Target Target Visa Card "Customer No Service" Internet

I have had a very negative experience with the Target Visa Card.  I have been a very loyal customer of Target for many years.  A few years ago I gave in and accepted a Target Visa card when offered at checkout.  I enjoyed using the card because I received 5% off each purchase.

About 6 months ago I added my daughter to the card to help her establish some credit while in college.  She was using this card as her everyday card and did most of her shopping at Target.

I had the card set up to auto-pay from my checking account each month.  The card had a reasonable limit of $1500 which I felt was safe for my daughter to have.  In February she ran the card up over $1300 when she used it to pay for a class.  My bank account was debitted for the full amount on March 1 and I thought everything was fine.

On March 2 my daughter went to Target and tried to use the card but it declined.  I called the customer service and they told me the payment from my bank might not have posted yet and to give another day before trying to use the card.  She told me that I could go to Target and make a cash payment but that it would take 24 hours too.  I told my daughter to use cash for a few days until it cleared.

On March 14 my daughter again went to Target and attemped to use the card but it declined again.  I checked my balance online and it was only $130.  I checked my bank account and verified that the $1300 had been removed on March 1.  I called customer support and was told that the payment had still not cleared.  I asked if they could clear the account because their records showed the payment.  The said that it was against their policy to release it and that it would eventually clear.  I asked to speak with a supervisor and they got one (not in India this time from the sound of her).  She told me the same bad news and was not very nice about it.  She said it was their "policy" to keep a hold on larger payments.

This was not a credit issue by the way.  I have very good credit and my other cards get paid off in full most months.  I know credit cards don't really love that I pay them off but Target should because it keeps me coming back to their store.

Because my daughter has now been declined in front of her friends 2 times making her feel bad and making me look like some deadbeat dad, I have decided to close my account with Target and not shop there any more.  I hope they change their policies someday so I can again give them my business.

Thank you for listening to my complaint.  I will continue to honor my pledge to the customer service supervisor that I will complain, blog, and tell 100 friends about my experience.