Consumer complaint received 2023-08-28
Company: Continental Finance Company, LLC
State: NY
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Unexpected increase in interest rate

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY, XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XX/XX/2023 Continental Finance LLC XXXX ( Platinum, Mastercard ) XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX , IL XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX - XXXX Subject : Urgent Complaint Regarding Excessive Interest Rate Charges and Unjustified Excessive Illegitimate Amount charges by XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX Bill : Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my deep concern and frustration regarding the exorbitant interest rate charges that have been applied to my credit card account with XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. However, I am going through the worst financial hardship of a financial constraint situation. Last month, XX/XX/2023, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX sent me an email in which the total bill was {$260.00}. Payment was made on the XXXX of the month. How did I pay them through autopay, as I set up XXXX  XXXX XXXX last month, I made only {$65.00}, which was the minimum amount, and {$200.00} is left, which I am supposed to pay the minimum amount next XXXX. What happened? When I checked out my checking account, XXXX  deducted {$200.00} US Dollars payment was posted on XX/XX/2023 and, the same day, they again deducted {$65.00} more. Then I was surprised and frustrated as to why XXXX XXXX  credit card was deducted {$200.00} from my bank account. Later, when I called XXXX, the lady representative spoke to me. I told her I had just made only {$65.00}, not a total of {$260.00}, so your XXXX  company deducted all the amounts, so she told me as you set up an autopay, so, it came all amounts automatically. Then I asked her to claim {$200.00}, which did not include my payments only {$65.00} US Dollars. I asked her to please refund. XXXX  has to be refund this amount, {$200.00}, to my XXXX  XXXX XXXX. The XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX lady told me, OK, I will forward it to your appeal to claim {$200.00} to our Card services department so when, appeal will approve XXXX  company to transfer {$200.00} US dollars to your XXXX  XXXX XXXX, but it has to14 weeks to approve your appeal in the meantime you can call us back within 14 days I said, OK I can wait.. But 14 weeks had passed, I did not get a refund. Then, after 14 days, I called them back. I spoke to the same lady. I recognized her voice, then she laughed a little. Oh yes, I am the same person she said that to me. Then I asked her what the status of my claim was ; {$200.00}. She told me no. I have not received your appeal approval yet, so still on appeal, so it takes 1 week more, so you can call us after 1 week. Then I got frustrated and worried and asked her about how long it would take time for approval. She told me it took approval several weeks. Then, after 1 more week, I called her again, the XXXX XXXX XXXX. At that time, another person received a call. He was male again. I explained to him again from the start that the person told me OK but I am going to transfer to our card department. Then a lady came again from the card department, then she told me again and again, your {$200.00} refund is right! We will be refunding back your {$200.00}, right? I said yes, {$200.00}, then she told me OK, it will come to your account within 3 business days. It is processed for transfer {$200.00} according to the XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX lady. After 3 business days, when I checked my XXXX  XXXX XXXX checking account, nothing came at all into my XXXX  XXXX XXXX account. It seemed to be like XXXX credit card had no intention of refunding my money back. {$200.00} Then I have not received any amount so far. That means they took all the balance, {$260.00}, without a refund. Later that month came XXXX, then I called XXXX credit card. Then I spoke to a lady. I told her I wanted to close my XXXX  credit card account because I am so frustrated and fed up with your fraud and unjustified amount and I had never got any refund of {$200.00}, so please close my account and remove my autopay from your XXXX  card system. Then the lady told me OK, we are going to close your account and remove your autopay from our system. Then I was a little relieved my account was closed. In the first week of XXXX, what happened? XXXX  credit card texted me again XXXX, please You have a payment due on your XXXX XXXX on XXXX. Click here XXXX to make a payment. Reply STOP to unsubscribe from text messages. You must pay your XXXX  credit card dues.Then I got so surprised and worried as they closed my account then why they texted me even XXXX  told me I do not have any balance so far, so your account has been closed. I called XXXX  XXXX  XXXX again and then I talked to the lady I told her my account had already been closed according to you I dont have any balance so why I pay again on top of that XXXX  didnt refund back to my {$200.00} US dollars what amount she told me no this is your last payment you have to pay this amount you go to link website then pay this amount once you pay this amount your account will be closed forever. As a responsible and diligent cardholder my last payment, which was outstanding balance, I made the last payment {$510.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/2023. Once I paid that amount, I called XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX again I mentioned to them I paid that amount. The person told me OK that is your last amount now I am going to close your account forever you do not have any more bills in the future. What happened? I received XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX bills again by mail on Monday XX/XX/XXXX even though my account closed but which means they lied to me they did not close my account still an active for money trapping. Before I opened the envelope, I thought they had sent me a clearance letter for cleared all dues by me XXXX  credit card it was bills again and how much they putted {$94.00} I could not understand why XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX keep harassing me and XXXX  money from me I was so shocked and deeply concerned as to why they are trapping me for XXXX money. Sir/Madam, I do not want to be further financially victimized by XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation