Consumer complaint received 2017-10-15
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services
Sub-issue: Billing dispute for services

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I went to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, after I saw and ad on TV about a " 45 DAYS FREE TRIAL '' for hearing devices. I went there in good faith and I chose a model, then the technician told me that I should pay a deposit of {$400.00}, refundable if not satisfied with the product. I told him that if I liked them and buy them I would charge the devices in the same credit card I used for the deposit. ( he was not listening ). The devices would take 3 to 4 weeks to arrive and in XXXX XXXX I got them, tried them in the office and everything was fine until I went out of the office, the noises of the street the voices of the people and the noises at work were so bad, so distorted, unreal and I did not feel well, but as I was told I should try them 2 hours and then 3 and so on adding more hours as days passed. 
Well. I could not get used to them and I could not wear them for more than one hour so I stopped even trying and I went back to return them on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 
The technician, showed me another model, and being simple minded as I am, I said ok, ( I was thinking I still had couple of weeks to try again to complete the 45 free trial period ). Then I had to wait another 3 to 4 weeks for the new model to arrive. 

About 10 days after I returned the devices and while waiting for the new model, I got a bank statement from Comenity Capital Bank - XXXX, for the amount of {$7500.00} and since then I have been living a nightmare. I called and complained about the charge, why was I being charged for something I had not bought and they said that " I had ordered a new device and it was on its way and I just need to go and pick it up '' I said I did not buy anything!! I was trying them for FREE was n't I? They insisted that I had bought them and I insisted I was trying them until I could decide what to buy .... or NOT. 

Then I told them why they had opened an account without letting me know about it? I had said that if I decided to buy I would buy using the same credit card I had used for the deposit ( obviously the guy was not listening ) I disputed the {$400.00}, that was charged on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and the receipt was signed by somebody else, somebody that forged my signature. Then I disputed the {$7500.00}. Both banks gave me temporary credit, but XXXX XXXX XXXX fought back INSISTING that I had agreed to the purchase of the devices, they even had a copy, yes it was signed by me, ( simple minded me ) but I did not know it was a purchase, remember I went to a free trial? So I refused to pay and my credit report went to the ground, I appeared as " delinquent, I still do. 

These people trick consumers with a false offer of free trial, and as soon as one goes to " TRY '' they make a purchase without telling the consumer that is a sale and not a free trial. 

It took me a full year of arguing with Comenity Capital Bank-XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to get this resolved without any luck, and they also kept their position that I had bought the devices. By the way, I never went back to the office to even try the new devices that had been ordered after I returned the first ones. 
I contacted XXXX XXXX - Consumer Report and told them about this problem and they helped me in a way that miraculously XXXX XXXX XXXX admitted that I had not bought the devices and even refunded the {$7500.00} to Comenity Capital Bank - XXXX, but this last one is still giving me problems with late fees, interests and the balance is now {$760.00} with a minimum payment of {$710.00} All this had caused me a horrible credit report, my credit cards have been decreasing my credit line, I am denied credibility, my life is XXXX because of this. 
The Consumer Report from XXXX XXXX staff told me that when a charge is in dispute, I am not liable for finance charges. 

So now I am appealing to you for help before I get so much more frustrated and depressed and stressed that would lead me to commit suicide. 
Thank you so much.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief