Due to a gym membership payment gone awry over the internet (I was charged multiple times for the same payment on a website that was apparently "broken"), my account at U.S. Bank overdrafted. Long story short, I overdrafted about 150.00. But tack on the ridiculous overdraft fees (I believe they were 35.00) and I was quickly racking up money.
We immediately called US Bank when I discovered the problem online and got on a 3 way conference call with a rep from the gym, who promised to refund the money to the bank upon a full payment of my account to them. The bank would then refund ME the fees they had taken out plus ALL the payments. We made the payment ON THE PHONE, the same call, through an electronic check as the US Bank rep was listening in, and everyone seemed to be on the same page. Luckily, we kept a complete record of time, dates, who we talked to, etc.
Fast forward nearly TWO YEARS later, when I receive a letter from a debt collector demanding nearly $600 from that U.S. Bankaccount. I am shocked to say the least and I called the creditors to figure out why I have been charged. They say they don't know. ?? Ok...I call U.S. Bank. They say they don't know either, they don't have my records?! Ok...so I spend over two months volleying back and forth between the creditors and the bank, trying to locate some records, trying to get documentation from my father about the transaction we did over the phone.
Then, I get someone who slips up (aka is helpful) at US Bank who tells me that my records are archived at a corporate branch, and that I would have to contact the local branch manager, where I opened the account, to get them.
This man was hands down fantastic. I think his name was John, at the Springfield, MO branch. He had to find these records, dig them out, copy them, and then he sent them to me express. Really, this guy was a beacon of shining light in the dingy darkness of US Bank's horrible service.
I open the mail and my mouth drops open. I closed this account (after waiting a few weeks for everything to clear back into my account) and US BANK FORCED IT BACK OPEN and withdrew ALL the payments from the account. Keep in mind I had actually received money back because the account was clear when I closed it. That means the account was constantly overdrafting from a zero balance. I then went overseas for three months after I closed the account, a fact of which US Bank's rep was fully aware, as that is why we resolved it via phone so quickly. NO NOTICE was sent to my house. NO AUTHORIZATION whatsoever by me or family. Then, out of the kindness of their heart, US Bank let the account sit open, collecting $7 a day overdraft charges on the negative balance until they finally let it close after 60 days. NONE of this is my fault. Even if the gym did not pay the bank, I paid the gym, and closed my account, and all parties were totally aware of the circumstances and had agreed to resolve it in this manner.
I get my father's documentation (the conversation, the check to the gym, the letters I have sent) as the creditors keep piling on fees for my non-payment. I start to get threatened when I talk to them - I am in law school and they are hitting me with statements such as "You won't be able to get loans any more" and "You better just pay this now or you're going to pay more by the day," "we have a legal affidavit that will knock out any proof you try to send us," etc.
Well...too bad my dad prepares for situations like this and I was smart enough to do my homework. I sent a 17-page packet of documentation, complete with handwritten notes, bank statements, and any notice I sent (because even though I was writing constantly to dispute this my mails were going unnoticed and my phone calls unanswered). I accompanied it with an incredibly detailed letter of the situation and added that I will be taking the creditors to the cleaners under Fair Collection if they don't at least start working with me instead of threatening me.
That is the last I heard of any of this mess. Thank goodness I had volumes to back up my side of the story.
I'm really not sure what your question is...but I think you are referring to why I didn't ask them to verify the debt in writing. I did and got no response, so talking to them in person was my only recourse. Also, upon speaking to the creditors, neither the bank nor the creditors would release my own bank account information to me for verification without a $200 charge. So, that is why I did not ask for verification, and was doing detective work on my own while making every effort possible to speak with people, get names, etc.
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