Consumer complaint received 2019-01-18
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: KY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I carried the same credit card for nearly 30 years although the bank has changed names a few times. I had a payment of {$2800.00} due on XX/XX/XXXX ( I do not carry a balance on the card ) and I inadvertently forgot to pay my bill prior to this due date. I was unaware that I had missed this payment as I did not get an email notification. I received a call from collections during dinner on or about XX/XX/XXXX. I was perturbed that I was called at dinner and that the approximately {$100.00} fee would not be waived. I told the collections individual that I would pay it that day online. Unfortunately for me, in my agitated state, and according to US Bank I must have also said something to the effect of dont call me again. If I did end this call with with such a statement it was with the intended message of " do not bother me now as I will promptly pay this and you do not need to bug me. '' After trying to use the card the next few days, I thought the payment had not gone through. Little did I know that my uttered trigger words of " don't bother me '' ( I'm unsure of exact wording ) that invoke Permanent Restraint, Cease and Desist and Close the Account. US Bank apparently has a policy to close any account, and confiscate all monies owed in earned rewards. 

If US Bank does not want me as a customer, that is fine, but I did not chose to terminate this account. I have earned XXXX rewards points. These points have a Cash value of {$1900.00}. I have made numerous calls ( between late XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ) to Customer Care, Rewards Center, Collections, and Account Maintenance to try to redeem these points. I have been told to send a letter requesting US Bank to remove the Cease and Desist and they received this letter. I was also advised that my only other course of action was to fax a letter explaining the situation and I did that. US Bank called me on XX/XX/XXXX and left a message. I called back on XX/XX/XXXX ( the next business day ) and was told by Solutions that there wasn't anything else they can do. It is their policy to close all accounts of anyone who says anything to the effect of " don't call me ''. Each department gave me the runaround. Account Maintenance told me the account would stay closed. Every other department told me that if the account is closed, there is nothing they can do, but I was told that there are situations that an accounts can be closed and points accessed such as in the case of a death. 

Over the course of numerous phone calls ( 20? ) I was hung up on twice, told I could not speak to a manager, and was told multiple times that I could not hear the initial recorded phone call, even though they listened to it while I was on the line. 

I wholly believe the dollar value of these points are owed to me. They were earned and it says earned on the statement. I specifically continued to use this card, eschewing other cards with similar benefits because I was earning these benefits. I was completely unaware that there are trigger words that, in essence, steal nearly {$2000.00} from me due to a US Bank arbitrary rule. 

To date, while some in the company were empathetic with my plight, there was not anyone who could help after at least a dozen calls and 2 letters over the course of a month.

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 non-monetary relief