys are getting richer with their high interests on their loans while we who are temporarily burdened by the financial crisis have to pay them.Although we admit that we owe them that does not mean that they could demean and degrade us like criminals.You know they are so rude, even my officemates who dont owe them gets pissed off by there relentless harassment whenever they answer the phone.
May
hi guys,
i was working at my table and suddenly in the middle of my work my landphone rang. i answered the phone and a guy said this is bla bla from citibank and is bla bla in. (in an arrogant manner) i said to them he is not in and besides the number your calling is my direct line. this is not bla bla’s table. and then they ask so many question to me as if i am lying to them. i was so pissed off because thats none of my business anyways. that was not the only incident i encountered dealing with citibank collectors. B.S. so guys please pay your credit card bills!!!!
disgusted officemate
we all have the same plight of how to pay our credit cards. we want to pay them as much as we do, but most of the time, we felt really bad when people from their collection agency harass us. anyway, does anyone here knows of any cases filed in court based on credit card default? if there is, what are the usual settlements or decisions? any court transcript? thanks!
mike
hi to everyone! I also experiencing the same trauma. for the past couple of weeks i was not able to get some sleep due to citibank collector agents harassing me, asking me to pay what is due to citibank. we all know we are experiencing financial crisis and that I too could not pay my debt with citibank on time. I always incur enormous amount of charges due to past due accounts with them. what can i do we’re a bit short on money but still i am trying my best to pay. until this point in time that i can no longer bare the charges they impose on my cards. i called the customer service to know what is good for my account and they offer me to apply for an amnesty program which you can pay your debt in installment form, its just like applying for a personal loan. my god what can i do is just to accept the offer, which i know in due time i can not pay. i hope there would be a person brave enough to come out and tell them the problems we are facing right now. this collector agents of citibank are really very rude. if anyone know on how to get even with them just let us know. thank you reading this column.
Yes, I am in the same boat as a lot of you are in. I simply cannot pay my credit card debt with Citibank and SBC cause of financial reasons. I am originally from the Philippines but we eventually migrated to the US last May 2004. Before I left the country, I left some money back home to slowly pay up my cc debts until I find a job in the States. Yes, my wife and I are both working here in the States (thought I only work part time coz I have a 2 year old daughter to take care of). Yes, we do earn our salaries here in the States but it is just enough for our living expenses here and so small to be put in savings. To cut the story short, the money I left in the Philippines dried up and I am not able to continue paying my cc debts in the Phils. To assure the banks that I am not running away from my debts, I wrote them a letter explaining my situation and requesting them to suspend my account as not to accummulate interest and also requested them to give me some time and eventually will pay up my debts.
But apparently, they duid not even take notice of letter. people calling up my house in the Philippines do not know about the letter. Yes, these bank people or agents are really rude and they even pretend that they are attorneys (HA!). Fortunately for me I don’t recieve these calls as I am here in the tates but my parents are really getting annoyed with these people. Yes, they even threatened my parents that I will be deported. HAHAHA! How much will these banks spend just to get me deported-more than what I owe them. And true, this is not even a criminal liability. It has been 7 months now since I last made a payment to these banks and they have been calling the house in the Philippines almost everyday including threatening the legal action which my parents said to go ahead with but even up to now these collectors keep calling the house asking me to pay up. There was even one Citibank collector who called me up here in the States. SCB is even unprofessional–they just send me text messages asking me to pay up. They can’t even afford to call me up here in the States. Yes, I asked my parents to give me my phone numbers here in the States. To those who are worried about your debts:
1. If you cannot pay up, then don’t but please keep in mind that you should always have that conscious deceision that you intend to pay eventually when you have the money.
2. Some of the banks would even lure you to just pay them even below the minimum due. The reason for this is to keep your account active (but your are already blacklisted), and give them the reason to go after you and collect some more money.
3. Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas already issued a memorandum to all bank, collection agencies, credit card companies that it will take action against these orhanization if they find out that they are being unprofessional when it comes to debt collection. I have the whole article in case some of you would like to read it for your protection. You can file a complaint with BSP.
4.Yes, non payment of debt is a civil case not a criminal case–so not to worry about prison but the cours might decide that you pay up not necessarily money but rather of certain properties less than the amount of your outstanding debt. But how long will these cases take to be resolved. Or even prosper in courts? Ask a lawyer and they will tell you!
5. When a credit card collector calls you, always ask their full name and record the time and date when they called specially if thety have been rude and unprofessional. And also tell them that you would record the conversation for your protection in court.
6. If you have friends working in credit card section of banks, ask how everything works. they will tell you that banks have a specific amount set aside for write offs of credit card debts. They usually give us like 180-240days and if we cannot pay, our credit is suspended and eventually write off the amount. the reason for them collecting is just to put some extra money into the bank. Banks always know that there willbe these kind of debts. Just imagine this site alone, how many are in credit card problems. How can the courts address these as soon as possible.
7. If your cc debts run into hundreds/millions, be worried. they will defuinitely run after you. But if your are talking about thousands of pesos only, I don’t think they would spend much time on you. Small Fish and Big Fish concept.
8. Over the years of paying a monthly due, you have already paid the bank of its principal amount. Example, if you bought a TV for 10,000 pesos, and you started paying only 500 pesos a month and you have paid for 2 years already. The amount you paid technically is 12000 pesos. The amount your paying after that is the interest or vice versa.
9. Don’t be afraid to talk to these collectors and explain your plight. They may not understand you or be often rude but at least you are consistent with your statements.
10. On a personal note, I asked Citibank here in the US if I would be liable here in the States because of my outstanding account in the Philippines. And they bluntly said that Citibank US does not have anything to do with my outtsanding in the Phils. It is Citibank Phils’ problem and they cannot even request Citibank US to run after me.
11. If you can, pay up your credit card bills because once you are blacklisted, you cannot get a crdit card for the next 10 years. By that time you will be removed from the list already.
12. A suggestion, try applying for a secured credit card. The security deposit you make will be your credit limit and if you cannot pay, they will just take it from the sec dep.
13. If you need further help, please ddrop me a note here.
Thanks.
I am very thankful to God that I found this website about people being harassed by credit card collectors…To Glenn, you are of great help with the very detailed info you posted…
I am also one of those being harassed by these credit card collection agency…they’ve been calling me in the office, on my cellphone, & at home…i’ve been receiving rude calls (that is an understatement) and threats regarding my unpaid account…they even sent me a letter on my home address that I need to settle my unpaid account in 5 days or they will file a case against me. I requested on my credit card application that billing and other notice must be sent to my office address…I am disappointed that such private information (home address) had been handed over by the credit card company…since i was sooo pissed with the non-stop harassment of these collecting agents, i decided to have my home number changed and to change my cell phone number, I believe this is the reason why they sent me a snail mail on my home address because they can no longer harass or give threats over the phone.
I can still recall one of their threat, that they will come over to my office and talk to my boss about my debt! These people are nuts and are giving disservice to law firms and lawyers, because they often say that they are the representative of a law office…law office your A–! Sad to say the only legal case we can file against these people is UNJUST VEXATION, unfortunately, it cant be pursued because I got an information from a lawyer that these collecting agents do not have an office, they are sometimes just calling from their house and are being paid by the CC company on a percentage basis…this is why they talk to us as if we owe them our debts…we cannot even file a case against the CC company because their collecting agents are not employees of the CC company (ay carambah!)
Its a great relief to be able to post my agony on these collecting agents…
God Bless US! & God Bless the Philippines!
wow, superb, i am also a filipino working here already in singapore, u know what happened to me, b4 i left the phils this atty blah blah of a creditor office told everything about a criminal and civil case. but i was very glad co’z i talked to my atty just let it go, no one can sue u abt that but the problem co’z i told him i lost my job for 2 years and i am starting to recover that would be time i am gonna pay my old debts. I even paid 2000 jst to start it a new. but he told me that i must pay the lumpsum of supposed to be almost 20,000 then he told it is already 50,000 that was the time i get flared and told him i will to talk to my lawyer. fortunately i was in peace when i left the country coz i’ve told my wife whatever happened she just give every papers (subpoena, credit sttments to my lawyer i told her just give the payments to him and he will be the one to transact with it coz i still have the intention to repay my old bill as i said to rude atty if i will be recovered financially).
thanks and more power.
Im just worried that credit card collectors would come to my office and ask for the HR manager to talk to me. They even sent a mail to our HR manager but since ther’es no existing collection agreement, they were just ignored. Is it possible they do this? parang nakakahiya lang.Pls some one reply to this. Im really worried about this. THANKSSSS!!
To shiela…please check the website of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas(BSP…there you can find the circular on the fair debt collection which was approved Sept 2004…you may also look for the nearest Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) in your area/district for free consultation because if your collecting agent will inform your office manager about your debt, then it is a clear violation of the BSP circular…
http://www.bsp.gov.ph/archive/Regulations_2004/Circulars/circular454.htm
Circular 454, Series of 2004:
Sec. 7 xxx
xxx
Unfair Collection Practices. Banks, subsidiary/affiliate credit card companies, collection agencies, counsels and other agents may resort to all reasonable and legally permissible means to collect amounts due them under the credit card agreement: Provided, That in the exercise of their rights and performance of duties, they must observe good faith and reasonable conduct and refrain from engaging in unscrupulous or untoward acts. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this Subsection:
a) the use or threat of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, rep~t@tion, or property of any person;
b) the use of obscenities, insults, or profane language which amount to a criminal act or offense under applicable laws;
c) disclosure of the names of credit cardholders who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except as allowed under Subsec. X320.9 and 4301N.9;
d) threat to take any action that cannot legally be taken;
e) communicating or threat to communicate to any person credit information which is known to be false, including failure to communicate that a debt is being disputed;
f) any false representation or deceptive means to collect or attempt to collect any debt or to obtain information concerning a cardholder; and
g) making contact at unreasonable/inconvenient times or hours which shall be defined as contact before 6:00 A.M. or after 10:00 P.M., unless the account is past due for more than sixty (60) days or the cardholder has given express permission or said times are the only reasonable or convenient opportunities for contact.
for a year now,I stopped paying AIG, the credit card co. of which i owe around 23,000.00 which accumulated to these date to 52,000.00. I stopped paying these CC for reasons much as i pay them, my outstanding balance was still increasing. I could not afford to pay the minimum amount and i requested these CCC to keep my current outstanding balance as the total amount i need to pay in installment.Now I,m being harrASSED BY TELLING ME THEY WILL FILE A CIVIL CASE against me.Could anybody pls help me if these is possible.For as of now really with the present condition in our economy I’d rather buy first the food to eat than pay these ccc when in fact they profit already from my previous payment with that interest of 3.5%.interest they charge..
Me, I got a call from, allegedly, the Ombudsman’s Office. According to the “lawyer” representing Standard Chartered, they have forwarded a “complaint” to the government office I work for. So that was why the complaint was forwarded to the Ombudsman’s, thinking that I am a goverment employee. Well, I am not, because I am a MOA worker, not a regular employee.
Funny thing is, the “ombudsman” called me through the phone, something that I find strange because I would have expected a FORMAL LETTER informing me of the complaint. Havent got any letter or a copy of the complaint at all from either the Ombudsman or the “lawyer”. For that matter, I never received letters from the “lawyer” at all, not even a demand letter. Just PHONECALLS.
Strange, because the Ombudsman goes after GRAFT and CORRUPTION. Mine is a civil case, if ever it was filed, and a personal indebtness warranting “collection of sum of money”. So why the Ombudsman??
This could fall under the BSP Circular on “Unfair Collection Practices” right?
I need an opinion on this one, if possible a legal one. Because I feel I am being blackmailed already and this is a MISREPRESENTATION and SMEARING OF REPUTATION already.
NOTE: I have been a diligent payer until March 2005, until I encountered financial difficulties.
you can send your complaint at bspmail@bsp.gov.ph
thanks
Hi, I’m very thankful that there’s a website like this. I still have some credit card debts in the Philippines. I’m slowly paying it off but only one of them. I’m planning to go on holiday soon but I’m really afraid that I might have some records already. Is there a way I will be blacklisted in the immigration? I know it sounds that I’m really paranoid but this has been my worries since I bought my plane tickets.
i am a card holder of standard chatered and i am in large debt now around P30,000 in which i cant pay due to unemployment, and my husband’s financial capacity is only fit for the family expenses. i have tried ctalking to the customer service of the SCB to disconnect my card permanently but they said i have to pay the full amount of my account. but the reason why i am disconnecting it is i cant pay bit i am willing to pay my debt in installment scheme. please advice me on the “how to” with regards to my problem. some friends says i can request for a defered payment scheme but the SCB refuses to do so because they dont have that promo as of this moment. how can they help their clients in this problem, the fact that they have earned a lot from their clients like me. please advice. thanks.
I have this account with SCB which I can’t pay anymore because I can only work part time due to a kidney disease.I paid for my account diligently until May 2005. Now, my salary can only pay for my daily medicines. These people from SCB keeps calling my office demanding me to pay and if not they’ll send daw people to get my properties. A certain Sheriff from the Makati Trial Court even called my office and said they will issue a court order for a warrant I don’t even understand. He asked me to call a certain Atty. Ricardo de Jesus who told me that I have a case called Violation of RA8484 which is Defrauding Creditors,a criminal case he said. He even told me that I already have a case with Makati Trial Court and gave me a certain case number and when I verified with Makati Regional & Metropolitan Trial Court, there was no case filed against me and the case number does not even exist. I wish I’d wake up one morning with plenty of money so I can pay them. Unfortunately, reality is that I am sick and I can’t work properly to pay them. I want to pay them with the amount I can afford but it was not acceptable to them so what else can I do? I wish they’d have a heart to stop all interests and charges and allow us to pay with what we can afford. My thanks to this site knowing that I am not alone with this kind of agony.
I have been suffering the same plight for months now. I am a regular AIG CC paying customer. I was sent a pre-approved Dolce Vita CC & HSBC even if my credit standings are not doing well anymore. I admit that I used the credit cards due to need and managed to keep my account in good standing. Until the fateful month of May 2005 when my family began to feel the hardships of living in the Philippines. My husband is having a hard tiome finding a job, and with 4 kids to support, I just managed to keep ends meet. Sometimes we end up having instant noodles in our dining table for 4 straight days just to survive. Added to that is my medical condition of spinal stenosis which prevented me from working as productive. I cannot even buy the needed medicines. Thank God that my father is a Lawyer. Although he is not practicing anymore…..During my most down moments, my father always tells me that “No one is imprisoned with debt. They will not seriously run after you and file a case in court because you are a ‘small fish’. CAUTION! Do not sign any agreements, issue PDCs, or any promisory note as these are all legal instruments to which these CC Companies will and can use against you for filing of a formal case and eventually lead to litigation.” Pay up what you can….after all, these CC Companies already gained more than enough from our payments. If there will be a group who will stand-up against these CC Companies and petition for a fair and acceptable deferred/restructured payment scheme….then count me in.
Hi everyone! I’m on the same boat. I have two HSBC credit cards and I was a good customer for years until March of this year when our small business closed down and in attempt to recover from financial loses I invested our savings but unfortunately it turned out bogus. Now I’m flat broke and added to that I suffer from hypertension and I am on a a daily medication. I have a regular job, but since I can’t take so much pressure coz it aggravates my hypertension my employer has agreed that I report only part-time. My account with HSBC has reached over a hundred thousand for the 2 cards due to charges and interests. Chi, since your father is a lawyer can you please ask him if with the amount I owe HSBC can they really file civil case against me? The demand letters state that they can attach my properties and garnish my salaries if I don’t pay up. I can pay only 500 a month but it’s not acceptable to them. I am worried despite all that’s posted here. I can’t go to a lawyer for advice coz I don’t have money and I’m afraid they’d ask so much. Please help…
hi everyone.just this day i recvd a letter of amnesty from a law firm presenting citibank. i was stunned to see that i have a debt of P31K plus and they are discounting it to P11K until nov.15. first of all, i just recvd the letter this afternoon Nov.18 so i past that deadline.with my payment records in me,ive paid already every single peso i owe citibank.Just last year Oct,I paid P20 as my last debt to them.But prior to that i’ve already cut the credit card so i know they will not push for their annual fees.I admit in the past i wasnt able to pay for it regularly and as demand by their law firms but i’ve paid and finished it.in my part, there’s just demand letters and no annoying phone calls compare to others.But I was amazed to see that im still indebted to them by 31K?where did they base that amount, is it the penalty charges.why just now. i waited for 1 year and not a single letter from citibank confirming if i still owe them,why just now that i recvd a letter from a law firm stating that offer.what can i do to stop this nonsense?
try submitting the names of the collecting agencies / companies that’s been bothering you…i believe these are fly by night collection agencies…they need to be taught a lesson…send their company name and contact person to the BIR…it will surely scare the he-l out of them!
hello, like you guys, I have the same fate, I owned 4 credit cards, 2 from citibank and 1 each from metro bank and AIG, few years ago, I earned a lot, and thats why I can use and even maximize my credit card, unfortunately, I invested all of my money on a business and it didn’t do well so I got bankrupt. in other words I’m up to my neck, I owed citibank 100k now (50k each for the masters and visa), then 50k each to metro and aig bank. I know I am blacklisted, and I can’t do anything about that anymore, I just got a new job, but my dad had a heart attack 2 months ago, and he is still in a coma, now all my money goes to our over head expense at home. I got phone calls almost everyday and when I was really fed up, I changed my number and throw away all the bills the sent me, we have a family friend lawyer, and he advice me not to pay and even pay attention to it, my dad also has a lot of credit cards, and since he is in a coma right now, I don’t we’re not going to pay them as well, I’d rather buy my dad’s medicine that pay my bills, if they want they can sue my dad. for all you guys who has a lot of debts on credit card, don’t worry about it, if they want to file a case then let them, when you talk to the judge tell him/her you can only pay 100 pesos a month and that the only thing you can afford. only problem now, is if I were to migrate to other countries, I don’t know if I can apply for a visa or a mastercard. does anyone here knows any information about it? thanks and lots of luck
Although I have five credit cards two from Citibank and one each from AIG,UB and HSBC I have never had the experience of being harrassed by a credit collection officer because I was lucky enough to have some money everytime the due date for each CC arrives. Just early this year, I owed the five banks a total of 100k but was lucky enough to pay off some of them and now I just owe them 50k.
But after I saw and read this page I have come to conclusion that I will never use my cards again until I am able to pay the rest of the 50k remaining that owe them.(cut them into pieces already) This page has opened my eyes on how CRUEL those people can be just to be able to collect some money from you in times that you are not able to pay them.(And these, so called banks who calls us “valued customers” allows that to happen to us) And dont want to happen to me the same things you guys are going through….. I do know the torture and embarrassment one can go through because I had friends in the office that have had the same experiences.
Just a tip to the people who are still in good standing and still able to pay the minimum amount:
1. No matter what happens try to at least pay the MINIMUM AMOUNT everytime the due date arrives. This will keep you in good standing with the bank and would be still included in the promotions and privillages the banks has to offer.
2. Everytime you have some extra money try to pay it all to your CC. This will help you to lower your outstanding balanc, interst of your credit and minimum amount due.
3. Try to find promotions or balance transfer options by other banks which gives lower fixed interst rates or at. Both of my Citibank cards have fixed 1% interst rates.
4. And when the time you are able to close them try not to get another card anymore. I am sure that a lot of banks will be calling you and be asking you to open a CC account again with them.
5. And just put it in your mind, if you were able to pay all those cards then you can set a side even a little amount in your ATM account each month which you can now use as a DEBIT CARD for the little expenses you need when the time comes. And not be worried for the interst and bills from the banks.
Just this month, my sister was able to closed her CC from HSBC and I was the one who paid it for her. She had a balance P156.50 and I paid P160 in the automated machine. Outside the enveloped I wrote “Keep the change, and don’t worry about the interest its 0%…. your welcome” I just hope and pray that all of you can pay your bills and be able to say “keep the change” to those people who loves money so much.
I’m glad that I’m not alone with my Citibank frustrations. I actually stopped paying my balances after I resigned from work due to health reasons. The situation made me fail to pay my balances but of course I still tried to work it out by paying what I can after the account has been suspended. And then I failed to make payments again because family finances have been hard on me. Both me and my husband don’t have work. I was able to work for a couple of months abroad and sent what I can for payment since I have other things to care of (my rent, remittances for my family, etc.). I asked my husband to tell them that I will pay what I can but they don’t have to harass me nor my in-laws. They even told my husband that if I pay a certain amount for this month, then payments for the next 2 months will be waived and then they will lower down the amount I have to pay. They never followed the agreements and kept on harassing my husband and my in-laws through the phone or cellphone. There were even times when I would send money to my husband 2x a week because they were asking my husband to pay up. Until eventually I got tired of paying them up because they keep on changing their stand on the account and they don’t even keep up with the agreement.
Now that I’m back, I got a letter from a collecting agency about their amnesty program for my account. I called up the agency and asked them how this can help me pay the account that I have so long asked them to close but didn’t. The person gave me a computation and I didn’t know that the account has grown to 40,000 something whereas as of our last accounting, the account was already lowered down to 24,000 early this year. I told the lady that I can’t pay the amount she was asking of me. I bluntly told her that I can only pay P500-1000 monthly. No more, no less. I have a family to feed, I have other debts to take care of, I have medications I need for maintenance for my health issues and there’s practically no assurance that I can go back abroad and work. They gave me a deadline to pay P10,000 for the initial payment but I wasn’t able to pay because I don’t have the money to do so. I gave them my aunt’s cellphone number because she knew of my plight and we’re using it right now. But now she gets tons of messages everyday demanding for payment. I didn’t sign anything and they have given me a deadline for December 16 to pay up or else be filed a case. I can’t even answer them back because I can’t load up that phone. Either way, this has been getting to me so badly. It’s just not gonna work. I told them that I can only pay that much but still they don’t like it. I don’t even care if they tell me that I’m blacklisted or something. That’s totally fine by me. I don’t have any intentions of running away from my debt. It’s just that I just hope these people understand that times are really hard nowadays. Their rudeness and unprofessionalism just make the matter worse. In my case, I got tired because they can’t even keep their part of the bargain.
Oh well. That’s how life here is nowadays. Sana lang matapos na ang panghaharass nila sa mga taong kahit gustong magbayad e wala lang talagang maibayad dahil mas inuuna nilang mabuhay ang sarili at ang pamilya kesa sa magbayad ng utang. I’m pretty sure that most of us here will pay if only there will be more than enough money after all the bills and other more important expenses have been addressed. More importantly, if there’s one lesson I learned with the use of plastics, you really can’t tell what the future lies ahead so it’s always better to be more prudent in using cards. Kung me mag-offer, just decline it. Kung me magpadala ng bago, just cut it up and send it back to the company.
I hope all of us will have a merry Christmas despite having harassers on the phone and everywhere. Sorry for being chatty. :) I learned a lot from reading the posts today and can’t help but say my piece :D
hello,
i was previously connected with a credit card company. i agree with the suggestion to pay at least the minimum amount due (5% plus int. of the total amount) monthly to keep your account current. then, if you have some extra cash, pay more than what is indicated. paying just the minimum amount will take you years before you can fully pay your outstanding balance. if your account becomes past due and is suspended, it is best to arrange with their collection dept. (not the agency) to pay like 10% of the balance and request for the reinstatement of your account. this way, you will be again entitled to pay the minimum balance monthly. we do this in our bank so am pretty sure the others allow it too. once you miss payments for 1 or 2 months, call them at once and arrange for this. usually, accounts that are past due for more than 120 days are the ones that are turned-over to the collection agency. and they do this if they don’t hear anything from you. i hope i have been of some help. i’d be glad to answer your concerns regarding credit card usages.
wew!!! thanks to all of your stories, specially topic no.50 I also got broke with hsbc and couldn’t pay it anymore because am still unemployed due to our company bunkruptcy in 2001. Got a lot of job offers local and abroad turned them all down, got scared to get an NBI clearance due to the trauma from the lawfirms threat of a filed case against me. I have sleepless nights, thinking of how to pay them. I have 2 kids studying in elementary and I thank God it’s a public school only less school fees, lost my wife because of this problem. Last week got a call from a collections company and told me that I was chosen to avail their credit amnesty program and instead of paying P100k it would end up only P25k. Im so glad about the news but sad thing is how can I pay them If I didn’t have any financial resources? It was P5k/mo. Then the collector called again then I told them honestly that I can’t pay that amount. I asked them If those filed case are real, the collector says it is still in their hands. I told them it’s the reason why Im still unemployed. So I said If they let me find a better job maybe I’ll try to contact them again and settle those amount. It was hard for a single parent like me to struggle on situations like this and without relatives and friends who supported me mentally and financially, I think I’ll be lost in this burden and ofcourse this site really helped me a lot. Thanks to you guys!
I am a bit relieved after reading your stories because I, too,share the same predicament about being harrassed by cc collectors. If someday I win in lotto bet, I will do what Old Trickster did just to get even with them…
Don’t pay up and let collections have their way… they’ll give you Amnesty in the long run and won’t sue you for it. You will have fixed monthly repayments that your budget can carry. ( Tried and tested from experience )
oh, and don’t listen to Collections. They are programmed to scare.
You know what? I owed Citibank 10,000 pesos way back in 1992. They kept sending subpoenas and the amount grew up to a startling1.2M. Pa’no ko pa yun babayaran? So my mother in law (we have the same names) just ignored the letters, and they stopped coming. I guess their insurance or something took care of it. And, surprise, in 2004, I tried applying with Citibank using my maiden name and they issued a credit card to me. Amazing, ‘no? Pero syempre, ngayon, nagbabayad na ako. I’m more careful now.
i once had a Fareast Card(Fareast bank which was acquired by BPI). Sometime 2000, my employer filed for bankruptcy. For 3months i dont have work and forgot about my credit card. Recently, tried to ask how much my outstanding was so that i can pay for it. I was stunned to learn that my 10K credit limit blooted to 125K. Can anyone advise me how to handle this? Thanks!
What i meant was my Outstanding reached 125K. Is it possible for a 10K credit limit. If was consumed, may reached this amount.
i am so glad to know this site! Like you guys, my mom is also experiencing the HARRASSMENT of cc collectors. My dad just got his cc last 2002, my mom as his supplementary. Last year, my dad died, and my mom has not minded at all about my dad’s cc ( there are MORE IMPORTANT things to think of!! ). weeks after his death, we started receiving calls from that cc company. They asked us to submit documents for the insurance so that we won’t have to pay anymore for the account of my dad ( they even call us even 11pm just follow up if we have already submitted the documnets needed! ). We complied, and we even paid for around 3K so that the insurance will be processed. a month or 2 later, they started calling us again and letting us pay the due amount plus interest. They told us that the “insurance” thing was not approvced since my dad’s death was due to his ailment he was suffering before he got the cc. Everyday, my mom receives a call from that rude collector of cc company. I just wanna know if my dad’s account is transferable to my mom’s ? automatically, my mom will be responsible to pay? We are experiencing financial problems eversince my dad died. They are so rude.. Now they are starting to threaten my mom if she will not be able to pay the amount ( it’s now 100k! ). How can they expect us to pay if they won’t stop adding interest?! Is there a law that would cover us? I guess my case is different, right? Please help me…
I just received my Citibank CC last February. I would like to thank all of you for all the warnings because I was pre-warned with the bad side of having CC.
