Merrick Bank Ruining my credit Bethpage, New York

A credit card company that I had for several years, Plains Commerce Bank, was recently acquired by Merrick Bank. I had never had a problem with any payments, credits, and or, customer service with this company. Now Merrick Bank comes along with my first payment to them due December 2010. I received a phone call from them on the 9th of December stating that I am past due and would I like to make a payment over the phone to bring my account up to date, of course I accessed my bank online and saw that the check I had sent to them was paid two days prior, on the 7th.

The CS rep stated that they had no record of a payment, so I made a copy of the front and back of check, faxed and mailed a hard copy to the "resolution" department to prove that my payment had been made. Fine, on the 18th of December I get my statement from them, and, to my surprise (right) still no payment on my account, a late charge, and my January payment is now doubled. So I call, and I am told they still see no payment being made, so I explain to them that I sent them the info that they requested to prove that they took my money.

After several days and phone calls to this company, they finally credit my account so I send my usual payment for January, minimum plus extra as I always did before, and I get another phone call saying that my payment is late, I explain AGAIN what has transpired and I was told that since I didn't make the minimum payment which included Decembers payment, that I was in default. I asked to speak to a supervisor and she was just as unhelpful and ignorant as the other CS reps that I spoke to. I proved to them that they were wrong and yet I am to blame, how is this possible.

I have bill payer through my bank, which I have never ever had a problem with any of my payees receiving a payment, ever! So after many frustrating phone calls and getting nowhere with these people I agreed to pay the double amount for February 2 bill, but they were to take the late charges off because they were wrong. A check was sent from bill payer on the 24th of January to be received by Merrick Bank by the 28th, they claim again they received no check, unbelievable!I live one state away, I get a phone call on February 3rd asking for me to make a payment online to bring my account current since I am behind, here we go again.

I called my bank, and bill payer, and they are now pursuing this situation. I have only been with this company, and not by MY choice, for only three months and I am not a happy camper at all. With other reports I have read I am so sorry that this bank has come into my life only to ruin what I have worked so hard to have, a good credit rating. I do plan to report this company to anyone I can, even the Media.