Sears MasterCard Finance charges on zero balance, and very rude customer service! Columbus Ohio

I made the mistake of opening a Sears MasterCard, when I was offered a discount on my in-store purchases if I would open the account. I paid my first bill in full with a check in the store.

When my second bill came, I tried to pay the entire amount on line. However, it turned out that Sears required a full week to "verify" my bank account before I could pay my bill on line! If my bank account was so questionable, why did they offer me a credit card in the first place? I rushed to the post office with my snail-mail payment.

The following month, I again tried to pay my entire bill on line. This time I couldn't do it, because they will only let you pay up to $1000 the first time you try to pay one line! Wait a minute -- why bother to check my bank account if they don't think I can pay more than $1000? And if I can't pay more than that on line, why do they think a physical check wouldn't bounce?! So again, I paid in full by snail mail.

The third statement I received had a zero balance, but a $17.86 finance charge! For what??!! I called customer service, and got an exceedingly rude representative, who gave me a song and dance about how they calculate finance charges in advance. HUH???!! At first, "Tiffany" said she would remove the finance charge, but then when I said I wanted to cancel the credit card, she said she couldn't do that after all, because "the system" wouldn't allow it. Yeah, right.

Of course, I have cancelled this credit card, but am still fuming. What a rip off!

Linda
Lakewood, Colorado
U.S.A.