Consumer complaint received 2016-02-20
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: CA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Delinquent account

Complaint:
I was sued by Discover Card ( DC ) for over {$14000.00} on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. The balance limit was {$11000.00}, and the interest rate went from zero % to 29.99 %. I did n't owe {$14000.00} nor anything near that amount. However, my husband was ill from XXXX on so I could only pay the minimum payments and when I was short on $ for his medicines ; food ; and gas ; I would occasionally pay by credit card. The interest rate kept rising and the balance was n't getting smaller. I kept telling them my situation and that I was the only XXXX working and to please reduce my rate but DC refused. I finally had to stop making payments in XXXX so that I could pay for my husband 's medical bills. 
While trying to figure out how to fight the lawsuit, I XXXX XXXX " lawsuits against Discover Card '' and found the Joint Consent Order Docket # XXXX ; FDIC XXXX & XXXX XXXX. I read how DC was supposed to automatically refund their customers for the " safety products '' without anyone contacting for reimbursement or reduce the amount from amount owed. I was never notified that there was a lawsuit against DC and I was never reimbursed for the deceitful business practices by DC. I remember calling DC every month to stop charging me for these " safety products '' but they never did. Finally, when they posted that last XXXX, it put me over the limit, then they charged me an over the limit fees! 
Early on, DC also habitually charged late fees of {$39.00} even when I was n't late. I realize that they were doing this until after about a year of helping my mother-in-law when she passed away from XXXX. I called DC many times during my lunch break to have the late fees reimbursed. The refused. Finally, they removed 1 months worth but refused to go back to the prior year. 
I asked for copies of my statements that were blocked from me by DC and asked them to go back as far as XXXX. They went back to XXXX but some of the months were missing, so I still do n't know how much more they owe me. Also, every time I filed papers in court I had to pay fees ( I did n't have a lawyer because I am a widow since XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and am on a limited income ). The judge did tell me that DC had the burden of proof to show the court that I owed {$14000.00}. The court date was scheduled for XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. A week before the court date, their attorney tried to get me to sign an agreement that I would n't sue DC and not to tell anyone about the agreement, etc. I asked if DC would improve my credit report because my credit was in the toilet but their attorney was n't very encouraging. The more I thought about it, the more upset I was getting. So I contacted their attorney and told them : " DC could n't follow a Federal Court order, why would you think that they follow an agreement signed by me? I will see you in court! '' ( I did n't sign it. ) The day before the court date, their attorney e-mailed that they were dropping all charges against me and were cancelling the court date. 
I believe they owe me for all the safety products that I did n't ask for {$550.00} - could be more since some statements were missing ; late fees ( approximately a year worth= {$460.00} ) ; over the limit fees {$110.00} which was their own fault for charging the fees in the first place ; all the court fees I paid = {$550.00} ; not to mention the toner, postage ; paper ; and for pain and suffering for this year of XXXX that I went through - I would say whatever the maximum the court allows {$2500.00} - {$5000.00}. 
They never did send me the application I signed, because if they had I am pretty sure that it did not say that " someday DC will charge you 29.99 % ''. Because if it had, I would have ran straight to the shredder! 
I never did have my way in court so that the judge could rule in my favor! They sued me for {$14000.00} but the statements did n't show the charges! DC expected me to pay them for the next 47 years minimum payments of {$300.00} which would come to {$160000.00}!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation