This seems to be a bank that has a hard time getting things right and an even harder time responding to its customers' needs. It has no trouble jacking its interest rates and fees skyhigh though.
Reading all of this might make you wonder just what kind of bank DMB is anyway. Well, it's one of a handful of "credit card banks" -- so-called banks whose primary business is issuing credit cards. A recent class action suit casts a little light on this odd breed.
Here are a few of the more recent complaints:
Arthur of Bay-Point CA (06/20/08) I ordered my Equifax report to see who i owe. My wife and i want to finally get all people paid off to have a clean credit report and to start again with jist one small credit card. When i got my report there was one item from hOusehold Card Service that used to be Direct Merchant. It says we opened a credit card with them for 7,500 in 2002 and with interest is now 17,000! My wife and i have not had a credit card for 10 years now. I did all the proper investagating, and did what i was told. I called the police and they came to my home to do a police report. I received paperwork in the mail from Greater California Financial, and filled out what i was suppose to I had the paperwork noterized,and mailed in a copy of my drivers licence.
A few days ago i received a letter from them saying that the item will be removed from the credit report and that in 60 days to get another report to make sure it was removed. I don't know how, or who tried to get over on me but because of this my wife and i have been denied a simple 500.00 capitol one card for a long time. I fell relieved it will be removed but i feel we were going to be ripped off if i didne;t take the right action!
George of Seattle, WA June 17, 2008
George of Seattle WA (06/17/08) Applied and received this card with what I thought was a low interest rate several years ago. [something like 12.99%] Used the card awhile and then began to notice my interest rates had gone to what I believe was 14.99% [No reason I can see why this was raised.] Earlier this year I noticed a change of terms for my HSBC card.[Did not know I had one!]In very small print they said my, APR, and several changes were being made to my card, which they would NOT even identify on notice or mailing envelope. I was not suppose to know what card it was evidently.
After finding out online that Direct Merchants is now owned by HSBC and noticing once again my interest rates jumped to, 19.99%. I decided I had enough of this deceptive, outrageous, abuse in finance charges etc. I wrote out a check to pay down a 3400.00 balance to within 300 with a 3200.00 check that was not posted until nearly two weeks later. [This address PO Box is no more than 3-4 day trip at most!] I called to complain about new finance charges, and given the run around!
I then proceeded to, pay the balance off that was quoted to me by the representative on the phone. In broken English I am told that they can do nothing about the charges and then put through their idiot auto system. Glad its finally over, I am shocked to find out on next billing, that I am being charged 14 finance charge on what is suppose to be a 0 balance! Their representative gave me the balance and I paid it. A phone call took me to Bernie [from India?] who could or would not waive the charge on a balance I did NOT have! A short discussion with his supervisor [Mr. Rowland] resulted in more nonsense and a comment that what they are doing is legal. When I disagreed, I was rudely hung up on.
I am sure there are some good banks out there, but I will forever be skeptical! Loss of time, sleep,and trust. [much stress] A financial hardship since I am retired and on fixed income!
Martinez of Savannah, GA May 22, 2008
Martinez of Savannah GA (05/22/08) I did not order a master card. I did not received a master card. My wallet was stolen and reported around 2005. Since then. my identity has been use by someone unknown to me. When I checked my credit report, your company was listed. Since then I have tried to talk to someone who can correct this problem. I am prepared to have my signature examined and can testify under oath that I did not order this card nor charge on it. I was told by your representative that this was done over the phone and no signature was needed.
I looked over the judgement against me in State Court and on that document their is no signature. Presently my account is frozen by your attorney. I want this corrected immediately or I will proceed with legal representation at your expense. Please prove to me how your company can give a card to a person over the telephone (as I was told) without proper ID and subsequent Signature. Note: In our retail business, we do accept charge cards (walk ins & phone orders)and the burden of proof that the client is who they say they are lies on us as retailers. If laws have change please inform me.
With a hold on my bank account, this has place a hardship on my family and diffulty in caring for my ill mother in law.
Glinda of Commerce, GA May 6, 2008
Glinda of Commerce GA (05/06/08) I used a credit card frim these people to security a dish network account several years ago for my daughter and I was paying the account it was a gift. We were told that account number will never be used, it's just for security. We had the Dish Network disconnected and the guy that did that left the receivers there and told my daughter that someone would pick them up...well weeks went by and she was about ready to toss them...then I go an alert deal I had sighed for that if anything over 100 was charged to my account I would be notified...and I was...but I still went on to see what it was and was going to make a credit card payment on the direct merchant card which we had not used since my daughter finished school about 8 months to a year ago (I let her use that card for gas and food because she went back to school) anyway when I went in online to pay on it there was a charge for 549 dollars unauthorized I immmediately called them, held for an ungodly amount of time and then got someone not callie that could not speak english finally I just asked could he connect me to someone that I could understand and after about 20 minutes Callie came on the line and she is the one that told me dish charged this to me and they could not do anything about it. So here I go again
I call dish network and they said we had not returned their receivers...I'm like welll no you didn't pick them up..I hung up mad as crap at all of them and called my daughter the next day....she had the return boxes delivered to her that day.. the charge to my card was about 5 days before...I don't read email every day. She has mailed them back but the charges were still there yesterday. Now I disputed the charges with the direct merchant people who have raised my apr% and I make my payments on time, anyway they told me to check back today well now for over 1 hr or more I have been trying to get on their stupid website and it won't let me in to look at my account. I think this is a trick so they can continue to charge f/c. can they do that.
I have tried to be good at paying alll these credit cards on line but sometimes you can't get on their website at the last or next to last day before due date and that way the charge a late fee this happens with BP and CHASE. The only card I have on trouble with is my Choice Vise and I've had it forever...thanks for letting me vent and if you have an answer as to if I can retrieve any late fees, f/c or any monies from this direct merchant companies please let me know. I'm 61 years old have worked all my live and have evidently helped too many people or I wouldn't owe so much on these cards and they only keep raising the apr....I guess bankruptcy will be my next step if I can't get the apr down so I can tell I'm paying something. I need a break from all these fees and maybe I can see daylight again...I don't want to bankrupt..never have and I don't want to loose my house and belongings but I just can't keep paying high interest credit cards.
I've spend hours sitting at this computer trying to get through to them and I've called on the phone to get a machine. My bill is getting f/c it should not be getting and I feel them should not raise the apr rate on items already purchased. I can't sleep thinking about this and I have a back problem so sitting here this long is doing it no good and I will hurt all day tomorrow at my job while all this could have been avoided if we had gotten those boxes soon or known the situation meaning it's different with each client of dish..I disconnected mine and the guy said that's your dish (same as he told me son about his) but I told him to take them I didn't want them don't know what happened to my sons. any I also have a large headache worrying with this again night because I could not get on to see if the charges have been removed along with any f/c...
In answer to the attorney question no not at this time I just want them to do the right thing..I somehow got off on a page of complaints about direct merchants bank and that is why I'm writing. Seems like there's a lot of complaints against them.
Behrouz of Irvine, CA April 29, 2008
Behrouz of Irvine CA (04/29/08) I settled my Direct Merchant Bank Credit Card with a debt collection agency in Dec 07 and paid in full. Direct Merchant Bank still charges me late fees and asking me to pay off my credit card balance of 5000. I faxed the DMB collection dept. and they still charge me late fees. I have called them 6 times and faxed them all the necessary documents for verification with no avail.
My credit report is getting dinged since Jan 08 with negative report on my DMB credit card even though this account has been closed.
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