Cancel your credit before you die?

[Vampyrinia]

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die. This is so priceless, and so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today. A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00, now is somewhere around $60.00! A family member placed a call to Citibank: Family Member: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January." Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply." Family Member: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections." Bank: "Since it is two months past due, it already has been." Family Member: So, what will they do when th ey find out she is dead?" Bank: "Either report her account to the frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!" Family Member: "Do you think God will be mad at her?" Bank: "Excuse me?" Family Member: "Did you just get what I was telling you - the part about her being dead?" Bank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor." Supervisor gets on the phone: Family Member: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January." Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply." Family Member: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?" Bank: (Stammer) "Are you her lawyer?" Family Member: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given) Bank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?" Family Member: "Sure." (fax number is given) After they get the fax: Bank: "Our system just isn't set-up for death. I don't know what more I can do to help." Family Member: "Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care." Bank! : "Well, the late fees and charges do still apply." Family Member: "Would you like her new billing address?" Bank: "That might help." Family Member: "Saint Mary's Cemetery, 1 Honey Locust Drive , Lakewood , NJ Plot Number 169." Bank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!" ! Family Member: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?"

[SeattleJeremy]

Wow. That's just special.

[new05vibeowner]

If it wasn't true, it would be very sad....I went through a similar situation when my mom died, and I made all the calls to close various accounts. Most creditors were understanding about closing the account, but one, BP Oil, refused, and said that I'd have to fax a death certificate and a notarized letter from the attorney handling the estate. I told them that I wasn't about to do that, and that any charges after the date of her death would not be legitimate.I never did fax the info, so I assume that the account is still open.

[tnpartsguy]

Quote, originally posted by new05vibeowner »If it wasn't true, it would be very sad....I went through a similar situation when my mom died, and I made all the calls to close various accounts. Most creditors were understanding about closing the account, but one, BP Oil, refused, and said that I'd have to fax a death certificate and a notarized letter from the attorney handling the estate. I told them that I wasn't about to do that, and that any charges after the date of her death would not be legitimate.I never did fax the info, so I assume that the account is still open.You kinda beat me to it, but I can add one thing, my 'sister' and her daughter both have assumed my mother's (who passed away in '04) identity. They got phones (both ground and cellular), credit cards, water and electrical service in my mother's name. Of course, my mother used my house as her last address before she passed away, and I get all the past due notices, and threatening letters and phone calls. When I called Bellsouth, and told them that my mother had been gone for over 2 yrs, they wanted a death certificate, ect, and I refused. I told them the same thing the joke did, her new mailing address was the National Cemetery in Nashville TN, and if they harassed me again I'd sue them. I still get credit card offers for my mom several times a month, no matter how many times I send them back marked recipient deceased..... I strongly suggest to you all to make sure upon the death of a loved one to make sure the person handling the estate contacts all 3 major credit bureaus and has their name marked as deceased, so nobody else CAN assume their identity.

[russ257]

forgive my ignorance but why would you refuse to fax them a death certificate. If they just took your word for it over the phone what would prevent people from racking up thousands of dollars in debt and the calling and trying to saying they were dead in order to have the debt erased. I understand the companies should be sensative to the issue but I dont see requesting a copy of a legal document that proves what you are claiming is true as coldhearted it is just a good fraud prevention method

[new05vibeowner]

The death certificate wasn't enough for them. They also wanted a notarized letter from the attorney handling the estate. I was told that if I just faxed the death certificate, that they would not close the account. My mom passed away in June 2003, and I still get pre-approved credit card offers and other junk mail addressed to her. I have simply stopped sending them back marked "sddressee deceased."

[Merzbow]

(removed)...I could see that happening.

[tnpartsguy]

They won't accept a faxed copy. It has to be a legal, notarized copy. I had to pay for 10 of those to begin with, and I wasn't going to drive an hour to pay for any more of them. They were being very insensitive about the whole matter. I can pull up death information on both my parents on the Internet, why can't they?

[macrosonic]

Quote, originally posted by tnpartsguy »... I still get credit card offers for my mom several times a month, no matter how many times I send them back marked recipient deceased...There's a phone number available to stop receiving new credit card offers: 1-888-5-OPT-OUT.There must be a way to call with your mother's info and get her onto the opt-out list. At least that will stop the junk mail and help prevent anyone using her info for ID theft.