Jam
hi,
what if i can’t even pay the fixed monthly repayments under amnesty program?
is it possible they when you get NBI clearance you will not be tag as cleared becuase of credit card debt? please advise… thanks.
Today, I have the most horrible day. Standard chartered credit card will do whatever they can do to rip you off. I used to be from the Philippines and now resides in the United States. I left Philippines but religiously paying for my monthly obligations. For four years I never missed my obligation. This card is no longer used for four years. Recently, they sent me a bill to pay the full amount. And because I am a good client. I called their office immediately and the customer service I spoke, was trying to help me out and told me the exact date to pay before getting the penalty. Which I am so afraid of. Yes, penalty. 2 days before the due date I paid (with the help of my cousin in the Philippines). As promised, here I am sending money thru western union just to get rid of any penalty and to cancel the card immediately.
Problem arises now, I called before the due date to find out if my card has been cancelled. Believe me they charge me another P2,770.00 aside from the amount I paid which was P24,534.22, and the customer service I spoke wasn’t able to answer my question instead placed me on hold for 15 minutes (not thinking that I am calling from the US).
I have tried calling again and spoke to a very soft spoken customer service and very apologetic, but couldn’t pass me on to any of the supervisor or manager. Finally, after so many phone on hold, I was able to talk to a lady supervisor(which I hope true), who can’t make any decision at all. She said they will investigate the situation. The investigation will take 3 to 5 days. Totally unacceptable.
I was the one who suggested to check the file conversation recorded. It was in that conversation that I was told to pay by April 13, 2006 so I can get out of any penalties. And today is only April 12, 2006. PAYMENT MADE APRIL 11, 2006 IN FULL AMOUNT OF P24,540.00 (keep the change.And found out that they place penalty charge while I was fully paid with the amount mentioned and emailed to me.
Isn’t it ridiculous. Here you are trying to pay your obligation everymonth. Paying interest of P830.00 to P1,000 a month just for interest for four years. So far they have earned much than you think. And still they kept charging you.
To those who uses Standard Chartered Credit Card. Make sure to check all the charges and try to speak out if you think there is something wrong in your statement. YOu will never get rid of bills from them. Like a scam that they will try their best that you are the liar and still do whatever they can to ripped you off. No wonder there were a lot of people abandoned their credit cards.
When you are asked to pay a certain balance to close the account, ask for a written statement, visit their office if you must. Then ask for a certification that the debt has been closed.
Like most of you I have gone to a lot of these when my wife and I both lost our high paying jobs and found ourselves mired in credit card debt.
Also, My friend in Citibank says the collectors are trained to be rude… she couldn’t do anything about it, she could lose her job.
I’ve amnestied my cards so I’m paying them off now one by one on low interest rates, hopefully ending by next year if all goes well.
Now I advise my friends that they keep their credit card balances low and limit to 1 local and 1 international if they must have these cards, otherwise close them and tell the banks they are afraid of being harrassed like they friends as reason for closing the account.
Alleluha to all your woes! I had the same experiences – i.e. rude collectors. I even cried a couple of times when they got too much (called me up in the office and left messages with the secretaries about my account). It was really stressful. Fortunately, I was able to request for restructuring (but after so many harrasing calls from their collectors!)and now I am just paying my balance in easy installment plans, both with SCB and Citbibank (no interest). My suggestion is to still cut clean. Talk with a bank officer who can make decisions (not the CS reps or collectors who cannot make a decision). Write a good letter-proposal on how do you intend to pay your debts – i.e. how much monthly. Again, it is still wise to pay your debts and promise not to use any credit card again (if it’s really needed, limit your spending wisely and limit yourself to one or 2 credit card/s only). I learned my lessons well. I will be wiser in credit management now. I have even began investing in stocks. No more credit cards for me. Once, I was sent by my office to Singapore and I was so embarassed because the hotel required for a credit card number. I was tempted to give my Citibank number. But fortunately, my discipline is strong now and I said, “I am not using my credit card anymore.” So I told this to my company and so it’s my company who gave the hotel a credit card number! What’s my message here – it will be awkward sometimes to admit that you don’t have a credit card (some people still think cc are “status symbols”) but yes, it also gives me that liberating feeling that I am more in control of my finances. I used to dread the ringing of my phone, worried that it will be the collectors on the other end of the line. But recently, an SCB collector tried calling me again (to remind me of my payment when I never forget to pay my installments for the past 2 years now!) and this time, I really made sure she got a tongue-lashing from me! :) I told her (I was even the one who called her up because I saw her missed calls) – “DON’T CALL ME ANYMORE BECAUSE I NEVER FORGET TO PAY MY BILLS EVERY MONTH FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS NOW! STOP HARRASSING ME BECAUSE I WILL NOT RUIN MY NAME FOR 50,000 PESOS! IF YOU WANT TO REMIND ME, SEND ME E-MAILS BECAUSE I OPEN THAT ADDRESS EVERYDAY. BUT PLEASE STOP CALLING ME.” I think she got so frightened that all she said was, “Ok, Ma’am.” :) To all of you out there – don’t lose hope. You have your rights and these banks should respect them. But in fairness to them, show them that you are sincere about paying up and propose ways to handle the debts. It’s a win-win solution. Goodluck to all! :)
i’d rather not pay up after all the trauma i went through…in fact, had they pursued filing a civil case against me, i will definitely file for a counter charge with all the harassment i went through, i can definitely file for emotional and psychological trauma which can definitely lead to nervous breakdown plus i’ll seek the help of human rights advocate…but since they have no plans really of filing a case (kse nga its just meant to scare people), i cannot do a counter charge…i really really learned my lesson…no more credit cards for me…and besides, they will do everything just to lure you talaga…i was already on the delinquent list when they tried sending a renewal of my card…but there is a catch…they mistyped my family name so that there will be a reason for me to contact their office…but since i’m not at all interested i never called nor entertained their calls…eto pa, i recently received a demand letter na naman from a certain atty so and so and together with the demand letter they included a promo letter stating that if i pay now, they will give me a certain discount…here pa is another inconsistency that these cc company have…they will send you a billing but not on monthly basis anymore kse nga delinquent na or most likely na write-off na un account then the figures in the billing is absolutely different to that of the letters….
Hi There! I have finally paid up my debt to my HSBC CC and have already ask them to close my account but the funny thing is they still keep sending me my monthly bill. Sobra na nga ang bayad ko sa kanila so nakacredit na iyong sobra pero after three months of calling them up everytime i receive my statement account ayaw pa nila pa close…….. I told them that its in there record that everytime I receive their statement I am always calling them up. Baka in the end pagdating ng November they will still charge me for the Annual Fee. I have never been late paying them so they keep on asking me to stay. Ayaw na nga pinipilit ka pa…. Hopefully, I wouldnt receive the billing statement again this month or I will ask them directly to connect me to their cancellation dept. I am presently working for a Internationsl call center and the cancellation Dept is actually to a RETENTION DEPT so just be firm and say no!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yah, most credit card do the same thing. It irritates may ear. when I close two of them. Thank my card is not like that._____ thanks for being cool..
Diners card charged the all time high interest fee. Plus, they have the BEST customer service that NEVER replies to your email for several weeks. I will NEVER get this card again…
thanks for all your advice. somebody from an agency made me have a citibank cc, its my 5th cc. i have been having cc for almost a year and i treat them like cash/atm. i never had a finance charge coz i always pay on time. but my worry now is closing at least 2 of them before annual fees start pouring in. im satisfied with bpi and equitable. i might let these 2 stay but the others i wanna give up before they reach 1 year where i need to pay annual fees already. i never had any harrassing calls yet but that’s because i always pay on time and i don’t abuse my cards. but what im somehow getting afraid of now is how i can close my other cc soon without getting into any form of trouble at all. can you please give me advice on how i would go about the cancellation of my cards? hopefully i won’t get much hassle as what i read on the posts. pls. help me, i need advice. thank you!
I and my officemates have received a lot of threats from these agencies. We are responsible individuals, infact we pay our taxes well, the problems we encountered are due to financial constraints, these agents act as if they are GODs and pass judgements on us. they ridicule and threat you.
How can we be protected?
can we form a group and find ways to lessen the harassments that we are getting? they (CC companies) are one major causes why our mortality rates are going up. The stress they give us is unimaginable. How can our government protect us and help us with our financial dificulties?
Just one question to break the ice. Have these banks ACTUALLY filed a case against anybody here on this forum for amounts less than a million? If not, then perhaps we should rejoice, regroup, and rebound! Let’s tell these guys that WE WILL PAY!
Even though the original thread was not about debt collection, it would seem that the comments have trended towards that topic. In case anyone is dealing with debt collectors, it will help to know your rights.
Good day!!! i been a good credit card holder for 5 yrs until something happen, actually financial problem by then i started to have a problem paying my CC (AIG) but i always make sure that i pay atleast the minimum payment. Until ive lost my savings paying those minimum amount. To think, if i will get the total amout i paid for that CC its like i almost paid my balance! there’s this collector saying that they will give my name to the law office and the law office will contact me and arrange some legal actions in order for me to pay the total amount due to interest it became 37K(originally 13k) i told them i dont have enough money to pay that since its more on interest but the collector told me that they will just give my name to the law office. what should i do? please somebody give me some advise. thank you so much
Sheesh, no wonder some of you guys can’t find a job… what awful grammar!
Very good reading. Peace until next time.
WaltDe
The united states has actually a mini miranda in collecting past due accts be it a CC or a simple utility bill… so more or less people are more pretected there.. they can write their respective district atty. or the consumer agency if they feel being harassed… there is actually a law protecting a creditor. ever heard of the FDCPA? or the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act? its a pitty we don’t have something like that in the Philippines.. something we can lobby to our b—-rd congressman here. This are the things we need to legislate not charter change… Duh!
I am a BPI and HSBC credit card holder for 4 months now. I could say that I have a good credit standing as of now. And now after I read these articles, I am afraid (or perhaps conservative not into aggressive usage) with using credit cards. My Standard Chartered card has just been approved and I am still planning to apply for AIG card. Thanks for this site, I would not apply for more. I should be satisfied with 3 cards. I would pay first my outstanding bill or lessen it before I used it again. Thanks guys! Many banks are calling me on my office trying to say that I have a pre-approved card with them. I learned to say NO! Thanks again!
The conversation with “Waldo” is similar to what happened to me with Citibank.
I had asked to cancel my card because they wouldn’t approve my request to reverse the late and finance charges (late for just one day and penalized a total of P981.07!). So the account specialist calls, and early on I told her (so we can call her “Walda” instead?) that I’ve already cut up the card, because I already did. It was all downhill for her because the only way for her to get me to continue using the card was to send me a new one, which I wouldn’t allow if she didn’t reverse the late and finance charges.
Also, I knew they would only cancel the card if the balance was fully paid, so I checked my balance online and paid, ensuring that I had zero balance before Walda called, so there was really no reason for Citibank to keep my CC account open. Good riddance to them!
Ever since I got my first Mastercard CC, I promised myself that I will never pay for annual fees. So the key here is to have a number of CCs on hand, expiring on different months. The other key is to be a deadbeat — pay all your CC bills fully, leave no debts. That way, you can request for free annual fee waiver, and cancel the card if the issuer does not approve of your request. You still have other cards anyway. Issuers will usually consider you as a “new” client if your last card with them has been terminated over 6 months previously, so you can apply again later.
Annual fee “waivers” using accumulated points do not count — waivers should be unconditional, without you needing to shell out a single peso or point. AIG approves of waiver requests, so I continue to keep my two AIG cards after 3 years (each with credit limit of P11,000, haha!). AIG becomes the fallback should none of the other cards agree to waive annual fees. They offer 30% discount on Enchanted Kingdom entrance tickets too.
My current “other” CC is a UCPB Gold Visa (cobranded from Equitable) with a 6-digit credit limit, in case the two P11,000 AIG cards are not enough. Hopefully they waive annual fees, or I’ll have to apply for an HSBC or Metrobank card next.
I just closed my Citibank card today. I have had a 0 balance on it for almost a year. I told them I didn’t want so many open accounts. “Maverick” was ok, but “Tim” was very harrassing. Sure he has a job to do: to serve the customer. After 5 minutes he said “fine”. Obviously he was mad because I wouldn’t listen to his pitches. He must be losing lot’s of customers. Because of his rudeness I will never knowingly accept credit from Citibank again.
hey guys, i have the same problem as all of you. cant pay my credit card bills due to i am now unemployed and also a big financial problem of my family. i just want to know if credit card company can detect me or can trace me if ever i have got a new job?is it possible that they will gonna call me everyday and every hour in my future office landline number? pls give some advice.. and send it on my e-mail tryin_mikee@yahoo.com thanks a lot guys.. god bless
anyone who’s using Dolce vita card from AIG? I just wanna ask how to claim the benefits when you accumulate the expenses required? and Im planning to use their cash advance facility. Can I request to pay it in fix terms with fix rates? Also, to HSBC card holders, did you ever tried to compute for your additional fees and charges posted on your SOA’s? Confusing isn’t it? you still need to remember all your previous daily balances before you could come out with your charges unlike with the other cc’s.. it was my first card and now I am planning to close it because I couldn’t find time to monitor my “daily balances”. Are the agents from HSBC more good on handling customers than citibank? Coz I am not fond of communicating rude people. :'(
good day everybody! I was really enlightened by your explanations on this issue. i have still a balance with citibank of about 60k buti was not able to pay for 4 months alredy since i was forced to send money (using my small savings) to our province since my dad was hospitalized due to lung problem and also my step mother was operated somewhere in the ovary. i was a good payer then until these incidents came. i was also being harrassed almost everyday by Citibank credit and collection agencies upto to the point that the caller was shouting at me already. i asked him why is he mad, he told me that he’s not mad and added, anyway, who’s had the liabilities? i really want to get mad but since i was at the office at that time, i kept my cool. i’ve already told them that i wanted to apply for their amnesty program but they said that i have to pay the minimum the following day so that i may be able to quality for the program. i was very tensed that day and to the extent of borrowing money just to pat the amount reuqired but upon hearing some advices, i calmed down. i rally have no meny still to pay even the minimum amount but rest assures if given the amnesty without paying inital payment, i can manage to pay about 1300 monthly. regards to all!
Hi Iam Jeremy Iam 28yrs old I lve in CT Iam about 8,000 Dollars in debt I was getting so much calls everday. It got so worse that I almost did something very bad to myself but my freind stoped me and said that I will not go to jail or go to court just tell them you moved away and return to sender with the notices that come from the banks I don’t know if he gave me good adivce or not what do you think
PLS MY NAME IS CHARLES.PLS I NEED UR HELP FROM U PEOPLE THERE, PLS I NEED SOME CREDIT CARD TO USE AND PAY FOR MY SCHOOL FEES ,PLS I WANT TO STILL STUDY ,PLS DONT LET MONEY STOP ME FROM FINISH MY CAREER.PLS SENT ME A CREDIT CARD ,,.. creatorita@yahoo.com
I called Bancard to have my card closed which I’ve had since 1998, my outstanding balance is 29T and I’m not even delinquent I try to pay even just the mininum, they referred me to a collecting agency which I called. The guy I talked with Dominique with ERJ Ccollecting Agency, gave me a computation of P2780 for 18month, this enraged me coz the total amount came up to 50T, I said I only owed 29T and the reason called then is to arrange for a more convenient way to pay my debt without adding any more interest. The first word that came to my mind was extortion. So I said to this Dominique guy that I wasn’t going to push through with it. after that he started pestering me after I told him that I have already applied of a balance transfer with another card at P1670 for 2 years which is a better deal. He still calls me at work even bother my family at home. Can I file a case for harassment and extortion considering the I already opted to go for a balance transfer with another bank?
Please advice… Thank you.
I have this account CC from HSBC, and my debt is just around Php30,000, and I pay I think Php 1000+ every cut off date…but due to financial constraints, I was not able to pay the required amounts each required payment dates. But because I am a government employee there were unexpected bonuses just enough, and I paid Php 15000 to trim down my debt at HSBC, and hoping that my minimum due should fall around Php 500. But this was not the case, they said that they cancelled my card, and I should pay it in full..my 15k was just eaten up by interests, and they put me into amnesty to pay my debt in monthly installments of Php1800 for 12 months. The payment was smooth for I think about 5 months, but due to financial hard-up, I missed a month to pay… and I was planning to patch that up for the next. The agent called me, and said that my amnesty program was reset… and I have to pay it from square one… is this fair? what about my old payments?..vanished in thin air?…but then, I was patient enough to accept the settlement, start from square one…but again, though I am saying to myself that I can pay it up, though I am financially broke, and a time came, that I was assigned for a seminar at another province, and missed again the date, but that was just 3 days late, and paid the required amount…but then they reset again the amnesty, and that is you have to pay it all over again…. whom can I turn to?..Rambo is too old for the job now… thanks.
DO NOT EVER BUY CREDIT SHEILD!!!!this is a scam banks like citibank make tons on. When you try to use it they say you never had it..also they will never mail you a contract and if you have statements they have legal lingo that allows them to change your status at any time they want…to UNELIGABLE!!the minute you want to make a claim. IT IS A RIPOFF!!!!!!!
How will i know if i’m BLACKLISTED?
There’s no such thing as a credit blacklist, so you’re not on it.
Thanks for your reply, Dan. I’m just worried because I recently applied for a new credit card (citibank) and I was disapproved. Could this be because I was once delinquent with my old standard chartered card which I eventually managed to pay off and close? I’m just wondering if I’m blacklisted coz I can’t seem to be approved for a new credit card even if I have a high gross annual income.
Marie: I understand what you’re asking now. The most likely explanation is that your credit score is low because of the delinquent card. You can pay to find out your credit score from the three bureaus (there are also 3-in-one reports). You can also get a free credit report once a year that doesn’t include the score.
Dan: Pardon my asking, are you in the US or Philippines? Because as far as I know, you can only get credit reports with your credit score from the three credit bureaus (experian, equifax, transunion) if you’re in the US. I’m not aware that there’s also credit bureaus here in the Philippines.
I’m in the US and thought you were too. My answers probably don’t apply in the Philippines.
Dan, I’m also in the Philippines, I do have a stable job as of the moment, good enough to pay my Citibank Credit Card bills, but unforunately, our family ran into a serious financial problem and due to this, I am having trouble paying of my debt with Citibank. A good friend of mine advised me that I may be able to apply for a so-called “Amnesty Program” with Citibank. Can you provide details or any idea on how I can avail this program?
Joey: You’d have to talk to Citibank about this. Give them a call.
Thanks for your response Dan, but can you at least give me an idea on how this works?
Joey: It depends on what stage you’re at. If you’re making the payments still but things are tight, you may ask for a reduction in interest or for them to reduce your minimum payment. If you’re already in collections, then it’s probably too late since they’re sold off the debt. Hope that helps.
Thanks! that helped quite a lot but I hope you don’t mind if I go into further details. Anyway, my Citibank account would be a year this coming April and I still do have a maintaining balance with them. I only missed one payment which was last February due to financial constraints. Based from these details, can you tell me where I stand for having an Amnesty approved?
Joey: I’m just speculating but I would imagine they’d be willing to work with you since you’re current and making payments. Thinking from their perspective, they’d rather work out a deal with you instead of having to sell of the debt to a collection agency for pennies on the dollar.
Thanks for your insight Dan, I’ll keep you posted on whatever status I get with Citibank. Thanks!
Hi Dan! Sorry for the late update. Anyway, I got in touch with Citibank and guess what, they declined my request for their Amnesty program. Their reason: There are no available slots. I don’t know if this is true or not but nevertheless I am left nowhere with their answer. I’ll appreciate any advise you could provide. Thanks!
Joey: Drat. You could try calling them up and asking them to lower your interest rate. That would help you pay it off faster. Another option would be to transfer your balance to a credit card with an introductory one with 0% interest if you could pay it off within the introductory period. Then you could pay just the amount without any interest on top.
I had a card with Standard Chartered Bank and it seems that it was 5 years already no improvement on credit line so what I did I transfer all my balances to my BPI.
On the time of closing my account with Standard Chartered, I was offered not to close my account and continue without membership charges. I said to her “Baka naman dyan tayo mag awayâ€. A billing came and they charged me P 1200 for membership.
(I called)
Standard: We could only take out the membership fee only if you purchased 3 times
Veneza: (Ha? WTF). I don’t like the idea
(And our exchanges started to be so rough)
Veneza: Just closed my account, I beg you.
Standard: Can you cut your card, so nobody can use it
Veneza: I don’t like, it’s a simple procedure if you closed my account nobody can use it. Diba!
(end of conversation)
The lesson is, don’t let them over power you.
I left the Philippines just this year and i am now in the US. I also left a debts on my credit cards there. I was just married to an American and he wants to include me on his bank account. HSBC is one. they are asking proofs from us and i gave my birth cert and passport.Mati-trace ba ng bank kung may outstanding balance pa ako at if ever i want to apply for a credit card in the same bank madedeny ba ako. I am afraid na malaman ng hubby ko ito.I have an intention to pay it when i get a job kasi as of now jobless pa ako. Is there a credit card statue of limitations? If there is applied ba ito sa Philippines. Just want to know…..
Yes they will know you have an outstanding balance. Cause it is an international bank.
This is such an interesting discussion, and I’m glad I was able to google it. A question with regards to credit card application: is it safe to apply through agents/financial consultants? Because I see lots of public posts from such people who are offering assistance in obtaining a credit card. Thanks in advance!
hi, is it possible when you get NBI clearance in the phils. you will not be tag as cleared because of credit card debt? please advise… thanks.
how can we send our inquiry about the posted vacant positions of the bangko sentral ng pilipinas to the email address of the Managing Director Gerardo S. Tison?
I am so stressed with the MEAN, RUDE , MALEDUCATED COLLECTING AGENTS who keep calling our office due to our boss credit card debts. Yes, it’s not my debt and i have nothing to do with his debt. It just happened that I answer the phone sometimes since it is a business phone. There was this rudest man and worst that I have ever talked to, He calls everyday( I have recognized his voice) asking for my boss, and when I tell him he’s on leave, he YELLS and use profane words accusing me that I am hiding the man that he’s looking for. How could you say so?, I asked him, then out of his mouth came like a blasting bomb that heated me up, I flared up, because I dont use to hear those kind of words in my whole life intending to me. I said “TARANTADO ka Pala e”. then I asked his name, but he did not give any. He kept yelling and nagging at me saying that he will include me in my boss case. DAMN that man!!! Until now he kept calling in our office and harassing all of us here. I wish I can kick him until he is crushed down. It’s really hard to do anything to revenge because i dont see him and i donteven know his number. The point is, ITS NOT MY DEBT!why do they talk so rude when in fact they should be polite looking for the person they are looking for? What can I do to stop this rude caller? Can I file any legal case against him? Can anyone help me… please
im really thankful i’ve found this forum i am in the same boat but the good thing with my cc is i dont have yet a problem because i can still able to pay my minimum balance what im affraid off is i lost my job actually my cc is issued here in saudi arabia and i acquired 5 of cc’s here in saudi arabia i just wonder if i lost my job and unfortunately send back home to philippines are this banks here in saudi arabia could chase me…actually i was thinking paying them in full but i dont have the capacity to do that thats why im afraid if my company send me back in the philippines and left all my outstanding credit here in saudi arabia… are these banks will chase me…. any comments will help and ease my agony… thanks fellows.
i once had an HSBC cards before, a visa and a mastercard and my total credit limit is 74T and 32T. i owed them more or less 75T excluding interest and penalties but when i quit my job i called them up that i dont have job anymore and told them that i could no longer pay them and the bank told me that whats my plan, sabi ko mam sorry talaga di ko na makayanang magbayad. one month after na noticed ko na lang na access denied na ang card ko meaning inactive na so i waited what they will do to me, they called me up anyway pero okay namn yong nakausap ko na taga HSBC, sinagot ko na bankrupt na ako kaya mahirapan na akong mag bayad umabot yata ng more than a year bago ako pinadalhan ng demand letter hand carried na pinareciv sa akin ng tauhan ng collection agency. sabi nya dapat daw akong pumunta sa office nila para makipag arrange sa kanilang atty. kung paano ko mabyaran ang utang ko na umabot ng almost 200T. pumunta namn ako bago mag lapse yong taning. kinausap ko yong “lawyer” daw nila sabi ko hirap na hirap na ako kasi wala akong trabaho, naki usap sa kanila na sana wag akong apurahin sa pagbabayad at bawasan yong babayarin ko. nakipag negotiate ako tapos yong “lawyer-daw” ay me tinatawagan na tao kung okay ba yong request ko, dahil sa pakiusap ko at pagpakumbaba
nNAGRANT YONG REQUEST KO PINAGPABAYAD NALANG AKO NG ALMOST 30t for 2 months(naging 3 months pa nga yon) kaya solved na ako sa cc ng HSBC. tip ko lang :
1. kung kaya ninyong magpakumbaba sa pakikipag usap sa kanila gawin natin
2. pag di na natin kayang magbayad unahan natin yong bank na tawagan honest lang tayo na sabihin sa kanila ang totoo
3. puntahan natin yong opis na me hawak sa accounts natin kung nasa inyong lugar yong collection company at makipag negotiate
4. dapat me palabra de honor tayo tuparin ang napagkasunduan.
subukan nyo and it works!
hi guys, i just read lots of sad plights and bad experiences regarding credit card companies collecting agents. I was once on the same boat.. I had my security bank card and eastwest mastercard. the time came when i didn’t able to pay my debts with my two cc provider, my debt with security reached about 42k +, while with eastwest bank 206,000.00 +. i first able to settle with security bank one year to pay, and lately with my eastwest bank from 206,000.00+ became 86,000.00+ i paid it for 4 months. finally, i was cleared with all my debts to this two credit card provider. my problem is. i can’t open a new account to other reputable creadit card company inspite the fact that after overcoming bancrupcy i abled to pay my debts… is it anyone outthere aware of what they call “blacklisted” to the credit card companies once you became a delinquent payer? how can i clear my reputation to all other banks and how can i be given another chance since i became a good payer, i paid and followed the contract of payment.? thanks.. you can email me on this eadd… mrdentista_2000@yahoo.com.. thank you!
Post Script.. in fairness with security card collector and eastwest bank they are courteous and fine, soft spoken… unlike other credit card companies…
mrdentista_2000, ask for your certificates of full payment from security bank and east west bank. you may present these to the card companies when you apply for their credit card. or you can start anew by applying for a secured card.
Hi, I wanted to ask the girl wrote her concern in number 110, how are you now in ur cc debt left inthe philippines? I am in the same boat as you, I left in philippines just this year and I left debt of my cc there, how its affect you in immigration? or even in the banks? or even when u apply cc here in US? Because everything we are goignt o do here in US, includes everything biometrics, so I wanna know whats the real score about u now, cause I worry much too same as you. Please reply me. jahzeel_lou@yahoo.com. Thanks
For those who have had a severe, annoying and irritating experiences to any of the credit card companies, regardless of the extent and kind of trouble the credit card companies brought to your life. dont hesitate to email bangko sentral ng pilipinas…visit their website then click contact us… email them, tell your stories and ask for assistance, make a complaint, inquiry, just do so, they will assist you, guide you and support you to whatever problems you encountered with the banks. I knew it, cause they just extended assistance to my complaint against a certain bank.
Kudos to the Bangko sentral ng pilipinas, employees and management for their immediate asssistance and support. Thank you so much. Please the answer to all your problems is the bangko sentral. start emailing now the bsp.
hello, let me also share with you my agony with security bank’s diners card. last 2004 may nag dala sa akin sa office ng security bank diners card, hindi po ako nag apply non, basta pinareceived lang sa akin, with a credit limit of P8,000. and cash advance of P3,500. hindi ko naman yun nagamit agad dahil hindi ko pa ito kailangan, but after two months bigla nagkaron ng problem sa company namin at ako ay nangailangan ng pera so i have no choice but to use it via cash advance, pumunta ako sa security bank binondo branch at nagcash advance ako, automatically P3,500 pala dapat at hindi pwede na P2000 lang (iyon lang kasi ang need ko) tapos nagamit ko rin ung credit card na iyon that same month sa ibang pangangailangan namin dahil nga biglang humina ang company namin hanggang sa tuluyan ng nagbawas ng tao at unfortunately napasama ako don, pero dahil nga wla nga sa wala kaming nakuha maliban sahod lang namin, ung utang ko sa card hindi ko nabayaran, ang alam ko mga P5,000 lang un, pero nung naniningil na sila after three month umabot na yun ng P18,000 at kailangan ko raw bayaran ng cash kung hindi daw kukulungin nila ako nagpunta ako para makipagsettle sana na huhulugan ko na lang ng kahit 1000 every month pero hindi ako pinansin nung babaeng kausap ko. nang magkatrabaho ako sa isang factory sa laguna, sinikap ko na hulugan yung utang ko kahit 200 o 300 kada buwan para lang mabawasan kaso hindi ganon ang nangyari, ung P18000 umabot na ng P23000 at kada hulog ko taas lang ng taas, parang sa halip na mabawasan, tumawag ako sa diners club pero sabi ng nakasagot nasa legal dept na raw ung kaso ko. kaya hindi ko na lang binayaran kasi parang hindi naman ata yun tama kasi di ba nakikita naman nila sa system nila ung pumapasok na payment pero sabi nila nila interest lang daw yun, dapat daw buo ko ng bayaran, sa ngayon, may mga sulat na akong natatanggap mula sa kanilang mga collection agents at nakalagay don dapat bayaran ko na ung utang ko na umabot na ng P758,960.40 as of May 31, 2009. IMAGINE FOR P5,000+ ganyan na ngayon siguro before the year ends, one million na yan. kahit siguro anak ako ni Lucio Tan hindi na ako gaganahan na magbayad sa kanila kasi pag tumatawag ako sa kanila para makipagsettle ng maayos sasabihin nila wala na ung a/c# na yun sa system nila sa legal dept na lang makipag usap, tama ba yun? bka yumaman sila masyado.alam kaya ng pinakahead nila na ganyan sila. makatarungan ba yan? saan naman kaya ako kukuha ng ganyang kalaking pera na ibabayad sa kanila, e hanggang ngayon sa pabrika lang ng sinelas ako nagtatrabaho.
sana may makapagbigay naman sa akin ng tulong ng taong pwedeng lapitan ko para sa bagay na ito, gusto ko rin kasi na maayos ko ito pero hindi ko alam kung paano. maraming salamat sa sinumang makakabasa nito.
gusto ko sanang magbigay ng idea or payo sa sender number 123. malaki talagang problema yan. habang nagtatagal yang utang sa credit card lalong lumalaki ang interest at ang pagkakautang mo. as they said sa mga previous bloggers dito. 1. you can wait nalang kung idedemanda ka nila, dahil pag umabot sa fiscal or sa judge yang case mo, kaw pa rin ang masusunod kung magkano lang ang kaya mong ibayad, 2nd. kung di ka pinapansin ng security bank diners club para maisettle mo yan… just email bspmail@bsp.gov.ph for sure aasikasuhin nila yan. tell everything as what you’ve mentioned dito sa site na ito. lumalaki lang ang problema pag napapabayaan at di nabibigyan ng pansin. actually, di naman problema yan dahil meron tayong katuwang sa mga problemang dulot ng credit card at ng provider nito due to unevitable circumstances.. hope nakatulong ako… wag kang mattakot harapin yan maliit lang ang halaga ng nakuha mo 8K lang?… report mo sa BSP. till then
will somebody who knows please answer…panu ma check if ang name mo nasa list of delinquent cardholders? when i applied for a loan in a lending company, they declined it because they discovered i have delinquent accounts with Citibank and HSBC…saan kaya nila na check na website..or panu ma check ba…i want to verify myself if i will see my name there..thanks
even if you settle your loans completely ( of course this would be under a reduced interest and reversed penalties scheme ) you will have a very hard time getting another ccard.
good day..salamat at nakapasok ako sa site na ito..gusto ko din sana humingi ng payo o tulong regarding sa credit card ko…Ang problema ko kasi ako ang nagbabayad sa utang ng iba ginamit lang nya ang credit card ko na sobrang laki ang nakuha nya nababayaran ko naman ito for more than a year na pero ngayon di ko na kayang bayaran kasi sobrang hirap na tapos lumalaki pa ng lumalaki..Tapos ngayon sa HSBC card ko magpafile na daw sila ng case against sa akin tapos isumbong pa daw nila sa HR Dept namin na sobrang kinakatakot ko kasi baka maapektuhan ang trabaho ko uso pa naman ang tanggalan sa amin ngayon..Ask ako ng tulong kung ano dapat kong gawin..May right ba ang mga credit card company na magsumbong sa HR Dept? Araw2 at oras2 akong tinatawagan ng mga agents ng mga credit card para makapagbayad pero dahil sa sobrang laki nito di ko na kayang bayaran and besides di naman din sa akin ang utang na yun. may law ba sa phil na pwede ipasa ng ni juan ang utang nya kay pedro? takot na takot na ako kung ano ang gagawin nila, di na nga ako makatulog ng maayos gabi2 sa kakaisip kung ano mangyayari kinabukasan pag gising ko…Pls help me poh…pls email me jhoeisantander@yahoo.com
gusto ko rin pong mag tanong kung ano ang dapat kong gawin sa credit card ko sa union bank meron po akong utang na 8000 po siguro dahil 10,000 lang po ang credit limit nag babayad naman po ako ng utang ko kaya lang po ng mawalan ako ng trabaho di na ako nakabayad 3 yrs na po akong walang trabaho.hindi naman ako nakikipagusap pa kc wala pa akong pambayad at nakikitira lang ako sa kamaganak ko sa ngyon ano po ba ang dapat kong gawin? di ko naman tatakbuhan ang utang ko kaya lang po talagang wala akong hanapbuhay para makabayad sa kanila.
thanks for at natagpuan ko ang site na ito. share ko lang din po yung problema ko para mapayuhan ninyo ako. more than a year na po akong di nakakabayad ng cc bills ko sa BPI. naka receive ako ng collection letter nung Nov. 2008 tapos yung last akong naka receive ng collection letter from them was Jan. 2009. by that time, more than 21 thousand lang ang balance ko. prior to that ilang beses akong nag email sa customer service nila to inform them of my new phone number, they replied but never called. I failed to call yung nag send ng collection letter dahil that time sobrang gipit ako at takot ako na kung tumawag ako sa kanila i harrass nila ako. as of this date , yung balance ko umabot na ng 58, 000+ . nais ko ng i settle yung balance ko pero can’t afford yung 58 thousand, but willing to pay yung 21+ na balance ko. ano po kayang dapat kong gawin para mapapayag ko sila sa amount na afford ko lang bayaran. since jan. 2009, di na sila ng send ng collection letter sa akin pero patuloy na dumarating ang monthly statement ko from BPI.
I am now experiencing harassment from metrobank credit cards… Sobra ang interest.. I requested them for an amnesty years ago, kaso sagot nila dapat bayaran ko ng buo.. then ngayon na diko na talaga kaya bayaran, ang galing mangharass ng collectors nila, kasi yung may sakit na matanda ang hinaharass nila…. i searched the internet then i found this article about credit cards.. we can call bsp
“Even deadbeats have rights by dela cruz, publish in inquirer…
For complaints on bank-affiliated credit cards, cardholders can call Ms. Joy Lorico of BSP’s Consumer Affairs Unit at 524-7011 loc. 2584.
By the way, wala na si ms joy lorico sa consumer affairs.
or we can email them at consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph
Glad to have this site & some answers to may queries regarding my 3 unpaid Citibank cards. I called them up last Oct.’ 09 to request for reversal of finance charges to minimize my total debt since I’m on a very tight financial situation. But they declined to grant me such a favor for their reason was they don’t have such program. Actually, my account is now handled by their upper officer and can’t even decide for the request I’m asking. I told the guy, “Ano ba yan kala ko ba credit manager ka then u should have at least the authority to decide right then & there.” They offered me their 11-month 0% interest but I have to shell out a certain amount & this program is upon approval pa, if not naman I could avail of their long-term scheme na 12 – 48 months with interest. That guy also said that he could reverse the FC only if I will pay in full at one time. I told him then I should have not go through this difficult process if I could pay u at one time. I owe that bank 200,000+ as of to date. They said they would cancel all my cards if I am 2 avail of the payment assistance program. I said I don’t give a damn coz at least I had informed u of my situation now that I’m jobless & I can’t pay up for the mean time.
For those with credit card problems, if your account has been transferred to a collection agency, talk to them: very often, agencies have options you can afford (discounted lump sum payment, staggered payment at no additional interest, etc) – but please make sure to comply when you make a promise to pay. Do not complicate things by keeping on breaking your promises. Do not fear collection agencies, your payments will always be credited to your credit card account since you will always be paying through banks and payment centres (and not through their agents). The agency that handled my HSBC delinquent accounts treated me well and they were able to assist me with my negotiations with the bank. In fact, when I paid in HSBC Taguig office, I was able to get my certificate of full payment immediately. God speed to all!
i have a debt from phils but i have no work now last time my siter pay my accounts i thought i will pay all but citibank texting me that i ahve a balance and there is interest every month and now feb 25 2010 the law firm txting me i can apply for amnesty and i pay only 3,880.00 and thats a last day i ask where i can pay said china bank and when my niece go there says no form only to pay directly in citibank and the following day text me you can pay 20,123.17 and the next she pay 16,100 i would like to apply amnesty kasi wala ho akong trabaho
Citibank, ito ang CC company na first time ko nagkaroon. Nag-iisa lang naman siyang credit card ko. Nung may trabaho ako at continues ang income ko eh madali lang sakin ang mag bayad ng monthly dues. Pero nung bigla akong natanggal sa trabaho lumubo ang aking bill sa bank. Nung una pinatulan ko yung amnesty program nila para mabawasan ang aking bayarin. Malaking luwag nga kase maliit lang naman yung babayaran monthly pero nung natapos ko yung amnesty at kailangan ng bayaran ng buo yung balance eh dun na ako kinapos na raman ulit. So, ang collection department nila eto araw araw ng tumatawag at nangungulit ng bayad. Pilit na pinapasok ako sa isang program na hindi naman ako maka sagot ng “Oo” kase wala pa akong trabaho. Wala pang isang taon na di ako nakakapag hulog eh kung ano ano na sinasabi ng collection department nila at pinasa na sa legal department na nila. Sobra talaga at di pa nakuntento sa telephone eh nag punta pa talaga sa bahay namin at pinaririnig pa sa kapitbahay na may utang ako sa bank. Sa simula lang sila mabait sa customer pero pag delinquent ka na para kang basura na ang tingin sa iyo.
tanong ko lang po gusto na po kasing ipaclose ng mother ko ang kanyang crdit card na metrobank (mastercard)kasi po wla na syang ibabayad monthly anu po ba ing pinakamagaang paraan para mabayaran po ang balance ng hindi mabigat kung meron po ba kayong mga terms na maioofer?sana po ay matulungan nyo kame tinatry po namin kayong tawagan sa customer srvice pero hindi po namin kayo makontak kung sakali na mabasa niyo ito pwede niyo po kaming tawagan Phone # 5627579 maraming salamat po..
I read most people’s predicaments on this page and absolutely empathize with them. Many (not all of them) Citibank collectors are VERY rude and deal with their customers like uneducated persons. For years I maintained a good credit standing with them but to tell you honestly, it doesn’t matter to them. The time came when I had to temporarily leave work due to health reasons and I recognize that I had difficulty keeping up with my monthly dues with them so I was the one who actually requested to “temporarily freeze” my credit card until I can pay the full balance. They offered me Amnesty Program. It was a sensible proposal so I agreed. Even under this program, I remained to be a good payor, diligently continuing payment for my monthly dues. At one time, my payment was delayed for only ONE DAY and somebody already called my mother-in-law and harassed her on the phone, threatening her that she will go to jail because she is my co-borrower! I could not believe that guy just said that. Where in the world did he got that notion that my mother-in-law is my co-borrower?!? That’s when I realized that there are some people working in this prestigious and huge company who are not properly trained and don’t have any work ethics at all. Luckily, my mother-in-law got hold of his name and the time of his call. I notified Citibank about this incident and they responded to me favorably, telling me that they will have disciplinary action taken against this person. I felt relieved. I have so much respect for Citibank but they should know that there are people working for them that are destroying the company’s reputation through their words and actions.
After that, I still got calls from collectors who are informing me to pay off my balance which was still not under the Amnesty Program!!! When I explain to them that I’m on the program, they would transfer me to the department in-charge of that. And the same thing happens again and again. That means, they do not coordinate with each other. Customer representatives just call whoever they want to call without having the full knowledge of their customers’ accounts. What’s worse is some of them are really rude and obnoxious, as if they really know what they are saying. Not all of them, I reiterate, only some of them who are stupid to discuss their client’s account without knowing the real deal. They try to intimidate you with their English telephone conversations as if they are professionals but in the end, they will use unprofessional terms and even Tagalog words that are not appropriate for a customer service representative. It is not Citibank per se who should be blamed. After all, we are in gratitude to the company for giving us credit and it is our responsibility to pay whatever we used. However, the tactics that some of their customer service reps should be properly monitored by the company. The problems they are creating are overwhelming. They are only sending out an image that Citibank has a workforce that has no ethics nor respect at all. Even the collection office that are supposedly tied-up with Citibank should be evaluated because their collectors are also harassing the customers. My advise is that no matter what your case is and these people keep on harassing you, which they have absolutely no right to do so, take their names, the time of their call, the exact statement that have offended you and write a letter to Citibank. Everything has to be handled professionally even if their people are not. That would simply show that we are not like them.
haaayyy.. what a relief.. i have been sleepless for months now because of credit card debts i left in the philippines. i am in australia as a student but alam naman cguro ninyo ung purpose pag punta dito as s student. i receive txt messages frm the collection agency saying they will ask the australian immigration to deport me because of these debts. they know that i am here in australia and i told them i have no intention of running away from these debts. it’s just that i am broke right now. but still they keep sending me threats.. citibank in particular. i am really afraid of deportation. is that possible. please help. i am really troubled.
sabi ng taga HSBC “attorney daw siya” bago mag avail ng amnesty program kelangan muna raw ako magdown ng 10,000 for the installment programs ganun ba talaga ang policy for availing amnesty program
san ako pwde makiusap para sa installment program ng HSBC ayaw ko na dun sa attorney… ang hirap pakiusapan ala nga ako pangdown na 10,000 … gusto ko ng mag avail ng amnesty program
may nakukulong ba s credit card at ung nbi clearance affected??
Wow! Bakit ngayon ko lang naread ito eh di sana kumalma ako noon pa.. Anyways, I never experienced to have rude people asking me to pay pero yun nga tawag ng tawag at kulit ng kulit but never rude kaya I’m thankful na mabuti pa pala ako (nung mabasa ko ang naging problem nyo). I guess one issue lang if you really dont pay eh di ka makakuha kagad ng loan like housing loan. Nagulat kasi ako sinabihan ako ni BANK A na pakiclear muna raw record ko SCB para maapprove yung loan. So yun isa sa malaking effect. I’m so happy na lahat ng CC ko eh nagbigay ng amnesty na sobrang liit at nabayaran ko na except yung SCB kasi wala na tumawag sakin para magbigay ng amnesty ulit.
Now my question… SHould I call SCB again para mabayaran ko na sila. Kasi last time na tumawag ako dun sa collection agency eh hindi na raw nila hawak account ko at naglapse na yung amnesty.
True na di ka makukulong at I think hindi rin affected ang NBI kasi dami ko officemate totally pinabayaan na CC nila at di binayaran.. Eh so far nakailang companies na sila and hiningian raw sila NBI clearance (nakapag abroad pa nga yung isa) pero wala naman raw issue..
Hope lahat po kayo eh makaraos sa financial problem. If you are looking for help like financial planner, may friend ako na nag offer ng help. Group sila na nag eeducate sa pinoy ng financial aspect. They helped me a lot kaya unti unti nabayaran ko at nadesiplina ako with my money..
Godbless and more power to you Guys :)