Care Credit Consumer Reviews - Page 3

Medical emergencies bring out the best in some, the worst in others. Well, needless to say... CareCredit brings out the absolute worst!!! Simply and to the point, they take advantage of patients in a bad situation. CareCredit.com are vultures – and if you can avoid dealing with them, I advise making whatever effort is necessary to do so.

CareCredit.com has signed up medical providers – not just MDs, but dentists, therapists, and veterinarians. If you have a huge medical expense, and can't afford the entire amount, chances are your medical provider will probably mention CareCredit.com and their wonderful three- or six-month no interest plan. Well, I had an overwhelming amount in dental costs and my dentist suggested that I apply for Care Credit for part of the amount. When I called them, they were EXTREMELY pleasant! I was approved during that very phone call. I have excellent credit... but needless to say, that was NEVER even checked.

The concept sounds very much like an act of mercy, guaranteeing that people who are in desperate need of funds to pay for their medical procedures will get the help they need. CareCredit.com is actually GE Capital (the same people who made your ‘fridge lend out lots and lots of money). They're not in it for altruism – they're in it to make money – and make money they do. HOW? BY LYING TO YOU!!!!

This is not a loan, it's a credit card – in a few days, a MasterCard appears in your mailbox. In theory, you can use this card to charge more medical expenses. What's different about this card is that, unlike all those offers you're getting in the mail every day, the interest is GETTING ADDED EVERY SINGLE DAY at the maximum amount allowable under the usury threshold of 24% APY. That vaunted “interest-free” period is only “interest-free” if you pay off the entire bill within the no-interest period. Pay off all but A FEW BUCKS and you owe interest on the entire bill.

MY STORY: In my case, CareCredit.com never bothered to send me any form of information about the account AT ALL. Sure, they got the card to me, but nothing else. They never sent me any information about the payment plans, and more to the point, they've never sent me a BILL! I had less than $3,000 left to pay on the card prior to the "promotional period" ending. My dentist called up to add $9,000 to the card and asked if he did so, would they extend the promotional "interest free" rate for an additional 12 months. THEY GLADLY AGREED!

Well, one day, I go online and notice that they are charging me interest. I called and not only was the customer service agent extremely rude, he proceeds to insult my intelligence by stating that I should learn to read. (I'm sorry, last I checked I have my PHD! I am quite certain I KNOW HOW TO READ! This comment coming from a customer service representative who probably gets paid minimum wage at best.) Apparently, I was being charged "deferred interest" because, according to them, I never paid the prior balance off.

First of all, I sent them a payment of $3,000 (which was OVER the amount I owed) and they applied that amount to the NEW BALANCE! WHY??? I HAVE NO IDEA! In addition, WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO READ??? NOTHING WAS EVER SENT TO ME BUT REGULAR STATEMENTS!!! So in essence, I KILLED MYSELF PAYING MORE THAN THE AMOUNT DUE EVERY MONTH... Just to get slammed anyway.

THEY PROMISED MY DENTIST THAT THEY WOULD EXTEND THE PROMOTIONAL PERIOD IF HE ADDED MORE MONEY TO MY EXISTING ACCOUNT! Due to this, I am getting penalized for almost $3,000 in accrued interest. This is just ridiculous! My advice... Avoid these people like the plague! THIS COMPANY IS A SCAM!!! Not to mention that their customer service representatives are incompetent (if not merely stupid) and worse yet, LIARS!!!

You go to the dentist and she wants to do an expensive procedure that isn't covered by insurance. When you balk at the price, she has a cost effective alternative - CareCredit. DON"T DO IT - IT IS A TOTAL SCAM. I needed a $2,293 program for my gums. When I said it was too expensive, she came up with CareCredit. According to the paperwork (that I have in front of me now), I would be able to pay for the program over 24 months, interest free. It would cost me just $95.54 / month. She explained that if I hadn't paid it off after the 2 years, I would owe the deferred interest at 19.99% annual rate.

Knowing I could easily afford that, I signed up. Big mistake. The pamphlet CareCredit put out is very carefully worded to mislead. In fact, everything about this operation is designed to mislead. The pamphlet shows that they offer 3, 6, 12, and 24 month promotional periods of 0% interest and longer periods at 11.9%. The brochure implies that if you are not in good standing, you get a 22.98% interest rate slapped on. What is not clear is how you ever get the 11.9% rate - you go to the 22.98% rate regardless of your credit rating in my experience.

Here is what really happened to me. I got my CareCredit card with the opening charge of $2293. I began paying it off, $200 per month. That was over twice the rate I needed to pay it off over 2 years. I set up an auto-pay and after verifying that it was working, decided to just forget about it and let it run till it was paid off. I never missed a payment and never had a late payment. I always paid more than the minimum payment. I did everything as stipulated!

In reality, it didn't work like I expected at all. After 3 months, the promotional period ended and I was back charged $167 in deferred interest. And then I started accumulating interest on the balance at the punishing 22.98% rate. Just for the record, my credit score is 782-790 and I have an interest rate of 8.9% on my Visa card. I pay off my credit card in full every month. In all my 25 years of credit history, I have never once carried a credit card balance over.

CareCredit is a dishonest money making scheme. The entire operation - from the way local medical professionals sell it, the ambiguous brochures that are handed out, the manner in which customer service operates, and the way in which the program is run is all about deception. You are led to believe you are getting one thing when, in fact, they are setting you up for punishing charges.

I find it shocking that a company like GE puts their good reputation on the line by operating this fraud. The executives of GE Money Bank should be investigated for wrongdoing and thrown in jail. This is a total scam. Hopefully there is a class action lawsuit or some other way to end the fraudulent activity of this company!

There are a number of problems with CareCredit, (CC), none of which parent company, GE, apparently cares to change or address, so consumers beware. The premise of this card is based on whatever CC program your medical/dental/veterinary provider has chosen to participate in. For example, one doctor's office may provide patients a CC plan to charge balances of $300 or more at 0% interest for 18 months. Another office may offer it patients a CC plan of 0% interest for 6 months on charges of $1,500 or more.

At the end of those 0% interest periods, your rate on outstanding balances reverts to whatever astronomical percentage CareCredit has put in place. But the material point is that the CareCredit plan available to patients will differ from one provider to another. This may sound very attractive if you know you will be able to pay the balances in full by the end of the 0 & interest periodsit certainly did to mebut it is also tied to the first issue with CareCredit: How the payments are applied.

If you have multiple charges from multiple providers, all with different plans, you better be keeping track of your payments because CC may not be applying them as you would like. Another complaint on this site alluded to repeatedly contacting the company regarding the reallocation of payments: That is precisely what you will have to do if you want your payment applied to, for instance, the $1,500 balance coming due in 6 months as opposed to the $300 balance coming due in 18 months.

This in itself is a total pain, but making it even more enjoyable is that you get to deal with the unbelievably rude and obnoxious customer service (for want of a better term) staff. These people must have received special instruction on how to enrage their customers in as short a time span as possible.

I've never encountered anything like it before: No apologies for any confusion, no explanations for anything outside of scripted responseswhich they will repeat ad nauseam until you find yourself wanting to scream. There is quite obviously no incentive program in place for CC reps to even ponder customer satisfaction or the lack thereof. And before I go any further, let me just offer the fact that I AM in customer service so I feel totally justified in my criticisms.

Now let's get to the available credit portion of my review. If you set up an electronic payment for any amount of $500 or more, (I'm not certain, but this may also apply to large payments by check), you will see your bank account debited and the payment will be reflected as having been received by CareCredit, but YOUR AVAILABLE BALANCE WILL NOT INCREASE BY THE AMOUNT OF THAT PAYMENT FOR 10 BUSINESS DAYS.

So, using my balance figure examples above, if I pay the entire $1,800 balance by electronic transfer, my available credit will still be minus that $1,800 for the next 10 business daysdespite the fact that CareCredit has acknowledged receipt of payment by actually posting the payment to my account. So if you are using CareCredit for ongoing medical care, this becomes a major problem: You think you are paying balances owed in a timely fashion so funds will be available for your followup visit to the doctor butSurprise! you find that it just isn't the case, and you're left digging out your VISA card.

I always thought I was a fairly smart consumer: This experience definitely proved me wrong on that score! Bottom line--if something sounds too good to be true, it is. Walk away... very quickly. I've closed my account with CareCredit and hopefully, I'm the wiser for the experience.

EL PASO, TEXAS -- To whom it may concern: The purpose of this letter is to file a formal complaint on CareCredit for "TERMINATING PROMOTIONAL INTEREST FREE OFFER" without proper notification. (violation of statue 226.7 of the CCPA). I accepted this credit card only for dental services, with a 12 month term ending 3/11/2010. On the acceptance letter attached to the credit card I received by mail, there was no indication of a cut off time for payment due date. The minimum payment was from $20 to $30 dollars due on the 4th. I paid always around the 15th of the previous month, for the payment due the next month on the 4th and always paid $100 monthly.

In September 2009, I posted my payment on the 4th at 7pm. Not knowing that in the statement in very small letters on the left hand side under "account information" stated "payment due by 5pm", (this note has been moved now after the February/2010 credit amendment, to the right hand side IN BIG LETTERS under payment information). The following month when I see a late charge on the statement, I called and was informed of such clause. I sent a letter of complaint and received a month later a generic letter with a denial for my request to have the late fee reversed.

No other notification of change in terms for my account Then to my shocking surprise on the December 2009 statement, they added $209.35 finance charge. I called and was advised that because the issue with the September statement my promotional "no interest" offer was terminated. I asked why I was not properly informed of such change and they replied that a letter was sent in November. There was no such letter and this is another scam from this credit card company.

I requested to close my account immediately and I will pay off the remaining balance $439.99, that same day as long as the reversed that finance charge. The supervisor I spoke with ** stated he did not have the authority to reverse the charge, that I will have to send my request in writing. There was no other manager or director that could speak with me. I sent a letters that was answered again by a generic response. Stating they regret to inform me that the charges could not be reversed. Never received a courtesy phone call from a human, in order to discuss this matter.

A formal complaint was filed on the Consumer Protection website # **. I paid off the balance on 2/15/2010 before the end of the 12 month contract 3/11/2010. I will continue to fight this fraudulent charge on my account and will file a lawsuit on small claims court if necessary. By the way, last week I did receive a phone call from somewhere in India, asking if I wanted to make a phone payment on the remaining balance. I told the representative to write down on his comment for the call, that I will be filing a legal action against CareCredit and NO PAYMENT!!

I needed a bridge. It was going to cost $2,500. but I would only put half that on this card that I got from the dentist office. The office worker said "It's 18 months w/no interest." Wow, this is just what I would need. I had done that w/ Home Depot w/a small hitch. I call those places to make sure what the rules are so there is no mistake about the terms.

After Home Depot told me the terms, I made the payments and then paid off the remainder before the end of the time period. There was no problem w/Home Depots two credit cards that I had and once I paid them off, I cancelled them so I wouldn't be tempted to buy anymore stuff at the regular percentage rate. So, I hoped that CareCredit would be the same. It was easy to get a credit line of $5,500. online. I assume that even someone who didn't have great credit would probably have gotten at least a small credit line.

I stay on top of these places and I hate credit cards in general, so I didn't think I'd have a problem. I was going to use my equity line of credit w/my bank at 3%. Why didn't I? Nope, I had to be stupid and get the CareCredit Credit Card.

There were problems. When I called the first time, I got an American w/a slight southern accent. She told me that I couldn't pay payments in advance because the company would think it is a principle only payment and then at the regular time, my payment would be due. Can I write "Payment, not principle only payment." on my check?

Nope was the answer. Just don't make them too soon she said. Okay. But with further inquiry I also found out that I had a small window in which to get the payment there, and I had to allow them 10 days in which to make the payment, but it better not be late, during those ten days. So don't send the payment too early or too late. Send it just right.

Okay, I think I can do that. My husband needed an upper plate. So I put an additional $1,100. on the plan. Interest started showing up. Wait, I called to ask why I was being charged interest when it's supposed to be 18 months w/no interest. I get someone from some country who sounded suspiciously like India. The woman said in her broken English, the second loan was not on the special. I said I didn't see that on my statement, nor on line.

She get irritated and said "It is clearly marked on the statement and online. Is there anything else I can help you with." I said "Yes, learn better English." She said "Excuse me?" I said it again, and again "Excuse me?" I thought what part of Learn better English didn't she understand. She said "Have a good day and hung up."

When I looked at my account the next day, an additional $90. showed up I guess because I made her mad, but she had made me mad by stating that it was clearly printed both in my statement and online that no other loan on the account will be under the 18 months, no interest. I took the rest of my balance minus the $90 and paid it off w/a letter that I didn't feel that just because I irritated that woman that I should have to pay the $90. so they took it off. However, I still had a balance of a little over five dollars. I paid that gladly to get them out of my hair.

Now my interest on $1,800 on my home equity loan is less than $4. per month. I should have done that in the first place. Now I've learned my lesson, but wait, there's more. I was talking to my nephew and told him about that experience and he told me he had a very, very similar experience w/the same exact company. And he did the exact same thing as I did. So just go to your bank, not CareCredit, Please.

MASON, OHIO -- To Whom It May Concern: The purpose of this letter is to file a formal notification of complaint alleging numerous violations of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1601) on the part of CareCredit, in that CareCredit, aka GE Capital Cons Cardco aka GE Capital Consumer Card Company.

GE Capital Consumer Card Co. is a "creditor" by definition of 15 U.S.C. 1601-§103-f (Consumer Credit Protection Act) and therefore falls under the federal jurisdiction of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). GE Capital Consumer Card Co. has knowingly and illegally: Made a promotional offer of "interest-free" or "deferred interest" which, by its actions as enumerated below, it had or has no intentions of fulfilling, said offer falling within the definition of Section 226.2 of CCPA.

Levied late fees and finance charges when payments were actually received - and deducted from my bank account - PRIOR to the due date. Charged illegal and exorbitant "account security" fees without any form of legal disclosure or explanation as to what those charges may be, constituting a "surcharge" under sections 103 and section 167 of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1601), hereinafter referred to as CCPA.

Has instituted retroactive "terms and conditions" without proper notification, in violation of § 226.7 of the CCPA. Has provided such "terms and conditions" in a format that appears to be a third- or fourth-generation unreadable photocopy consisting of print so small and faded as to be illegible, in violation of § 226.5.

Has made it virtually impossible for customers (clients) to contact them in a timely manner by failing and/or refusing to answer telephone calls for periods of up to 7.5 hours (by placing the customer on hold for such lengths of time) and by failing and/or refusing to provide any means on its web site of contacting CareCredit by email or any other means than an unanswered telephone line. Has acted to quash any meaningful payment inquiries by refusing to provide requested information to the bank upon which payments were drawn, in addition to failing to provide telephone-answering staff as alleged above.

DETAILS: Application for the above-referenced account was made under a "promotional offer" (Exhibit A - promotional offer), which provided for no interest if the account was paid in full within 48 months. This agreement was for the issuance of a "medical credit card" issued by GE Capital Consumer Card Co, 5300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, OH 45050, to cover dental (oral surgery) expenses in excess of that which were to be paid by the payee's dental insurance. The debt agreed upon was to be $1,500.00.

The first payment was due September 4, 2004 (Exhibit B - statement of payment due). Payment was received via electronic funds transfer on September 2, 3004 and was deducted from the payee's bank account prior to 2 pm the following business day, September 3, 2004 (Exhibit C - email from USBank, formerly and aka Firstar Bank). The minimum payment on the above account is $45 per month.

The defendant states that "payment is due by 5 pm on the due date" to "avoid additional finance charges." Payment was received and cleared well before that time. Electronic funds transfer payments through USBank is guaranteed to arrive on the date specificied. This form of payment was chosen specifically to ensure timely receipt of payment, since US Postal Service delivery to and from payee's address is often very unreliable. In four years, I have had no problem with electronic funds transfers reaching their destination late.

The payee then received on Sept. 13, 2004 a "late notice" (which bore no postmark and was, in fact, bulk mailed - Exhibits D-1 and D-2 - envelope and late payment notice) claiming that no payment had been received, when in fact, it had. In addition, the payee was informed that a late fee of $35.00 and an "account security fee" of $23.25 had been charged additionally.

In a document received Sept. 13, 2004, after the contract was entered into, labelled "Account Security Debt Cancellation Agreement" (Exhibit E), there is no mention whatsoever of any "account security fee". Payee contends that this "account security fee" constitutes a hidden and therefore unlawful interest or finance charge, in violation of federal law.

On that date, Sept. 13, 2004, payee attempted to call the phone number provided (1-800-333-1071) and was informed by a voice recording that "due to a high volume of calls" there would be "a lengthy wait time". Payee kept the line open and was on hold for 3 hours 47 minutes before finally giving up, unable to speak to single human being during that time. Additionally, the payee contacted the bank (Exhibit F - email) to notify them of the allegation by GE Capital Cons Cardo that no payment had been received, even though existing bank records clearly documented otherwise.

USBank aka Firstar Bank responded to the payee on Sept. 14. 2004 (Exhibit G - email) that it was investigating the matter, then followed up with another communication - also Sept. 14, 2004 (Exhibit H - email) that "GE Capital Cons Cardco will not discuss customer accounts with third parties" and suggested that the payee call 1-800-333-1071 - the same phone number which GE Capital Cons Cardo will not answer. An additional payment of $55.00 was made by the payee and received September 17, 2004 and deducted from the payee's bank account on Sept. 18, 2004 for the payment of $45.00 due October 4, 2004.

No statement was received for a November payment, due Nov. 4, 2004; however electronic payment was made and received Sept. 29, 2004 in the amount of $100.00 (Exhibit I - details of USBank transaction printout), even though the payment due was $45.00. For the December payment, due Dec. 4, 2004, an electronic funds transfer in the amount of $100.00 was scheduled to be received Nov. 18, 2004, though the amount due was $45.00.

On November 12, 2004, payee received a statement from GE Capital Cons Cardco (Exhibit G - statement) claiming no payment was received for October and that a late fee of $35.00 had been assessed, as well as a "finance charge" of $106.64 and an "account security fee" of $22.38. The payee was also informed that the "promotional offer" had expired on an unstated expiration date, in violation of the agreement made and the promotional offer (Exhibit A).

Also on November 12, 2004, the payee again attempted to call both toll-free numbers provided and was informed by a recorded message that "due to a large volume of calls" there would be a "long wait time." After 2 hours and 17 minutes, the payee again gave up, and on November 13, 2004, sent this document with a certified letter to the defendant.

In summary, payee has so far paid $400 on a $1,500.00 debt and is informed the balance is $1,563.13. All payments have been made and received before the due date. The payee asks for full restitution of the unlawful and exorbitant fees in the amount of $463.13 charged by GE Capital Cons Cardco, as well as all attorney fees and costs pursuant to this matter, and for full reinstatement of the "promotional offer" terms which were, and are, part and parcel of the agreement between the payee and GE Capital Cons Cardco.

The payee hereby notifies you, under the requirements of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. [15 U.S.C. 1601], that the aforesaid charges of $463.13 are contested for the reasons outlined above and that no such charges will be paid in the future. Payments will be made to repay the original amount of $1500, as contracted, in the time length necessary to avoid interest fees, per your "promotional offer." It is my intent to file legal action - as a class action suit if possible - and to seek full restitution and double damages as provided for in the Consumer Credit Protection Act. [15 U.S.C. 1601].

Every time I use their service it's horrible. They are always charging my saving account instead of my checking out. Plus I changed it to correct it. I made sure I check the number. They still charged my account. I will never use the online payment again. I will always make sure I have my bank info and pay over the phone. The staff always screws up your payment and they will not refund your 30 dollars for their mistake. So I'm putting them on blast. Always call in for your payments.

LOUISIANA -- I did not pay off the charges in a year. CARECREDIT ADDED OVER $700 INTEREST TO MY LOAN. Do not waste your time with this company. PLEASE READ THE FINE PRINT!!! 😡😡😤😤😖😖.

WHITE PLAINS, GEORGIA -- I have been using Care Credit for about 8 years now and I have never had an issue with them. I have had over $8,000 worth of dental work over the years and Care Credit has been a life saver for me. I have only had to call once to increase my credit line and the representative was friendly and helpful. If you read the contract, pay like you are supposed to, you will not have a problem with this company.

TEXAS -- My son ended up needing a lot of dental work (he has prenatal issues with his baby teeth). My dentist scared me into using CareCredit to finance it (I later changed dentists and discovered this one was charging exorbitant prices too). I have been making on time payments for almost 4 years now on this. I financed $2.5k and I have now paid over $3.2k and the balance is still well over $2k. It should have come down almost $1k and it hasn't even come down $500.