Direct Merchants Bank •Application Fees •Change of Address Policy •Collection Policies •Customer Service •"Credit Protection" •Interest Rates •Late Fees • Late Posting of Payments •Over-Limit Fees •Preying on the Disabled • "Rate Reward" •Secured Credit Cards •Security Policies •Disappearing Funds •Telemarketers •An Insider's View

On Nov. 19, 2000, Carolyn of Long Beach, CA, wrote:
When I found out I was moving to another city I filled in the new address on my statement and on the following statements that were forwarded from the old address. Since I had not received a bill in over a month I sent an e-mail stating the new address to their online customer service. I also infomed them of my new address.

Today I tried to use the card and it was declined. I immediately called their 800 number and was told that there was a block on because they did not have my new address and the "rule" was that I had to call it in. Just writing it in the address change form on the bill wasn't enough, so my bills were being held and for each month they're held there was also a late charge. I think this is so unfair, when nowhere on the change of address form does it indicate that the new address must also be phoned in. I would like to get this late fee waived.

I am cutting up my card today and will never use it again. Besides the high interest and unfair late charges, this is just, to me, customer fraud. I have always mailed my bill in the day after I received it. Now to have it blocked so I don't even get it is just really too much.

On Sept. 4, 2000, A.P. of Georgetown, OH, wrote:
In early Spring 2000, I used an online bill paying service to help with the convenience of paying my many bills. I later decided not to use this service and had to change all of the bill-to addresses back to my home. Suprise, Surprise! Direct Merchants Bank was the last one to actually change my address in their database. All the others were done within the 30-day time frame. It took DMB 7 months to do what I requested right away.

Like another complainer in your forum, my bills are so many, it's out-of-sight, out-of-mind if they do not arrive in my mailbox. DMB began calling me so many times at home and work that, like another complainer, I was afraid to answer the phone. I tried the over-the-phone payment and was suprised to see a charge of $99 on my next statement (which I had to have them copy and mail to me) I was told the charge for this service was $4.00. They said the $99 was for a service that I did not ask for, I am still fighting with them to remove that charge.

After mailing a $250 payment to "catch up," they continued to call and harrass me for the next few weeks for a $9 late balance. Can you believe they were worried about $9.00? I was charged $29 late fee for the $9 late balance. Now since it was their fault the address was not changed (granted I should have remembered all my bills) I am now being charged a 26.49% interest rate. You can bet your behind, this account will be closed by me and never used again and it WILL BE the first one I pay off. All because they couldn't get the address changed back for me.