First Consumer National Bank - Card Processing Center ripoff - phony late charges and spiked rates Old Bethpage New York

I have read an eye popping number of complaints against this mysterious company which now calls itself "The Crd Processing Center." Two of my old credit accounts (which I closed when they tried to spike me to almost 30%), Providian and Newport News, are now handled by them.

One time they misapplied a payment to the wrong account, charged me late fees, financ charges and spiked my itnerest rate. It took about 3 months to get it straightened out.

It is hard to get a human being on the phone at 516 576 8706 but I found a trick that works so I wanted to pass it along. When you get your choices, press the one that says you are ready to make a telephone payment. (For THAT they'll put humans on the phones!) Then when a human picks up the line, explain the situation.

Last time I actually got a girl to give me their fax number so I could fax over a protest. It seems they take an inordinately long time processing payments so you end up getting charged a late fee even when you are not late. I fight tooth and nail over the late fees. I will NOT pay a late fee if I have not paid late! and they are obscene anyhow---$35.00! Also, I will not allow them to spike my rate since the account has been closed since 2002! If you are interested in faxing a letter the fax number is 516 576 0422. This is faster than using the mail.

Basically I think the "Card Procssing Center" is just a company that bought up a lot of bank credit accounts that the banks themselves no longer wanted to handle. In the case of Providian, they were being sued all over the place and I think they sold off their accounts just to get out from under.

Joanne
Skokie, Illinois
U.S.A.