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Juniper Bank Complaint - I tried to play fair and then I contacted the BBB - Juniper Bank/Barclays Bank

Juniper Bank/Barclays Bank - Complaint
Review by Stella2010 on 2010-12-17
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE -- Not unlike most, I am in a bit of a financial pickle. Recently graduating from college again, exhausting my unemployment, 401K, savings, and patients while desperately searching for a job. I am convinced they must not exist anymore. Jobs that is... Unfortunately for all of us Juniper is still there like the playground bully, the jerk in traffic, the fly on an otherwise lazy summer day. I contacted Juniper's Customer Service Specialists, yes they are right they are very, very special. Liz was from pretending not to be in India, but her lack of basic English kind of tipped me off. I tried to explain my situation to her, and did so several times, but she just couldn't seem to get it. I explained that I was a recent college graduate and I was really struggling to find employment. But I wanted to make some payment to them, but was afraid I couldn't make the entire payment due at this time. Could you offer me some temporary options just for 6 months or until I get a job. I even told her that I hoped it wouldn't be 6 months and that as soon as I find something I would gladly contact them to get my payments back on regular schedule. She just kept telling me she could not offer me anything and that my minimum payment was $131. Funny thing was my payment had been only $68 for a long time, how was offering my a payment almost double going to be of any help? Liz told me did not understand why I have no money or income. She actually asked me, "Don't you have Medicare?" to which I calmly but firmly replied, "I am 36, not 90, and generally Medicare doesn't cover credit cards." So after a frustrating bit of time dealing with the "Specialist" I concluded that they would obviously rather receive no payment than work with me. Blocked their phone calls and set about drafting a letter to the big wigs at Barclays. Oh, Liz did give the address of the credit collection department where I could plead for lenience. Plead for anything from blood sucking credit card scum, not going to happen. Instead I filed the case with the BBB, because I just feel that this is unacceptable. I in good faith was trying to work out a temporary solution, but they won't play nice. Schoolyard Bullies! I wouldn't think it so bad I guess it I had been met with the same resistance from other creditors, but most were actually helpful. They are no saints, don't get me wrong, but truly understood that it was in their best interest to come up with some compromise and I will figure out a way to meet those payments because they worked with me in this difficult time. After filing with the BBB I received a response from the "Executive Office", oh goody! She basically stated they aren't interested in helping me. I owe them this money, and maybe I should go to Consumer Credit Counseling Service for help. I wonder if she's ever heard the phrase squeezing blood from a stone. Oh wait! I think the Executive Office has people to do that for them! I used to work around an Executive Office, they have somebody to do everything for them. I am drafting a second letter to the Executive Office, my response to their deep concern for their monies owed. They have made it more than clear that they are most definitely part of the huge problem with the entire country right now. Running around, unchecked, and allowed to treat people so badly, and profiting so greedily. And they will settle for nothing less than everything, I guess I have no choice but to give them nothing. I'd say send my account to collection, but they already have, and go ahead and try to collect it. As I told them I have nothing! No income, savings, 401K, rich dead relative, job, NOTHING! I think the best way to get some say in this is to contact the BBB, as screwed consumers I can't think of much else we can do but report their unfair practices and hope others look at that before they too are trapped in the same unfortunate situation a lot of us find ourselves in. I did end my stern letter to the Executive Office on a high note, wishing them a Christmas filled with poverty, unemployment, hunger, and all around misery. Where's Karma when you need it???
Comments:
Posted by werelucky on 2010-12-17:
Only in America can someone borrow money, not pay it back, and then complain about the entity they owe money to. It looks like you had money to pay for college but not your credit card bill. The bottom line is that is will be paid by the other borrowers in higher fees and interest. If you can pay your credit card bills then you should not be borrowing money using credit cards.
Posted by Prince-Caesar on 2010-12-17:
OP, you are not going to get sympathy from anyone on this site. We have a lot of bill collectors and bank employees on this site.
Posted by Alain on 2010-12-17:
Just some ideas here. Confrontational attitude is not the way to go no matter how frustrated you are. You owe the money, they hold the cards. Contacting the BBB is no good since they are not regulatory and are very much supported by the very corporations they rate (they still maintain some objectivity, though). Try going down and talking to someone at Juniper/Barclay personally. They might be willing to deal with you if you indicate a willingness to pay the debt. Be prepared, though, they might not feel like helping at all. Credit counseling? Maybe a good idea. Remember, if you declare bankruptcy (assuming you can get it) you will be screwed for a minimum of 7 years and quite possibly longer.
Posted by FlShopper on 2010-12-17:
I'm neither a bill collector nor a bank employee. But I am someone with debt who lives paycheck to paycheck and understands that it's tough to make ends meet and that sometimes life hands you a curveball and it makes things even more difficult. My lack of sympathy comes from the attitude of the OP. You're looking for the cc company to work with you...understand that they don't have to and you still have an obligation to them, not the other way around. That being said, Alain offers some good advice and good options. Check out credit counseling and see if they can help you.
Your idea of giving them nothing is not a good one. You risk ruining your credit a lot more than it may already be, and the debt (which you do owe) will just continue to increase with late fees, interest, etc. You will only be hurting yourself.
Posted by momsey on 2010-12-17:
I'm also not a bill collector or a bank employee. I'm also struggling day to day, but thankfully my husband and I both have jobs. It literally would never occur to me to go to a person who lent me money and ask them if they'll accept less of a payment every month. If it DID occur to me, and they denied me, I'd say, geez, well it was worth a shot.

Yes, it's tough out there. But believe it or not, the banks have to make money too. If they let everyone slide who is having financial troubles, they'd all be out of business.

The best thing you can do is whatever you can to make that minimum payment every month. Protect your credit score. It might be even tougher to find a job if you have bad credit.
Posted by saj80 on 2010-12-17:
Find some type of job, whether part-time or temporary, to provide some income. If someone told me they hoped to find employment within six months and would repay me then, I would also be hesitant to give any concessions. Times are difficult for many people; when my wife's hours got cut from 40 to 15 per week, we adjusted our budget and I found a part-time job. Not exactly ideal, but this is our problem, not our creditors.
Posted by Weedwhacked on 2010-12-17:
Partial payments do nothing but disappear into their interest charges without bringing down your balance. I realize its difficult these days for many people BUT you owe them the money and promised to pay it back when you opened the account. By the way, the BBB can't do anything for you, they just take complaints.
Posted by leet60 on 2010-12-17:
If the OP's financial situation is as dire as the picture they paint, credit counseling and/or bankruptcy may be the best option available. Keep in mind the credit card company is not simply going to go away because you are not able to pay them. Eventually they may write off the debt and sell it to a collection agency. If that happens you may well find yourself in front of a judge and may have your assets garnished.

Being confrontational will not work, ignoring them will not make them go away.
Posted by bob932304 on 2010-12-17:
Most fast food places have permanent signs up for jobs. Try one of these - try 2 of these. You aren't going to get rich but you might make enough to at least make some kind of payment. FedEx and UPS have big ads for Christmas workers. I guess I am a little baffled by obviously people capable of work saying they can't find a job.
Posted by trmn8r on 2010-12-17:
I'm not a bill collector or a bank employee, and I don't know anyone who is. Are there really people on this website that fit this description?

I am having trouble wrapping around the concept that the customer is the one who was "screwed" here. Seems to me the bank is the one that trusted someone and got the short end of the stick.
Posted by Nohandle on 2010-12-18:
I'm truly sorry you are having a difficult time right now. Did you contact them the first month when you realized you couldn't make a payment? This would have been before your account went to collections. From my understanding many creditors will attempt to work with someone if calls are not continually avoided for a number of months or promises made and never honored.

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