Ask Credit Card Companies The Tough Questions?
It's funny how people think about money. Each day I meet with people who are contemplating hiring our firm to represent their interests for personal injury, bankruptcy, foreclosure defense or short sales, and they ask tough questions like:
Are you looking out for my best interests?
Who will be working on my case?
How much will I be charged for the service?
Will you return my phone calls?
I wonder if they asked the tough questions to their credit card companies before selecting their cards. I know I didn't. But, what should we be asking these companies?
My list of questions is:
FINANCE CHARGES
Do you have a grace period? And how long is it?
What is the minimum finance charge? Am I eligible for it?
If not, what can I do to become eligible for the best rate?
Do I get charged with interest during the grace period?
If I send a check to pay the bill, what is the processing time?
Can I pay online, and if so, is there a separate charge for this benefit?
CREDIT REPORT ISSUES
Do you report all on time payments to the Credit Reporting Agencies?
What happens if I make a late payment?
Do all late payments get reported to the Credit Reporting Agencies?
PRIVACY ISSUES
Does your company track my buying habits?
Does your company have a policy on a consumer's buying habits?
Can your company change our agreement if I shop at a particular store?
Will you sell my personal information to anyone?
Will you use my personal information for any reason?
I don't think any consumer should have a problem asking these questions. I'm sure the credit card companies customer service representatives have a script ready to respond to your concerns. I like that consumers can do their homework and prepare for the battle with information and consumers can now make informed decisions.
This post was submitted by Carmen Dellutri, Esq., founder of The Dellutri Law Group, P.A. Currently, the firm has offices in Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Naples and Sarasota. Mr. Dellutri also sits on the Board of American Board of Certification. Mr. Dellutri is also one of the founders of the Bankruptcy Law Network, Debt Law Network, Credit Law Network, and Mortgage Law Network. Mr. Dellutri also writes for the firm's bankruptcy blog, mortgage modification blog, www.floridainjuryandaccidentlawyerblog.com and www.fairdebtcollectionpracticesactblog.com.
