Consumer complaint received 2022-11-16
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: AR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Problem getting a working replacement card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was advised that Comenity Capital Bank would be taking over my existing XXXX XXXX XXXX credit card from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX and a new card would be issued as a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Credit Card. I was advised that I could 'expect my new XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX to arrive no later than XX/XX/XXXX '. 

It was further stated that I would be unable to make payments on account on XX/XX/XXXX but payments would resume on XX/XX/XXXX... .and that by this XX/XX/XXXX my new credit card should have arrived for me to activate! Instructions were given for online account management and activation. And if there were questions to call XXXX. 

Well, XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX came and went, but it was a weekend so I watched for my card to arrive ... By XXXX of XXXX I started calling but discovered the customer service phone number is only helpful IF you have your card number or account info. Of course, without a card I could not activate or establish an account. There is an option to enter your contact info as well as SS # detail but it reported there was no account for that info! Well, duh, without receiving a card at all I was in a real Catch 22. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I composed a letter and mailed registered mail to Comenity Capital Bank, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, explaining that I need a replacement card mailed. The USPS tracking # XXXX showed the letter arriving at XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I now realize that it is no doubt still sitting in the mail box with no one bothering to pick up the letter. Tracking says XX/XX/XXXX - Moving Through Network - In Transit, Arriving Late and no further info. 

On XX/XX/XXXX an email welcomed me to Comenity and advised me to activate my card .... of course, I still had received no card to activate. 

I traveled out of town XXXX XXXX but continued to monitor the USPS as well as emails. 
I received email XX/XX/XXXX - " Please be aware that the payment due date for your new XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Credit Card ( account ending in XXXX ), is different than the date assigned by the previous bank that serviced your XXXX credit card. '' Aha, now I know my account does exist and ends with numbers XXXX!! HoOWEVER the news that my account is due on XXXX instead of XXXX was quite disturbing. Partly because I was arriving home from a family visit and would need to take care of this problem asap, before the XXXX. 

Extenuating circumstances : On arrival back from family trip, my husband had a XXXX XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and was hospitalized in XXXX XXXX XXXX from that evening until his death XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX on XXXX. 

While traveling I had my mail held but did retrieve it on Mon XX/XX/XXXX - no credit card in the mail that had arrived! 

On XXXX I received email reminding me to activate my Card!!! 

Back to extenuating circumstances : My husband entered XXXXXXXX XXXX on Sunday XXXX - I made a quick trip home to get what I needed to stay with him and found the credit card in the mailbox! 
My husband passed on XXXX so it was XX/XX/XXXX before I could go online and activate the card and actually make a payment. 

It appears my statement posted on XXXX and shows a late fee of {$29.00} on XXXX and an interest fee of {$7.00} posted on XXXX. 

Please note at the time of the late fee ( XXXX ) and the interest fee and statement closing ( XXXX ) - I HAD STILL NOT RECEIVED NOR ACTIVATED THE ACCOUNT CARD!! 

I made a full payment of the expected balance plus late fee and interest fee {$440.00} and it posted to the account on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX, imagine that! 

I have numerous complaints as to the integrity of this company and it's nonexistent customer service during this time of transition with XXXX. My request to settle this is to have Comenity remove the late fee charge AND to NOT submit this late payment to credit bureaus. 

If this is not settled as requested I will pursue disputes with credit bureaus as well as post this complaint to all known online entities for Consumer Fraud and Bad Business practices. 

XXXX I do not consider the email from the President XXXX XXXX offering POINTS as a way to apologize for the huge faux paux of this disastrous transition to be adequate in any way to cover the extreme time-consuming effort on the consumers to correct these errors. ( letter is documented in attachment )

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief