CLOUT VISA Ripoff bad telemarketing extreme bloated APR bad billing practices Milwaukee Wisconsin New York

While in College, I was harrased one day by CLOUT's telemarketeers. I was interested in their card but, they wanted my SS# over the phone. I asked them to send me info in writing.

They persisted in asking for my SS#. I again asked to send me info. Then I hung up because they wanted my SS# to send the info.

A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was the company again, same spiel, different person. I asked for their manager... After a moment or two I was speaking with the manager. He agreed that they should send me info to insure my privacy. So, I left my Name and address with the sales rep.

A week or two later, a credit card arived at my home, instead of info about the card. This was very strange as I had not authorized a card sent to me. I put the card up. "It had low rates and a low spending range of $500."

Later that year, I authorized a family member to use the card to for some business purchases I needed. The billing started within a month. The first payment was late, but after a phone call from the company, they agreed to let us pay off the purchases by sending them money orders.

We started diligently paying money orders to the company each month. The payments were on time and the card was quickly being paid for. The final payment would have been around $30. The billings suddenly stopped.

A few months later we recieved phone calls stating that we owed well over $1000 on the card. This was a colection agency that they apparently sold our bills to. We told that company, we took care of the bills with CLOUT VISA allready.

Now another bank "Merchantile Bank" is requesting that I pay the "fees" before they report me to the credit bureau. They asked for me to settle for $1000 so that I would not be reported. They also told me that it was my responsibility to make certain I recieved billings. Huh???

I have not sent a payment since summer 04.
I'm trying to locate all of the billing records to get an idea where they went wrong. It may seem they raised thier APR to 300%... But for now, I feel overwhelmed as to taking care of it all. And would like the harrasment to end. I for one will not use a credit card again.

Thanks for your time reading this complaint.

D
North Aurora, Illinois
U.S.A.