I have been a Providian Visa customer for years. They were a card I got for establishing credit. Now my credit is established and I had paid off any balance I had with Providian. I never paid late. Not once. I got engaged and decided to cancel my higher rate cards. When I called Providian to cancel, they convinced me to keep their card by lowering my APR to 7% through September and then keep it fixed at 14%. I decided to keep the card and cancel a different one. Little did I know what a horrible mistake I was making.
Not more than a week later my car broke down and I tried to use my Providian Visa to pay for the repairs. It declined. The next day in the mail I get a letter from Aspire Visa saying they had bought my account from Providian and cancelled it immediately. This was the first week in August. Aspire Visa had a non-functioning phone number and non-functioning website until August 18th, 2003. I filed a report with the BBB immediately, as Providian refused to even speak with me, saying I was no longer a customer. When I finally was able to call Aspire, no one was able to assist me since I had not received my new card number or first statement in the mail yet. I was instructed in a letter dated August 1, 2003 that I would receive a new account number and statement in the mail shortly.
Before receiving my first statement, an extremely rude, foreign man claiming to be from Aspire Visa called me to let me know my account was past due and that I needed to make a payment immediately. I was extremely upset, and I tried to explain to the man that I have no idea what my account number even is, or where to send a payment, since Aspire has many different PO boxes. When I asked to speak to a supervisor he refused and told me I needed to work on my listening skills. Then hung up on me. I received the first and only statement yesterday. For days people have called me at work and at home threatening me with delinquencies and claiming that my account is past due. When I call to try and straighten it out, they hand up on me. They have every phone number I ever had, and they even called my mom, one man named John (they all use fake names) even screamed at her before hanging up on her.
Last night I called their customer service number and a woman told me they weren't even a credit card company, they were just a collection agency. Then hung up on me.
It is obvious that accounts are being marked late, so Aspire is able to move APR's through the roof. Mine being at only 7% is probably killing them, I see from reading other reports that some people are charged 37%. I am fearful that this company will continue to jeapordize my credit. After researching this company, it is obvious to me that it should be illegal to be bound to this type of business without being given the choice. Whoever made this decision at Providian deserves to have the same unfortunate luck 10 fold.
Catherine
Media, Pennsylvania