Consumer complaint received 2024-02-03 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Personal information incorrect
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
on XX/XX/XXXX, I called the company because I had not been able to log on to the account to make a payment. I had wound up making a payment as a guest, without being able to see any of my information or pay off amounts, terms of my agreement, or anything else. DESPITE having the physical card in my possession, having the full account number, providing my name, date of birth, confirming my correct phone number, and address on file. 

This had happened to me previously, back in XX/XX/XXXX, when I had made another purchase on the account ( the first one when I initially opened it ), and thought it was odd that I hadn't received any bill, or been notified of a payment being due, because XX/XX/XXXX would have been just about a month or so after I opened the account and made the purchase. 

I went round and round with the frustrating automated system that help kept telling me that, even though I was entering the correct information, I could not get access to my account, because it said either my email address or phone number did not match what I used when I open the account. 

I tried every email I could think of in combination with every phone number I could think of. Whatever information they have is incorrect, as I used the exact same information that I used when I enrolled. I work odd hours, so when I called, it was outside their normal operating hours, and being that I was frustrated after already dealing with the automated system, to no avail, I wound up just paying the bill as a guest, without being able to see any of the terms and conditions or payment schedules, interest rate, payment due date, days I was late, or any other pertinent information any consumer would need to know, or would like to know, in order to keep an account in good standing, when making a payment on an account they had just opened. 

And, since I couldn't see any of that information, I decided to not use the monthly installments option I had originally opened this account with the intent of using, because I was concerned I couldn't see any of the terms and conditions, so I just paid the balance in full. 

Fast forward to today, XX/XX/XXXX, I had used the card for a purchase for a XXXXXXXX XXXX forgetting of the issues that had already experienced with it, only remembering that I had paid the balance off in full so I knew the card was empty. 

I had purchased a new laptop for my significant other, and, again, never received any bill in the mail, no emails in my inbox, in any of my inboxes for that matter, and the auto pay that I believed I had set up with this account, had apparently not been taken out of my account. So, it went delinquent. Again, I received no notification, no email, nothing by regular mail, and no telephone calls. 

because I now stay up to date on my credit info, after some really unfortunate things happened about 10 years ago, I check my credit report today, and see that I have a reported missed payment from the purchase I made in XXXX. this negatively affected my score over XXXX XXXX Which is completely unacceptable. 

I immediately found out which account had reported it, saw it was this one ( the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX' store charge card with Commenity Bank ), and thought I'm going to solve this problem, once and for all ''. 

I went through the same frustrating process of trying to update my information myself, and see my account online, only to be told by the automated system that my information doesn't match, which it says only my email or phone number doesn't match, even though I was providing the complete credit card number, the last four digits of my social security number, my birthday, my name, my address, and any other information they would have asked for, with 100 % accuracy. 

They still would not allow me into my account, because of my email address or phone number not matching the account on file, and denied any address except paying as a guest. 

I have no other phone number, and I tried to use both my personal email addresses, and even checked my work email just to be sure ( which I NEVER use for anything except strictly work stuff ), and kept being locked out of my account. 

Finally, because I happen to be attempting to do this on a day where I wasn't working during normal business hours, I decided to call customer service and figure out what was going on. 

I got to representative on the phone, who asked me to confirm all of my information yet again, complete with last four my social security number, my name, etc ... and keep in mind this is after I already confirmed my identity with the automated system. 

I explain the problem to him, and in confirming my information, he says that the email address does not match with their file. I explain my problem, that I had them report to a credit reporting agency a negative delinquency on my account, which had wreaked havoc on my credit, because I hadn't been able to get in and manage my account properly. he said he would update the email address to a new one. I said to hold on, and that I needed to know what the incorrect email address he had was, because I couldn't believe that they would have had an incorrect email on file, because how could they have, if I was able to successfully create an account when I opened it. 

He said he could not give that information to me. I thought he was joking, because in my understanding of the credit laws in this country, I have the right to know what incorrect information they've been reporting to the credit bureaus, which includes contact info. Which I told him I believe to be the case. 

he said hold on let me talk to my supervisor and put me on a brief hold. he came back and reiterated that his supervisor told him they can not release my email address to me. I told him that was the craziest thing I've ever heard in my life, because not only is it illegal for them to withhold that information from me according to the FCRA, that's the kind of info that I would need in order to determine if there was somebody trying to get into my account or not. And if it's someone I knew, knowing the email address would help me identify that individual and put a stop to it. he persisted that he would not provide my email address to me but he could update it for me. I told him that does me no good if someone is trying to steal my identity so again I repeated that I needed that information. he still refused. instead of arguing I told him I would see him in court and hung up the phone, still without access to my account online, still without receiving a bill in the mail, still without receiving any emails, all because the reps at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  refuse to provide me my own email address listed on my account. 

How is this right, or fair? I refuse to believe the validity or legality of a situation that's out of my control in which they report something to a credit bureau, which destroys my credit, and makes me ineligible to receive a loan I desperately need, causing me irreparable harm, all because of a missed {$27.00} payment that I wasn't made aware of, that I had no access to see, and was refused that access, even after confirming my identity in a fashion that would be sufficient for everything and anything in the world... 
except for perhaps getting one of those new RealID driver 's licenses. 

Not for nothin ', but, I tried to fix and resolve the issue, and to get myself access to my own account, multiple times, but because I won't allow them to cover their tracks of never notifying me of having a payment due by deleting whatever incorrect info they have and, instead, requesting what the info is, so I can at least try to get my credit report fixed, they are refusing access to do the things i need to do to protect myself and make sure my debts are paid. THAT IS INSANE. 

Penalizing me seems so wrong, as someone who was refused access to the information that would allow me to correct the issue, or have it corrected so I could access the account, because if I had them update my email, it would replace that incorrect information with my current information, rendering it out of their system, which then I wouldn't be able to see, thereby leaving me with absolutely no ability to see what it was which would allow me to protect myself, my family, and our financial future. 

This is lunacy. 

So, once again, I have to make a payment as a guest, without knowing any of my terms and conditions, and just hope no one is trying to steal my info, which has already happened to me several times before, as I've not the ability to pay the balance in full, like I did last time. 

Please help me. I don't know where else to turn, to and everyone who hears my problem doesn't seem to understand why it's such a big deal to know what the incorrect info they had was. 

Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief