"NEVER GET CHASE!!!"
Chase Platinum Visa® Card Review
Written by: johnsons on 2008-09-30
Overall Satisfaction
Customer Service
Rewards
Account Management
Delivery Time
johnsons's review: 
About 4 months ago, I got an amazing offer from Chase Credit Cards for 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers until October 2009. I decided to take it and transfer my one other balance to this card since it was a better deal. I never received any terms and agreements or statements by mail, but I thought everything was ok since I could see everything online. A month went by and I was able to go online and pay my bill. The next month, I couldn't get to my account online. I called Chase 4 times and couldn't get past the recording or kept getting transferred to a line that didn't work (I still have 3 names from the calls). I called a second number and the technician there was great and told me not to worry, my account would be up the next day. I checked and it was not. 3 more phone calls over the next 3 days to Chase and I still could not get to anyone that could help me. 3 different customer service reps told me that I could just pay online when my account was up and there would be no penalty. So, I took their word for it. Then, on a Saturday morning at 7:30am, I got a call from a Chase rep saying that I had not paid my bill and therefore my rates would be going to their defaults of almost 14%. I freaked out, paid the bill over the phone (which cost me an additional $50) and when I woke up, I called 7 times. After 7 calls I finally got to an "advisor" that listened to the whole scenario:
I never received anything in the mail about this account, I could not get online to pay it, I wasn't receiving statements I could send my payment in with and whenever I called I was assured that I would not be penalized because online being down was not my fault.
He told me that they would review my case and I would receive a letter in 7-10 business days letting me know if they decided to lower my rate back down to 0%. I received a letter that said they had reinstated the "original rates" about 12 days later. I thought the ordeal was done. However, this month I checked and my interest rate is almost 8%. And, just to add fuel to the fire, they sent me 8 offers in the mail that were the exact one that I originally signed up for (0%).
I spent 1.5 hours on the phone getting transferred from customer service to billing to collections back to customer service then finally to another "advisor" (CJ Lamay) who informed me that even though I was not at the 0% that I signed up for, I was also not at the 14% that I had paid when I "defaulted" on my payments. But they couldn't put me down to the original offer because there were late fees in my account history, though they had been removed at some point. I asked him if I could transfer everything over to a new account using one of the 8 promotions they had sent me (seemed like a reasonable and amicable solution) but was told that I could not pay a Chase card with another Chase card. He did offer some great advice though - I could open a new line of credit, get a check with it, pay the associated fees with that, put the money needed to pay off my balance into my checking account, then close the original account, all to get the offer that I had originally signed up for, but I would have to wait 90 days to do that. I thanked him, hung up and went to capital one where I now have a 0% interest, rewards bearing card that I was able to create online and be approved instantly for, that I have transferred the balance of that chase card to. Please learn from my mistake and NEVER SIGN UP FOR A CHASE CARD!!!
About 4 months ago, I got an amazing offer from Chase Credit Cards for 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers until October 2009. I decided to take it and transfer my one other balance to this card since it was a better deal. I never received any terms and agreements or statements by mail, but I thought everything was ok since I could see everything online. A month went by and I was able to go online and pay my bill. The next month, I couldn't get to my account online. I called Chase 4 times and couldn't get past the recording or kept getting transferred to a line that didn't work (I still have 3 names from the calls). I called a second number and the technician there was great and told me not to worry, my account would be up the next day. I checked and it was not. 3 more phone calls over the next 3 days to Chase and I still could not get to anyone that could help me. 3 different customer service reps told me that I could just pay online when my account was up and there would be no penalty. So, I took their word for it. Then, on a Saturday morning at 7:30am, I got a call from a Chase rep saying that I had not paid my bill and therefore my rates would be going to their defaults of almost 14%. I freaked out, paid the bill over the phone (which cost me an additional $50) and when I woke up, I called 7 times. After 7 calls I finally got to an "advisor" that listened to the whole scenario:I never received anything in the mail about this account, I could not get online to pay it, I wasn't receiving statements I could send my payment in with and whenever I called I was assured that I would not be penalized because online being down was not my fault.
He told me that they would review my case and I would receive a letter in 7-10 business days letting me know if they decided to lower my rate back down to 0%. I received a letter that said they had reinstated the "original rates" about 12 days later. I thought the ordeal was done. However, this month I checked and my interest rate is almost 8%. And, just to add fuel to the fire, they sent me 8 offers in the mail that were the exact one that I originally signed up for (0%).
I spent 1.5 hours on the phone getting transferred from customer service to billing to collections back to customer service then finally to another "advisor" (CJ Lamay) who informed me that even though I was not at the 0% that I signed up for, I was also not at the 14% that I had paid when I "defaulted" on my payments. But they couldn't put me down to the original offer because there were late fees in my account history, though they had been removed at some point. I asked him if I could transfer everything over to a new account using one of the 8 promotions they had sent me (seemed like a reasonable and amicable solution) but was told that I could not pay a Chase card with another Chase card. He did offer some great advice though - I could open a new line of credit, get a check with it, pay the associated fees with that, put the money needed to pay off my balance into my checking account, then close the original account, all to get the offer that I had originally signed up for, but I would have to wait 90 days to do that. I thanked him, hung up and went to capital one where I now have a 0% interest, rewards bearing card that I was able to create online and be approved instantly for, that I have transferred the balance of that chase card to. Please learn from my mistake and NEVER SIGN UP FOR A CHASE CARD!!!
8 Comments
Comment 1 by wildrage2
Honestly... 
on 2008-09-30
Regardless if Chases is at fault for you not getting your bills, or signing online, I would have Googled 'Chase, Payment, Address,' and sent a payment. Or I would have made an online payment.
You really have to be proactive.
on 2008-09-30 Regardless if Chases is at fault for you not getting your bills, or signing online, I would have Googled 'Chase, Payment, Address,' and sent a payment. Or I would have made an online payment.You really have to be proactive.
Comment 2 by hjm331
Sorry on 2008-10-01
Sorry about your experience with Chase. If I were, I would've tried paying them over the phone, sending them a check as wildrage suggested, or sent them an electronic payment with my billpay feature through my checking account.
Since we can't go back and make changes to the past, I would BT the balance off your Chase card and sockdrawer the Chase card for history as long as it has no annual fees. Hopefully, you will keep on making the right decisions and keep us posted. Thanks for posting your experience with Chase because I'm sure that you have saved some readers from dealing with Chase and their problems.
Good Luck
on 2008-10-01 Sorry about your experience with Chase. If I were, I would've tried paying them over the phone, sending them a check as wildrage suggested, or sent them an electronic payment with my billpay feature through my checking account.Since we can't go back and make changes to the past, I would BT the balance off your Chase card and sockdrawer the Chase card for history as long as it has no annual fees. Hopefully, you will keep on making the right decisions and keep us posted. Thanks for posting your experience with Chase because I'm sure that you have saved some readers from dealing with Chase and their problems.
Good Luck
Comment 3 by wanderer
WAMU To CHASE on 2008-10-01
All you lucky WAMU Card holders who are now Chase credit card holders, is this what we get...!
on 2008-10-01 All you lucky WAMU Card holders who are now Chase credit card holders, is this what we get...!
Comment 4 by dm
Terms Arrived With Card on 2008-10-01
Did you receive the card? Terms generally arrive with the card. Honestly, your story seems embellished. I find it hard to believe that you couldn't reach anyone by phone or make a payment online. Be glad that your rate only went to 14% or 8%, they easily could have defaulted you to 31%. I'm careful with my Chase accounts for exactly the reasons you state... They love to charge default rates. That said, you have to take more responsibility.
on 2008-10-01 Did you receive the card? Terms generally arrive with the card. Honestly, your story seems embellished. I find it hard to believe that you couldn't reach anyone by phone or make a payment online. Be glad that your rate only went to 14% or 8%, they easily could have defaulted you to 31%. I'm careful with my Chase accounts for exactly the reasons you state... They love to charge default rates. That said, you have to take more responsibility.
Comment 5 by mark
Don't Have Any Choice! on 2008-10-01
Sorry to hear about your experience..
i totally feel your pain..
but the reality is...
we might wake up tomorrow with only 3 banks working!
Bank of America, Citibank and Chase.
the banks are getting Smarter and finding ways to bill the customers..
it's really painful to be on the other side... The one getting screwed
on 2008-10-01 Sorry to hear about your experience..i totally feel your pain..
but the reality is...
we might wake up tomorrow with only 3 banks working!
Bank of America, Citibank and Chase.
the banks are getting Smarter and finding ways to bill the customers..
it's really painful to be on the other side... The one getting screwed
Comment 6 by lindalu
I'm With Everyone Else on 2008-10-01
I agree... Even though you shoudln't have gotten thrown around and spent so much time trying to get bills by mail and get your on line account to work you have to realize after time goes by a payment had to have been due sometime or another and after 30 days you should mail a payment or ask a rep when you talked to them on the phone the payment mailing address or did a payment over the phone and asked to have the fee waived as never got bills and couldn't get on line.
Chase is a good credit card company... They give large limits!!! I know, I had 3 with them before my bankruptcy... I had liked $50,000 in limits between the 3 after like 15 years..! they are very anti fraud and monitor accounts..
they are like any other bill... There is a due date and somewhere down the road if yo don't make a payment you have to realize a late fee and default is going to come about it... It isn't just ok to not pay the bill because you didn't get one or could n't get on line to do so..
on 2008-10-01 I agree... Even though you shoudln't have gotten thrown around and spent so much time trying to get bills by mail and get your on line account to work you have to realize after time goes by a payment had to have been due sometime or another and after 30 days you should mail a payment or ask a rep when you talked to them on the phone the payment mailing address or did a payment over the phone and asked to have the fee waived as never got bills and couldn't get on line.Chase is a good credit card company... They give large limits!!! I know, I had 3 with them before my bankruptcy... I had liked $50,000 in limits between the 3 after like 15 years..! they are very anti fraud and monitor accounts..
they are like any other bill... There is a due date and somewhere down the road if yo don't make a payment you have to realize a late fee and default is going to come about it... It isn't just ok to not pay the bill because you didn't get one or could n't get on line to do so..
Comment 7 by gkcust
Pay Ur Bills on 2008-10-01
Come hell or high water
You got to pay to stay
On top of things
Do what ever it takes
To get it payed
Okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
You got to keep ur head up
on 2008-10-01 Come hell or high waterYou got to pay to stay
On top of things
Do what ever it takes
To get it payed
Okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
You got to keep ur head up
Comment 8 by colonative
Chase on 2008-10-05
I have never had any trouble with Chase and I really think they treat their customers well.
They lowered my rate from a variable rate to 7.99% fixed many years ago and have not raised it.
When I had trouble registering for Chase online a bank employee-from the US-called me at home and walked me through it.
If you were having trouble with your card then at the very least you could have walked into a Chase banking center and spoken with a person and they could have helped you.
Sorry you had trouble, but to would-be Chase cardholders, you can count on great service from them.
on 2008-10-05 I have never had any trouble with Chase and I really think they treat their customers well.They lowered my rate from a variable rate to 7.99% fixed many years ago and have not raised it.
When I had trouble registering for Chase online a bank employee-from the US-called me at home and walked me through it.
If you were having trouble with your card then at the very least you could have walked into a Chase banking center and spoken with a person and they could have helped you.
Sorry you had trouble, but to would-be Chase cardholders, you can count on great service from them.
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Disclaimer: This content is not provided by Chase. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Chase. Review content is powered by Finance Globe.
