Here's fair:
So, when we got back from Japan, we decided to become upstanding members of society. I was not so good with my life before I went to KPI and got my Cognitive Therepied, and then went off to be a reponsible Teacher in Japan. It's amazing what that has done with my life. Upon our return, we decided to correct our previous errors.
When we came back, I got my credit report (What a mess) and we decided to try to fix it.
We discovered a big problem from US Bank in Colorado. So, on on of our trips to Colorado, we went into the bank and asked them about it.
They had no record of me, or of my account, or any issue therein.
I couldn't remember anything about it, really... I knew it had something to do with my overdraft protection, but it's been four years and two lifestyles ago, I can't even remember my address.
So we decide it's on the "Challenge" list. We will challenge it and they will remove it some day.
Nope.
They served me papers!
I ASKED them, I WANTED to fix the problem, and they wouldn't help me. Now they want to take me to court!
The worst part is that I have two choices: Settle out of court and pay $1,150 RIGHT NOW (No exceptions, no grace period) or go to court, (I'd have to plead guilty, after all, I have proof that I WENT TO TRY TO SOLVE this in JUNE), then I'd owe $2500 (Court fees and the like) And that, too, would be RIGHT NOW...
What happened is: They sent the thing off to collections, the collections group couldn't find me (I was in Japan), but, of course, there is no communication between US BANK and their collections agency, so when we came in to try to fix it like civilized people, they couldn't find me... so they turned me away... Then the collection agency finally found me! And what did they do?
They simply serve me papers!
What in the hell do these people think they are doing?!?
Do I have $1,150? Yeah, we do... It means we don't do anything for Christmas, though. We ARE preparing for a baby...
So, thank you US Bank, you just took away Christmas for us. Good Job! Our first Christmas back in the States in three years.
(this is not a plea for donations, this is a "Screwed up Justice" thing. Sure, we owed the money, but if they hadn't turned us away in June, it would have been paid off by now in small, easy to manage, payments... instead of completely depleating all of our resources right at Christmas...)
This is why (Republicans out there) Capitalism doesn't work so well: They don't care about me, it's not important. There is no check or balance to stop them from ruining me, my family, whatever. Because they have millions of other families out there that they can get money from. There is no reprucussion from behving badly.
This is why the Deomcrats say government needs to interveine. Is that the right answer? I don't know... probably not. But saying "Let the market handle itself" means that even when you want to do the right thing, you will get screwed. And nothing you can do or say will fix this. US BANK doesn't need to worry about making me mad... I don't even live in Colorado. I'm not a potential customer.
All I can do is vent here...
Thanks for letting me vent :D
---(Unhappy, Broke) Me.
Labels: US Bank
posted by Aabh @ 1:01 AM
5 Comments:
Do you remember Shane's Uncle and his business. When it comes to collections, NOW is usually negotiable. They will like settle for half now and half in payments. It's worth a try.
oh... a Merry Christmas. It's the people you're with, not what you get them. :)
~J
There really wasn't a negotiation. I'm serious, I was talking to a Lawyer, not a collections agency... there was no negotiation, it was now, now or court.
And I wish we were with you as well. :D We are trying to go to a "No getting people things" Christmas. :)
I'm going to try a different approach, one that could potentially get me yelled at.
You screwed up. You tried to make it better. Now you are forced to make it better.
At least you do have the money to pay it off. And once it is paid off, it's over and done with. You start with a clean slate.
Yeah, it sucks. Yes, the timing is awful. Yes, it could have been solved more pleasantly for all involved.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda...
Pay it off. Have a lovely Christmas with wife and child-to-be, and look forward to a debt-free New Year! :-)
-- Mal.
It'll only get you yelled at because it sounds like a "Quit Whining". ;) I'm only nervous because I'm paying so much money for the baby right now, we just don't have the room for some company to make a stupid error. How many other "stupid Errors" are waiting out there for me? I have the money this time, what happens when I don't?
I would suggest that most people are well aware of the expensive mistakes that they make. If you go on the assumptions that mistakes need to be corrected, the resulting thought is that most people should be aware of expensive mistakes that will require correction.
It's a good question though... What will happen if you one day do not have the money to correct that mistake. I guess you do what most of us would do, you make it happen somehow. Sell stuff, take a second job, get a loan... Just because some options are not appealing, doesn't mean that they are not options.
-- Mal.
Post a Comment
<< Home