Charges on Credit card I never knew I had

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fiveyears

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Last Friday while querying some withdrawls on my account I discovered that firstly I had a secret credit card for the last five years I knew nothing about, secondly I was being charged for it, and thirdly my bank (the same bank which issued me the card) was fining me bouncing the paymnt on the card, because there was no money in my account.

Ao the facts are these. Yes I did apply for a cc with BOI, filled out mandate, etc, etc. I was in full time employment and making resonable money. However my application was turned doen on the grounds that my account was still a student account. So I contacted my bank changed it and reapplyed. In the mean time I was issued a card with MBNA.
I contacted BOI, told them I no longer wanted a BOI CC. I was advised to cut the card up and return it, Which I duly did, and thought no more about it. At around about the same time. I moved home.

When I spoke with the bank on friday I was informed that I had incurred a charge on the card from the goverment levey on CC. The card had never been cancceled and I have been making a payment of €12.50 every month for the past four years on this CC. The address on the account is different to my address from four years ago. So I have never seen a staement in all this time.

I know I should of been checking my statements more carefully. But has anyone any idea what recoures I have open to me. I have incurred charges and penalties on a card I cancelled five years ago. I dont expect to get any money back from BOI. But will I have to pay the outstanding balance on the card ?
 
:) how can you not have noticed anything!

More importantly, it would seem to me that you actually may be entitled to something in this case as you did cancel the credit card. Have you any record of the cancellation? I guess you may not but it would be best if you could prove it. You would need to complain to BOI CC initially, in writing. Give as much detail as you can with regards to dates of application and cancellation. You need to exhaust the bank procedures first and in this case they may be inclined to admit the mistake.
 
Well I have a few DD. So I wouldnt of really noticed it. I know for a fact that the card was NEVER ACTIVATED. So Im going to approach it form that angle first and see what the procedure for a unactivated card is. I cancelled it verbally over the phone, then cut the card up and returned it. Any suggestions as to how I should word the letter. Im not to concerned about the ICB. I may have had some other DD bounced for non payment recently
 
You may not be concerned about the ICB but anyone you approach for any sort of credit agreement will be. It only costs €6, it's worth it (www.icb.ie)

As to the wording, the usual applies, be clear, simple and polite (remember that the person reading the letter is likely not the person that made the mistake). Stick to the facts. So....
Dear Sir/Madam (or preferred greeting),

I am writing to you concerning a credit card I applied for that I never activated and cancelled but am still being charged for. I applied <>. I rang <>. They told me <>. I cut the card up and returned it. I only recently realised I was being charged for this because <>. I have never used the card and had understood that I did not have to cancel in writing as I had not activated the card and had returned it.

Can you please cancel the card and refund me <the cost the card has represented to you>.

Yours sincerely,
fiveyears

Basically polite greeting, outline grievance history, outline acceptable restitution, polite sign off.

Keep a copy of all correspondence. (Also if you have your bank statements for the last five years that would be useful to yourself).
 
Last edited:
so-crates said:
As to the wording, the usual applies, be clear, simple and polite (remember that the person reading the letter is likely not the person that made the mistake). Stick to the facts. So....
Basically polite greeting, outline grievance history, outline acceptable restitution, polite sign off.

Keep a copy of all correspondence. (Also if you have your bank statements for the last five years that would be useful to yourself).
Click to expand...

+1. State your case concisely and clearly. It should be evident also from the bank records that the card was never used and this should serve to prove your case too. Best of luck.
 
If you've been making a payment of €12.50 to this card for the past four years, then you would be in credit on the card. If this was a DD (as you mention above) then there would have to have been a balance owed on the card for the DD to be called.

You should request copies of statements and review them. Or look at your current account statements to see when the €12.50's were being debited.

The bank will possibly want to look into why the GSD was debited on an account that had no debit transactions.
 
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