Consumer complaint received 2018-02-03
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: MA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Communication tactics
Sub-issue: Frequent or repeated calls

Complaint:
I originally made a purchase at an XXXX XXXX XXXX store in approximately XX/XX/2017 and was told I would save 20 % ( or something along the lines of that ) if I APPLIED for a store credit card. I swiped my existing credit card, so assumed that was the card that would be charged. Upon review later, I realized the card was never charged and that I had an XXXX XXXX account opened at that moment. This discovery came to me about 2 months later when I began receiving calls from " XXXX XXXX '' about my XXXX XXXX card. This company will NOT accept any credit card payments, and instead asks for a bank account number, which I provided. At this point, my {$69.00} purchase had now accrued to approximately {$100.00} ( according to XXXX ). I made I believe a {$40.00} payment and asked that my card be processed automatically the next month to pay off the balance. I never received a call from the same number again. Instead, by chance I answered when ANOTHER strange number called me and was now told that I still owed about {$120.00} on the account. I explained that I had already tried to settle the matter. They asked that I authorize the minimum payment and assured me that if I paid the next time they called that I would not be charged any fees or have my interest rate increase. I never got a call from the same number twice. This company calls from completely random numbers each time, so I never know when to answer. When I answered in XX/XX/XXXX this year ( on a Sunday morning ), I was told that I owed about {$160.00}. I asked how that could be possible and the operator immediately got a RUDE tone. I tried to explain that I thought I had set up automatic payments and that I had provided my bank account info for them to settle the account. He told me they " don't do that, '' and that if I don't answer the phone, what will happen is that I will just keep getting charged late fees and additional interest fees. When I tried to explain my frustration over the situation, and the operator became increasingly rude ESPECIALLY when I began explaining that I felt the way they run their business is unfair. I answered a call from XXXX just a few days ago ( my last interaction with them ). They once again called from yet a DIFFERENT number ( Texas area code this time, I think ). This time, when I tried to explain that I did not know what was going on with all of these charges, how the {$69.00} could so quickly compound to {$160.00}. He explained I was charged a {$40.00} late fee every single month and some other random {$20.00} fees. I explained I felt it was very unfair that they could charge these late fees on the justification that I " didn't answer the phone, '' but when they were calling from completely different numbers. I said there must be some way to just close out the account, and that I would make a small payment to settle the matter. The man on the phone throws out some arbitrary number like " {$120.00}. '' I said I still don't see how that's fair when I've already paid {$80.00}. He said, " well it's going to go up to XXXX. '' And I said, well I am a LAW STUDENT, so I don't have the money to pay {$160.00} today, and I feel the amount you are charging is unfair in the first place. The man on the phone then remarked that if I'm a " LAW STUDENT '' like " [ I ] say [ I am ], then [ I ] should know how a contract works. '' I explained that I DO know how a contract works, but that I'm not going to be talked to like that. I don't understand where this company is even getting {$120.00} to " settle the matter, '' from. It seems ridiculous and unfair. Not to mention that I NEVER signed a contract with commenity, but with XXXX XXXX, and only because of fraudulent tactics. I would really appreciate your support in this matter. I can try to look through my mail for some documentation if necessary. I also don't feel comfortable now having given this company my bank account number. If anyone can help me resolve the matter, I would be thrilled. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief