Need help w/ CCCS problem

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-03-2005
Need help w/ CCCS problem
2
Fri, 04-21-2006 - 9:13pm

I'm so frustrated right now..

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2002
Sat, 04-22-2006 - 7:28am

I am with CCCA and about 6 months ago MBNA refused their first request and said they needed a higher monthly amount. After another proposal, they took another month to decide, and then finally accepted. In the meantime, I was getting charged super high interest and I was broke - thats why I was at CCCA because I could not afford to pay MBNA in the first place of course! I could not pay higher than whay CCCA was drafting from me so was unable to pay the difference to at least get to the minimum payment from the credit card so I called MBNA once, explained to them I was with CCCA and told them a proposal was going back through. They sent me to collections, I got some really nasty calls but I explained to them I could not pay them and have CCCA draft money too so I politely told them I refused to pay them, they'll get the money from CCCA and hung up. Lo and behold MBNA pulled my accont out of collections two days later and they get their $88 a month and they don't bother me anymore.

Some companies can be difficult to work with and it sounds like AMEX is being one of them. I would call back and ask to speak to their collections department or a manager and explain it to someone other than the customer service person who answers the phone. Also, CCCS should know which companies are difficult to work with and if they think AMEX will accept a higher payment amount or any proposal at all.

And since you can't afford to pay the minimums (been there too many times myself - hugs to you) I would not stress this and keep fingers crossed to see if CCCS and AMEX can work it out after you've called each of them again. Afterall, stressing it won't do any good and you are obviously taking steps to get out of debt so kudos to you! You are doing the best you can and hopefully AMEX commes around.

Keep us posted.

Lauren

Avatar for skthurber
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 04-22-2006 - 11:11pm

I've been with Family Credit Counseling Service (FCCS) for almost 2 years. Sometimes CC companies are real stinkers. Lauren is right; you just have to talk to both parties and remind them why you are doing this. If you can find a counselor at CCCS who you are comfortable with, try to only deal with her or him. We put (I think) 13 cards in our program, and some were sillier about accepting proposals than others. If I remember right, MBNA was a stinker for us too, and the worst was a little department store card with one of the smallest balances. It took us SIX MONTHS to get that one onto the program, but it all worked out in the end. Now our balances have gone from $54,800 to $37,200, and we will be credit card debt free in July 2009. If you can do a 3-way call with everyone, that may help too. I think with did that with MBNA, actually, and it did help the wheels move a little faster. Good luck, and I think you are doing the right thing.

-Sarah

Sarah


Mom to Gina & Tony