10 comments Add a comment
Out of the blue comes a cold call from an MBNA salesman. Hello Madam would you like to earn Virgin air miles on an MBNA credit card? Now as it happens we were looking for a credit card which rewarded us with air miles. We spend quite a lot of money in the course of a year and as we fly with Virgin Upper Class to Miami and New York this seemed an ideal opportunity. What threw us off guard was that the call actually started with a discussion of our flying club account (the Virgin Air Miles scheme).
During the course of the phone call no mention was made of American Express, what was focussed on was how the card could be used for our weekly shopping and all the other purchases we make. The card was fee based (£115 per year) but that was fine, we are not averse to fee based cards so long as they come with a benefit. Fast forward a few weeks and 11 purchases into our new credit cards (wife and husband) we have found the weekly shop can't take place so as to enjoy air miles benefits and we are fed up hearing yet another retailer refusing to take American Express. So we called to cancel the card.
If you have to cancel, they will keep the £115
Bear in mind dear reader that at this point we haven't even received our first statement. So imagine our dismay when it turns out that if you have to cancel an MBNA credit card, or should that be cancel an American Express credit card, or indeed should it be cancel a Virgin credit card (so confused are we as to just exactly who's card it is now), they will keep the £115. Yes, that's right folks just over 10 per purchase just for the pleasure of being mislead on a cold call.
Surely MBNA aren't criminals hiding behind dodgy cold calling techniques we thought, so a long conversation ensued with the MBNA call centre culminating with a direct conversation with the current floor manager (can't name him obviously) who whilst claiming to be "extremely sorry I felt that way" i.e. we'd been mis-sold our MBNA credit card, was adamant MBNA were going to keep the £115 fee!
All this has left me with a very bad taste in my mouth to the point where I almost wouldn't fly Virgin Atlantic again because they sell your details to such unscrupulous companies such as MBNA. What a shame that companies can't realise customers are genuinely unhappy and not just changing their mind - though lord knows I spent long enough on the phone explaining to this person the reasons for our cancelling.
Anyway, hopefully you can avoid my angst.
By: Anonymous
Leave a comment
I remember I had a tough time trying to get a Visa Debit card for my current account many years ago when I was around 18, 19 - I'm now 26. I had one of those useless Solo cards which a lot of places were beginning to reject. My bank refused to give me a Visa Debit because of my poor credit rating. I eventually got one after explaining in detail as to why I had a poor credit rating - I have never had a loan, never had to borrow money, never owned a credit card or bought anything on credit. I always had the mindset that if you can't afford something, you don't buy it. Simple as. I've always stuck with that ethos, though waivered when buying a house yet despite my apparent poor credit rating, the same bank still gave me a mortgage 4 years ago.
Friends have said I should get a credit card to boost my credit rating but it's these sorts of stories that always put me off.
I only use a Visa debit issued by my bank. No fees, just a convenient way of not carrying too much cash.
I would never ever use them, and openly tell anyone who asks about their nasty tactics. Wish they had gone to the wall....
Even if you pay off all that is showing as your balance, the likelihood is that further interest charges will load on too. If you're not savvy enough to keep a careful eye on your account - whether telephoning the accounts department and asking for a final figure, even though you think you've already paid off your outstanding balance, or checking your account on line. WATCH OUT! We got caught this way - and ended up with a threatening letter from a DEBT COLLECTION AGENCY for an unpaid (and accruing) balance!
My attitude to Virgin and MBNA now is - I wouldn't spit on them if they were on fire!
rhondarowdy