Consumer complaint received 2025-10-02 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
In XXXX I lost my job due to the covid shutdown, later that year, my mother suffered a XXXX  XXXX and was hospitalized. I had to move her out of her home and to a XXXX facility and have been her main caregiver since. A year later, I was diagnosed with XXXX XXXX and underwent treatment for XXXX months. During this time I was unable to work steadily and depleted my savings, leaving me in severe financial hardship. I finally got a full time job in XXXX of this year, but it didn't start until XX/XX/XXXX and I didn't receive a paycheck for four weeks after my start date. 
As a result of all of the above, I fell behind on payments for my two Discover credit card accounts ( ending in XXXX and XXXX the form here only allowed me to enter one account number but there are 2 accounts. I was considering a consolidation or debt relief program, but on XX/XX/XXXX, I called Discover 's Hardship Department to first discuss my options for getting my accounts current and protecting my credit. I was on the line with a very kind rep for an hour and a half as she explained the XXXX XXXX XXXX  to me. 
She explicitly told me to skip my XXXX payments, 'do n't stress ' I think was her statement. She told me that after completing these three payments in three months, the program would push both my accounts current, which would get my credit 'back on track '. This was welcome news and incredibly important to me because I have to move by the end of this year and I need my credit in the best shape possible in order to obtain a new lease. I agreed to sign up for the XXXX XXXX XXXX  on both my Discover accounts and made dates for the payments to be automatically withdrawn from my account.

When I learned I wouldn't get paid for 4 weeks after beginning my new job, I immediately called Discover 's hardship department on XX/XX/XXXX to see if I would be kicked off the XXXX XXXX XXXX  if I made the two XXXX payments late. I spoke to a rep who said I " should '' be alright, but she didn't seem sure soI asked to speak to a supervisor to get clarification. I was connected to her supervisor who was very nice. He informed me Discover would work with me on the timing of the payments but the account ending in XXXX was scheduled to be closed if I didn't make the XX/XX/XXXX payment. 
I told him I didn't want the account closed since I needed my credit to be in the best shape possible in XXXX to qualify for a new lease, and I didn't want my credit impacted by an account closure. He assured my if I made that payment the account would remain open and both accounts would be pushed current in XXXX after completing the XXXX XXXX XXXX. So I borrowed the money and made the payment to keep the XXXX account open and made the other payment as soon as I was paid. 
Since I got conflicting stories, I called again on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX to make sure I was still on the program and I had made the necessary payments. On the XX/XX/XXXX call, the rep informed me the XXXX account had been closed, even though I was assured it wouldn't be by the supervisor on my XX/XX/XXXX call. She told me it had been closed because I hadn't made a purchase for a year and I should call the dept that closed in on Monday when they opened and explain I'd been on the XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
I called that dept on XX/XX/XXXX and the rep told me the closure had nothing to do with the XXXX XXXX XXXX, it was a routine review, it was permanent and there was nothing I could do. I asked him how it was possible these two Discover departments didn't communicate with each other? Why had I gone through all this stress and spent hours on the phone with Discover reps just to hear too bad, sorry, nothing we can do? He said that was how it was. I asked to speak to his supervisor. He refused to connect me to a supervisor and actually hung up on me - Im terminating the call now. I called the hardship dept back and the rep told me sorry, that's how it works. I asked to speak to her supervisor and she did everything she could to not connect me. I finally got through to a supervisor, XXXX XXXX, and she too told me sorry, that's how it goes there is nothing they could do for me. 
I told her this is unacceptable. My credit rating has already dropped and I have real world consequences from this. I've been stressed, I did everything I was told to do by Discover 's multiple reps and supervisors and I made all the payments I was told to make. I made it clear the entire time that I wanted to keep the accounts open and pay them down now that I'm working full time again. At no time was I informed by any rep that the accounts would be closed anyway. If I had been made aware of that I would have chosen to pursue another option. 
I completed the program exactly as instructed but instead of helping my credit as was promised by Discover, my credit is now severely damaged and my credit score has dropped because my total available credit dropped significantly. I have two accounts now closed by the creditor and my credit utilization ratio increased dramatically. I feel misled and lied to by Discover. 
After asking repeatedly for an internal review and refusing I finally got XXXX XXXX to submit an internal complaint and review the recorded calls from when I was enrolled in the program. However, she told me it wouldnt change anything, the closures are 'permanent ' and they dont change credit reporting. 
Had I known skipping XXXX payments as instructed and late payments while on this program could result in my accounts being closed, I would have pursued debt consolidation or other alternatives instead. The program name XXXX XXXX ' and the verbal representations made by FIVE different Discover representatives led me to reasonably believe this would HELP my credit situation, not destroy it. I believe Discover engaged in deceptive practices by marketing a program that promises to help customers get 'back on track ' and closing accounts after customers complete the program in good faith. 
What I want : Discover to reopen both of my credit card accounts OR provide compensation for the credit damage I've suffered AND change how the account closures are reported to credit bureaus ( 'closed by consumer ' rather than 'closed by creditor ' ) An explanation of why I was not reasonably made to understand this potential outcome by any of the multiple representatives I spoke with so I could have pursued other options A retraining of all involved departments to make sure this doesnt happen to any other customers I have documentation that I completed the program as required. Discover has call recordings that will confirm I had no reasonable way to understand there was potential these accounts would be closed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation