Consumer complaint received 2018-03-21
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: FL
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:
On the XX/XX/XXXX this year ( XX/XX/2018) I noticed that the credit card I took out in XXXX of last year had been accruing interest. 

I immediately thought this must be a mistake and called the bank to clarify why I was being charged interest and made clear to them, as it was made clear to me ( initially through an online advertisement and confirmed by a US Bank agent over the phone ) before I applied for the card that I would be under a 0 % interest plan for the first year. 

I was advised to reach out by fax to their compliant department at which point I sent the following fax : -- -- -- -- -- -- - Fax number XXXX Name account number Detailed description Sign and date Name : XXXX XXXX Card number : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To whom it may concern. 



In XX/XX/XXXX of last year I applied for a XXXX XXXX XXXX card under the impression from both online advertising and a conversation with a representative of US Bank that I would be under 0 % interests rate for the first twelve months. 



I neither recorded the conversation nor did I bookmark the website where the twelve month promotion was advertised. 



Nevertheless I have since found an article online that reflected the same exact deal. ( XXXX XXXX   XXXX ) also contacted the author through email and she has again verified, as I am confident, that her article reflects truthful valid and unambiguous information when stating the 12 month 0 % interest. 



I have now three points of confirmation regarding you promotion of twelve months 0 % interest rates. Twice before I opened the card and this author again confirming after the fact. 



I would frequently check my online app to look at my charges and had not once seen an interest charge. So you can imagine it came as a shock to me when I saw an actual statement yesterday with both interest charges and fee charges. 



Please help me correct this issue as Im confident that the interest and fees being charged to my account are a mistake on your end. 



I believe that this issue can be resolved quickly, easily, and retroactively by yourselves and without me having to seek outside counsel.

Regards, XXXX XXXX -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Today it has been two months and I have yet to receive back a correspondence from them regarding this issue. 

What's most concerning is that this type of promotion is very common and every time I've had a chance to speak to US Bank 's customer service reps and supervisors they've been adamant in their opposition to help me remedy the interest accumulations ( which are now as high as {$600.00} ). Their arguments point to the fact that I have no defense since my complaint came 90 days after the opening of the account ( I'm about 30 days past when I originally noticed the mistake, and the XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX statements ahd no interest so I just didn't worry about it ) and that their promotion does not apply to me since they did not reach out to me directly, ( although this was not made clear to me in their online promotion and it explicitly explained to me over the phone by their rep that I would not be charged interest for the first 12 months ). 

I would like to reiterate they have a tape of the conversation wherein a rep assured me of the 0 % interest for 12 months but I do not. 

Here is the link not to a similar advertisement as the one I saw when I was first interested in the card. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX This whole situation feels very unscrupulous on the part of the bank, very much like a bait and switch situation. 

Please help me as this situation, it would be reassuring to know that when companies act unethically my government will serve to help as best they can. This is my last recourse. Thank you.

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