HSBC Card Services Charging money for declined services City Of Industry California

I was sent a Household Bank solicitation letter in 2000. I filled in the box with my name and employer as means of application. I checked box that declined payment protection plan.

Household Bank granted $500 card. The first time I made an online payment, I never received a complete statement that showed charges and payments again.

In 2005, I pulled my credit report and found that Household Bank had sent me to collections. Household never informed me that they intended to and then later did, send me to collections. When I spoke to a customer service rep on the phone, they assured me my account was in good standing.

I made several verbal and written requests for a statement that reflected payments I had made and what my current balance was. I never received any information.

I reported Household to the Federal Trade Commission, but the FTC contacted me and stated that they could not deal with original creditors, only 3rd party creditors.

My only option was to sue Household but as a schoolteacher, I don't have the time or money for that.

Seven years after account was opened, I received notice of a lawsuit filed against me by someone who had purchased the account. At the same time, I received another notification from an additional company who had also purchased this account.

Not until I hired an attorney and demanded discovery did Household finally provided some, but not all, of the statements I had requested but never received. Included in them were charges for Payment Protection Plan which I had declined at the inception of the account. These charges brought my account overbalance and I was charged an over the limit fee and interest on the unauthorized charges.

I have made requests to settle and Household has advised its 3rd party collector to reject them. Household is demanding 9 times the original $500 balance due to attorneys fees, unauthorized protection plan and interest on those fees.

Liz b.
Castro Valley, California
U.S.A.