Consumer complaint received 2019-03-08
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: BBVA FINANCIAL CORPORATION (TN)

This concerns my BBVA Compass credit card ending in XXXX. 

If I do not have a deposit account with a bank, I typically pay all my credit card payment by telephone for security reasons. Due to my work schedule, I typically make these payments after business hours. Since BBVA Compass does not have an automated telephone payment system, the telephone system connects me to a payment processing employee to make the payment. 

My periodic statement ( for credit card ending in XXXX ) covering XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX stated that I had purchases of {$580.00} and a balance of {$580.00} ; a payment was due on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called BBVA Compass at XXXX and paid the full balance of {$580.00} using my checking account at XXXX XXXX. The BBVA Compass employee gave me the confirmation number XXXX. 

My periodic statement covering XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX confirmed the payment of {$580.00} made on XX/XX/XXXX and stated that my new balance for purchases made between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX was {$1100.00}. No purchases have been made with the card ending in XXXX after XX/XX/XXXX. The new balance of {$1100.00} was due on XX/XX/XXXX. No fees or interest had ever been charged on the account. I called BBVA Compass at XXXX on the evening of Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX, in order to pay the full balance on my credit card. I paid the entire account balance of {$1100.00} using my checking account at XXXX XXXX. The employee provided me a confirmation number of XXXX. 

( Due to the inconvenience in BBVA Compass telephone payment system, I destroyed the credit card in XX/XX/XXXX after paying the balance in full. ) I keep a physical log of all transactions affecting my deposit accounts and keep all credit card receipts for a period of several years. 

Around XX/XX/XXXX, an employee from BBVA Compass called me and told me that my payment was late. I explained the situation, but the employee said that no payment was processed. I gave the caller the confirmation number that I received, and she indicated that BBVA Compass had no record of that confirmation number. At first, I thought that the payment may have been applied to the wrong account. I looked at all of the transactions in my XXXX XXXX checking account and realized that the payment had never been taken from my account. I told the caller that I would not give my checking account information over the phone because I would not pay any late fee due to the error of the BBVA Compass employee on the night of XX/XX/XXXX. I said that I would write a check and put it into the mail immediately to cover the payment that had BBVA Compasss had failed to take from my account on XX/XX/XXXX. While on the phone, I adamantly requested that BBVA Compass remove the late charge off my account since it was due to their own employee error. I mailed check # XXXX for {$1100.00} on that same day. BBVA Compass processed the payment. 

Since that time, BBVA Compass has called me repeatedly and sent me collection notices. I always provide the above information over the phone and request that BBVA Compass remove the late fee. Instead of removing the late fee, BBVA charged a late fee on the late fee. I have called BBVA Compass when receiving these collection notices and have been told that it would be addressed.

Eventually, the late fee was reduced to {$23.00}, then a late fee of {$30.00} was charged on the late fee. I called and again noted that these were all inappropriate late fees and gave all the above information. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, BBVA Compass sent me a collection letter indicating that I owed {$33.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with XXXX at BBVA Compass and again explained the above. XXXX said that all of the late fees would be waived and gave me a reference number of XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the late fee was reduced by {$10.00}, but the transaction was not posted until XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the late fee was reduced by {$20.00}, but the transaction was not posted until XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, an additional late fee of {$30.00} was charged. 

BBVA Compass then sent me a periodic statement for {$53.00} with a payment due on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, BBVA Compass sent me a collection letter for {$53.00}. 

This morning ( XX/XX/XXXX ), a collection company with the telephone number XXXX called me to tell me that they were a debt collection agency representing BBVA Compass. Again, I gave all of the above information and said that I would send a complaint through the CFPB in order to have this harassment end. I asked him not to call me again, and he said that he would no longer call me.