Consumer complaint received 2025-05-13 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Charged too much interest
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
This letter supplements and escalates my original CFPB complaint against Discover Bank, XXXX XXXXXXXX. In her response to that complaint, a Discover representative named XXXX, from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, provided me with a phone number she claimed would connect me to a department called the " Department of Customer Assistance and Recovery. '' In reality, the number she gave connects only to Discover 's general customer service line. The department she cited has been confirmed by multiple other Discover representatives and supervisorsincluding those in hardship, settlements, and customer advocacynot to exist. Even Discover 's own automated directory system does not recognize it. 

XXXX is the only Discover employee who claimed this department exists and further asserted it goes by " multiple different names. '' Her misdirection prompted a circuitous and obstructive series of transfers between departments, none of which could confirm the existence of such a department or help me resolve my account. 

Eventually, another account XXXX apologized for the confusion and acknowledged I XXXX had given me " the runaround. '' She attempted to redirect me to the Hardship Department. Though I was not technically in hardship because of my on-time payments, they were courteous and tried to assist. A supervisor subsequently filed an internal complaint against XXXX and transferred me to someone who reiterated my ineligibility for settlementwithout explanation. 

When I pressed for eligibility criteria, I was told none could be disclosed, as determinations are " computer generated '' on a " case-by-case basis. '' I explained that I was a long-standing customer who had paid down thousands in extra principal and interest payments at personal cost, including foregoing health insurance to stay current. I expressed interest in settling the account due to a one-time payment opportunity. 

I was told I did not qualify. When I asked what my options were, the representative from the Settlements department stated he couldnt advise me. I asked directly whether Discovers official response to my situation was essentially, " The computer says no, '' and in the meantime I could either continue paying indefinitely until I had to file bankruptcy or default. He equivocated, and I clarified that I would proceed with treating that as Discovers official position, vis-a-vis him. I expressed regret that he worked for what had proven itself to be a consumer-hostile institution. 

I also demanded a written denial outlining the reason for ineligibility. He claimed Discover can not send such letters. I responded that I had already received XXXX letters from XXXX stating I was ineligibleletters that, according to him, should not exist. He denied any record of them in Discovers system, though the supervisors and department reps I spoke with prior to him confirmed their presence in my file. 

The pattern is clear : Discovers customer service structure appears designed to deflect, obscure, and deny while avoiding accountability. The eligibility process for settlement is unverifiable, non-escalatable, and immune to scrutiny. No representativeincluding those in the so-called settlement departmentcan explain why some customers are denied, and no appeals process exists. 

This raises not only consumer fairness issues but also a structural conflict of interest : the very representative who mishandled my complaint and was subject to internal action was apparently also the one responsible for responding to my original CFPB complaint. This undermines the credibility of Discover 's response to your office and calls into question whether any internal accountability exists. 

Requested Action : I respectfully request that the CFPB : Investigate Discovers internal handling of settlement eligibility, customer redirection, and the use of non-existent departments in complaint responses. 

Review whether complaint responses routed through implicated staff ( such as XXXX ) violate procedural integrity. 

Require Discover to produce clear documentation of its settlement eligibility guidelines and formalize a transparent, reviewable appeal process. 

Examine whether Discovers practices amount to deceptive obstruction or systemic procedural abuse under CFPB enforcement authority. 

Request that someone from Discover other than those named in this complaint review its contents. 

I am prepared to provide call logs, internal correspondence summaries, and other supporting documentation. Thank you for your time and serious consideration.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief