Consumer complaint received 2021-11-05
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: MI
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
XX/XX/21 - I scheduled a full payment on my Discover credit card. I had 2 bank accounts listed. I chose the one titled " Primary '' and then a payment amount. I initially tried to pay an overage because I knew I needed to purchase some items for medical/health reasons. The system would not allow the amount of overage I entered, defaulted to {$0.00} and gave an alternate acceptable overage amount. I entered that amount and submitted the payment. Up until this point of over 2 1/2 years with this account, I have never had issues with Discover online payment method.

Later that evening, when reviewing emails, Discover confirmation email showed that the payment was coming from the wrong bank account. This particular bank account is not my primary, is usually used for internet purchases when I use the bank debit card. For safety reasons, it is kept at a nominal balance. 
I called Discover and spoke with XXXX or XXXX ( it was an " XXXX '' name ) and explained the situation. She said there was nothing Discover could do to change the bank information but she could take a payment over the phone- which I did. She also advised she would put a reminder on the account for estimated 2 weeks to monitor if there was any NSF charges applied and remove them.

After hanging up with her I went into the Discover app and deleted the secondary account. Before it was accepted a warning popped up stating that if the bank account was removed, any pending payments would also be deleted. Great this would alleviate payment coming from the wrong account and the phone payment would be applied correctly. 

XX/XX/21 - I logged into the secondary bank account and it was a negative balance because Discover hadn't deleted the pending payment per the pop-up warning and the email confirmation warning. As a side note, the payment should not have been in a pending status with the secondary bank because I have the supposed safe guards on it if funds are not available then it is to be declined. 

I called the bank and spoke with the manager and explained the error. He advised Discover would attempt to submit it again and put a stop-pay on the transaction. 

I then logged into the primary account and Discover had NOT submitted a payment request ( this was the phone payment with XXXX ) , not even pending. 

I logged into Discover and it was at credit balance but I could find no payment footstep for the phone payment. I have the email from Discover on XX/XX/21 for the phone payment but the rep dated XX/XX/21 - not XX/XX/21 per the recorded phone call. So I had to call Discover again, and again I was told the phone payment was pending. I still couldn't figure out how this error happened and played around in the app. It is a Discover system error. When I tried to pay the original amount, the system defaulted to {$.00} with a suggested amount and changed the chosen bank account without notice to me. 

XXXX Secondary bank account was back to normal and still no ACH withdrawl/pending from primary bank. 

XX/XX/21 - Still no payment applied so again I had to call Discover. I asked to speak with a manager and transferred to XXXX. During this conversation, I was told the system had cancelled the XX/XX/21 phone payment had been cancelled on XXXX or XX/XX/21 because there was already a payment. XXXX gave completely wrong information and the rep on XX/XX/21 gave completely wrong information. On top of this, XXXX informs me that my account has been referred to security or something for review and I will have to speak with them. 

She transferred me to XXXX. It was a cold transfer and so I had to explain everything all over again. His comment was to blame me because it listed the last 4 digits of bank account. 1. I don't know my bank account numbers because I don't go around citing the numbers. I know my bank accounts by name and were labeled as XXXX and XXXX. XXXX this was a Discover system error by not letting the consumer know it changed the chosen bank account. 

When I again advised him that I had deleted the bank account and any pending payments would also be deleted ( per pop-up message, deleted bank account confirmation email and even Discover 's website policy ) he said that was a threshhold or something. This is misleading and ambiguous information. 

He said the only way to make a payment was for me to schedule it with my bank. I was not open to this because I have never done this and didn't feel I should have to be charged a fee for wanting to pay my stinking bill and hung up. 

Later I called my credit union and asked if there was a fee and how to do it. There is no fee so I submitted a bill pay. That payment went out to Discover on XX/XX/21 XXXX EST and the funds are gone from my credit union. 

XX/XX/21 - I received an email from Discover demanding that I give them access to my tax returns or else they will close my account. Then I get an email that I need to pay {$150.00} because my account has been over the credit lime for 3 months. 

I have been late on one payment, XX/XX/21 and I called and let Discover know that I was waiting for a check and then would make my payment. I was 10 days late and then paid the full amount owed! Now I am being treated like a criminal due to Discover system error and untrained customer service. 

I will not be releasing my tax returns to XXXX & Discover- this is a invasion of privacy and XXXX alone has so many security breaches that I have multiple credit monitoring class action settlement services and recently another cash payout for another class action settlement.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation