Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cancel Credit Cards Before You Die

This is so priceless, and so, so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today. A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00 when she died, but now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank. Here is the exchange:

Family Member: 'I am calling to tell you she died back in January.'

Citibank: 'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.'

Family Member: 'Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.'

Citibank: 'Since it is two months past due, it already has been.'

Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'

Citibank: 'Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!'

Family Member: 'Do you think God will be mad at her?'

Citibank: 'Excuse me?'Family Member: 'Did you just get what I was telling you - the part about her being dead?'

Citibank: 'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor.'

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member: 'I'm calling to tell you, she died back in January with a $0 balance.'

Citibank: 'The account was never closed and late fees and charges still apply.'

Family Member: 'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'

Citibank: (Stammer) 'Are you her lawyer?'

Family Member: 'No, I'm her great nephew.' (Lawyer info was given)

Citibank: 'Could you fax us a certificate of death?'

Family Member: 'Sure.' (Fax number was given)

After they get the fax:

Citibank: 'Our system just isn't setup for death. I don't know what more I can do to help.'

Family Member: 'Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. She won't care.'

Citibank: 'Well, the late fees and charges will still apply.'

Family Member: 'Would you like her new billing address?'

Citibank: 'That might help...'

Family Member: ' Odessa Memorial Cemetery , Highway 129, Plot Number 69.'

Citibank: 'Sir, that's a cemetery!'

Family Member: 'And what do you do with dead people on your planet???'

(something similiar happened to my dad when my mom passed away. I can't remember all the details, but I know that there was no outstanding bill that needed to be paid, and yet they were trying to collect something, and I remember my dad asking the person if he could send the bill to Heaven) I guess this is too close to home to be really funny...

6 comments:

  1. That is just crazy. For real some companies.

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  2. After my husband and I were married a mysterious charge ended up on our discover card. My husband called and they said his wife approved it. He asked for the name..they said Roberta (this was his first wife who died years before). He politely asked them how she was able to approve the expense from Heaven. They quickly deleted the charges! True story that all happened in my kitchen!
    andrea

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  3. Oh my! What are they [Citibank] gonna' do since she'll be gone for....eternity? Crazy world here...God bless.

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  4. After my dad died my mom moved in with us. So we called to cancel her telephone because she was moving.

    So I told the gal on the phone that my dad had died and we were canceling the phone service. She told me that they couldn't cancel it without my dad's permission.

    I said "But he's dead, so do you want to talk to my mom for permission?"

    The gal said no, that she needed my dad's permission because he was the one who set up the account. I again said he was dead and asked if I could send her his death certificate to prove it.

    She just didn't know what to do so put somebody else on the phone. I finally said they could send the future bills to a cemetery because we weren't going to pay for a service that they wouldn't let her cancel.

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