Consumer complaint received 2020-02-12
Company: ARVEST BANK GROUP, INC.
State: OK
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
XX/XX/2020 my local bank staff told me about a " promotional '' credit card of zero interest for 12 months. I asked why was that not advertised I would have signed up long time ago instead of using a card with high interest. She said they do not advertise it. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 
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So I apply and am approved for said " interest free for 12 months '' credit card. Was also told balance transfers can be done with said card free of charge or interest. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
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So when I finally get the credit card in the mail, it comes with a piece of paper with terms and says absolutely nothing about any promotion or interest free for 12 months. 
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I call the card issuer Security Bankcard Center and they told me they had sent the card to the wrong address originally it was sent back so they sent out a duplicate. They told me on the back side of the paper that had the card attached to it should be the promotion terms. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ On the back side of that paper was zilch nothing just blank paper. She then tells me after putting me on hold the reason it is blank is because it was a duplicate card sent out it is blank on the other side. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... 
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SO then I ask her to send me the copy of the terms and promotion as I want it in writing. She asked me repeatedly to activate the card and or emanate a transfer or act like one is going to begin so they can print something up for me. She tried various ways to get me to activate the card, I believe because by activating it it would have immediately effected the terms they actually sent me in the mail contrary to what was presented when I signed up at the bank. YES consumers beware when you activate a card you accept the terms. SO if the terms are not what was presented at time applying do NOT ACTIVATE IT! 
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What is in writing can be used against me and unless I have the promotion terms in writing their transfers fees and interest I will be stuck with and have to fight them in court if I had activated the card. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 
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It is suspicious because the staff at the bank said they do not advertise the interest free card at all. Then to say the terms are not on the back side of the paper because they mistakenly sent a card to my address that was sent back and duplicates do not have the terms is just shenanigans. Seems like it is not advertised because when people get tricked into terms they did not sign up for and actually read the paper they do get prior to using the card, they would have evidence of the promotion papers. SO nothing in writing for promised terms makes it harder to fight in court. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 
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Then I was told she could not email me or find any way to get me the terms in writing. 
I called the bank and the person who offered me the card at interest free for 12 months said she will make a call and figure out a way to get me a copy of the terms. She did not call me back. Thus this complaint. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... 
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I suffered slightly lowered credit because I had my credit hit to apply for this card. Consumers need to be very aware of ANY bank or credit card issuer that behaves in this way. ORAL contracts are often not winners over what is in writing. SO saying a person gets promotional terms then sending them something after their credit score is hit is just downright shady and should be treated as illegal. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 
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I was also charged a XXXX dollars by the same bank where I applied for the card while applying for a loan and was not told until AFTER I applied for the loan there is a XXXX dollar loan application fee. THAT also should be stopped. ANY fees for any kind of loan should be in writing and presented up front prior to any service provided and credit score run for such service. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... 
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Fair resolution? AN APOLOGY for not letting a consumer know about a loan fee until after applying for one and the 12 month interest free promotion and no balance transfer fees should be given. I did record every phone call about the matter also so no one can say anything but the truth. This is not an integral way for any lender, bank or credit card service to do business. People should be protected from sketchy activities such as this.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation