Aging can be difficult especially with all the hassle imposed
by utility and credit card companies. They seem to work hard
to make sure we think it’s us; we’re the ones going
crazy.
I
have a credit card used only for fuel purchases. Its use
was simple in years past but instead of adopting the policy: “If
it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” they decided
to set up a new system. My wife started her morning a few
days ago with a warning notice on her computer screen. The
warning
told her my account was overdue and must be paid immediately.
It followed with another warning that I would be notified
of a cancelled account and the card would not be accepted.
Somewhat
in a panic because we, the same as most people, like to pay
our bills timely. She quickly looked up our account
history for the card in question. In addition to listing
all
activity the past six months, there was a sidebar offer.
If we purchased a new car with our card we would only have
to
pay 1.9 percent interest for 72 months. The offer noted, “This
offer is only available to our top rated customers.” As
we continued to read down through the statement, the last item
posted on July 2 announced payment received — and
account balance zero. Yet an ominous warning notice was
sent on July
5. Suppose they just wanted us to buy a car?
I
believe card companies are working together to confuse the
older generation (and many youngsters too). They have
a great
ally – the computer. It serves well to deliver warning
statements yet, if you find errors on your account, they tell
you, “The computer made the error.”
I
admit, I’m confused. A credit card company put a stop
on one of my cards but failed to ever tell me. I was making
a purchase at my pharmacy with a long line behind me when the
clerk announced, “Your card was refused.” Lucky
I had another. When I called to inquire about the embarrassing
event I was told — no kidding here; “Our
fraud service was just checking your account to verify
you had
not lost your card and someone else was using it.”
If
the card company had taken the time to review my card history
the fraud service would have not had a
reason
to check it.
I make purchases every month at the same location
and my card has a picture ID on it for identification.
I went
on to ask
them why I didn’t get a call saying, “We are going
to impound your card due to suspicious activity.”
The
answer was, “We never call card holders.” This
statement was bizarre because just a day prior to
my trip to the drug store I got a call from them
asking
if I might
like
to borrow up to $10,000 on my card at a reduced rate
of 9 percent for the first six months.
If
the credit card people don’t drive you to drink, consider
what the utility companies do. Perhaps the worst are the telephone
groups. I have had the same phone number for more than 30 years
and survived having three different owners of my local phone
service. Unfortunately, the latest company cannot give me the
same service I’ve had in the past. When I leave for the
winter, I can no longer have call forwarding or messaging as
I used to. The only way to accommodate my wish for people to
reach me is to leave the service on at the full billing rate — which
includes all the fees, taxes and many unknown
charges tacked on.
The
phone company tells me, “It can’t
be done because the system has been updated
and your service
has
changed.”
Updated?
Check your bill, mine still shows a monthly charge for a
touch-tone phone. Aren’t
they the only ones we can purchase? Fees
on our phone
bills
for touch-tone
were
added when dial phones were still out there.
The phone company refuses
to acknowledge such and insists the fee is
necessary.
Phone
companies, cell or land line, just like to keep you at their
mercy and if you
don’t like it — so what.
They just don’t care.
While
I’m venting — let’s
consider cable companies and what a delight
they are to
deal with. I had
to remove my auto pay directive on my
account with them because they kept charging ahead
and adding
on charges.
They were
reluctant
to credit my account even though they
acknowledged I had left the state. I am lucky enough
to have the same
company
in Florida
so when I turn the service on there the
whole mess begins again. Literally, every
single
month a call
has to be
made to straighten
out our bill.
I
forgot to mention — since our
latest upgrade, once or twice a day
the picture
turns into a puzzle;
a giant
jigsaw puzzle with pieces strewn all
over the screen.
The
list goes on but I’m sure
you all have your own list and have
heard
enough of my gripes.
Bulletin: Retailers can now charge for accepting
credit cards in lieu of cash!