Consumer complaint received 2022-07-19 00:00:00
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments — Problem during payment process
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
On Thursday XX/XX/XXXX I attempted to submit an online payment to XXXX for the amount of {$3000.00} ( my then current statement balance ). After a couple attempts, the system was glitchy, I was able to see the payment on their website. On Sunday, I looked at my XXXX account to see if the payment had gone through and I did not see a pending or posted payment. I then looked online and did not see the payment on my online account. It appeared to not exist and I thought that since it was 4 days after I requested the payment maybe it just cancelled out since when I made it was glitchy. I then placed another payment request for {$2800.00} ( my last statement balance ). On Monday XX/XX/XXXX I noticed that on my XXXX account I had a pending withdrawal of {$3000.00} from Comenity. I looked online on the Comenity account page and did not see that transaction or request at all. Again like that transaction did not exist, but I did see that the request for payment made on Sunday for {$2800.00} was in process on the Comenity website. I looked on my XXXX account and it had not appeared their as pending yet. 
I called Comenity and the waited on hold for 40 minutes and was disconnected. I called back and my call was answered in 30 minutes. The customer service representative told me that they have been having a lot of issues because over the last week they had transferred servers and it had not gone smoothly. The rep had told me that she was not able to see the initial payment of {$3000.00} reflected on my account. She placed me on hold for about 10 minutes and then said she was able to find it, but that since it was pending on my end that she could not do anything about it. She also said she could not do anything about the {$2800.00} because it was processing on their end. I told them that I did not have enough funds to cover both transaction and that I would need one of them cancelled. She reported that she could not do anything and I then asked to speak to a supervisor. 
I spoke to XXXX who confirmed that there was nothing they could do on their end and advised that I call my bank and place a stop payment on the payment that was processing that had not yet hit my bank. She had told me that I would be credited any fees and/or costs that I may incur from my bank from this due to it being the result of their system issues. She gave me the case # XXXX and advised that I call Comenity Customer Service tomorrow if this was not resolved and/or to inform them of any cost so I may be credited ( phone calls are recorded so it should be on record ). 
I called XXXX and was told that I could attempt to put a stop payment, but that would cost a fee of {$33.00}, but if the payment was in process it may still go through. I agreed as to try to avoid further issues with having an additional {$2800.00} deducted that I knew I could not cover. 
Today XX/XX/XXXX I looked at my bank account and I see that the {$3000.00} had posted and that the {$2800.00} was pending. I called PNC who said that they could not do anything about the pending amount until it posts, but advised that I could file a dispute for the posted amount, but that would take 7-10s. Out of desperation agreed. I don't care which payment went through I just could not afford to have them both go through as I have 3 children and other bills that would be posted this week. 
I then called Comenity again and after a 30 minute wait was able to speak to a customer service representative again. I asked to read the notes, gave her my case #, and asked her put through to a supervisor. Once connected to the supervisor I was again told that there was nothing that could be done. I asked if it was possible to refund the amount that had been posted and she said due to " regulations '' Comenity could not refund the amount that was posted and paid because their are are laws that will not allow that ( again it is all recorded ). I asked if the fee I had incurred for the stop payment would be credited and she said that since the payment was not stopped they would not credit my the stop payment fee. I reminded her that this was all due to a system issue on their end. I also reminded her that both of these payments had been extra since the minimum was taken out on XX/XX/XXXX, as I have it as reoccurring. She said that it does not matter, but that they are unable to refund me the money that I had come out of my account that even at this moment is not reflected on my online account with them as taken out or paid. She instead said she could only request a refund for the amount of {$2800.00} that had not been posted because it was a double payment. I mentioned that I am okay with paying one, but that I need the money back in my account as to cover bills and not send my finances down a downward spiral. She stated that she could not do anything else. I then asked to speak to someone else and she said that there was no one higher than her and that if she transfers me to another agent she would have to tell them to reinforce her stance as to not me under minded. At that point I hung up and now I am writing this. 
I feel so powerless and I have no idea what else I can do ... do I not have any rights as a consumer? This was an issue caused by Comenity 's server migration, on their end!

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief