No gasoline for me: MasterCard cancels my card
Filed under: Credit, Consumer Complaints, Credit Reports
Stopped at my local Shell station recently to fill up my van. I have used my Shell MasterCard for almost six years due to the discount that it offers for Shell purchases.
Much to my surprise, the pump refused to authorize my card and said, "See Attendant."
Well, I HATE going into the stations, that is part of the reason I like to pay at the pump. I talked with the attendant who informed me that my card was declined.
What? I have never missed a payment, never been late, and always paid my balance in full. I quickly got on the phone to the credit card company who informed me that a "recent full review of my credit resulted in the cancellation of my card." When I tried to press them as to what was the issue, they suggested I review my credit information. I informed them that it would have been nice to know I was canceled BEFORE I went to the gas station to get the gas. She said, "A letter will be coming shortly."
Since both of my college kids are on my gas card, I quickly got calls from them wondering if we were going into bankruptcy. I dodged their questions while I looked up my credit information on the internet. Yes, there was a very old bill that I had refused to pay because I didn't owe it from 2006, but also a recent entry from Boston Store. Now, I have no idea why Boston Store reported me to the credit agencies. I don't owe them money, paid them on time, and have never missed a payment.
I quickly filed a dispute and contacted the billing for Boston Store to ask, "What gives?" I was informed by customer service that there does appear to be an error on their part. He told me to print out the credit report and fax it back with a signature for them to re-evaluate.
I was irate. As I explained to them, it was their mistake, not mine. Why can't they fix it? Why does it mean additional time, hassle, and problems for me? I can see why people get in trouble with their credit through no fault of theirs!
I will be faxing the report tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens.
Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please sign up at The People Pro.



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-27-2009 @ 10:20AM
willowreed said...
I think that banana needs to take care of this kind of stuff prior to any healthcare stuff.
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 10:50AM
Alsace said...
The credit card companies love their bogus fees, and have disclosed that they make billions of dollars each year on ripping us all off with those fees. So why not an fee on them? They pay us a fixed amount, say $100, whenever they make a mistake.
Reply
10-27-2009 @ 5:41PM
Micki said...
Comment on declined credit card, today I tried to used my credit card, I knew I paid my bill and had good credit on this account, well it was declined, so I to call the Credit Co, and their response was they needed to check my lastest transactions to see if they were mine. That has never happen to me before and I told them so, their response was, we check cards at randam. What kind of crap is that, they sent no letter or call me on this. I used the card twice last week after months of not using it. I can't believe they could such a thing. I would have been so embrassed if I was in a store, I was using it on line.
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10-27-2009 @ 11:06AM
FRANK PLASS said...
Shell Master Card, screwed me also. Ive been with them from the first,when Shell issued this Credit Card. Went out to dinner with friends fromout of town, tried to pay my bill, but the card was declined! No reason given. Wnen I called, they were very rude. What was the problem? No reason. We will mail a letter to you. Some mix up with credit reporting. Now they are trying to increase my interest rate!Long story, but the short of it, I will no longer be doing business with Shell. And thats the fact jack!
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10-27-2009 @ 11:28AM
Brian said...
The credit score is nothing more than a way for credit card companies to stick it to us at will. Being a week late on a bill does not make one a credit risk. BOA offered me 3% for the first year to switch, we decided that was a good deal, were we wrong. The first couple bills were right in line but the third showed the intrest jumped to 23%. After months of back and forth they finally told me that the terms of the agreement said they could raise the intrest rate at their convience. I told them that was bait and switch. I also told them I would remit payment when I received the same stimulis check that they were getting from obummer. I could care less about my credit rating, it is a scam. I pay my bills.
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10-27-2009 @ 11:54AM
Gail said...
My interest rate was increase on the Chase AARP card because of a late payment. I set up a budget with payment dates to make sure I am never late. When I called I found that they flucuate the dates. I was told it was my fault for not checking the due dates. I schedule my payments in advance to make sure I am not late. I was only 2 days late. Changing the due date is just another way to sneak an increase past. Even when you try to pay on time they find ways to mess you up.
My stock is crashing anyway so I am cashing it in, closing out all my card and never using them again.
We need to all go back to no credit. Why keep making the rich even richer.
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10-27-2009 @ 11:51AM
Sarah said...
This just proves to me how the whole "credit scoring" system is a total racket as well as credit card companies in general. You have no control over who is allowed to check your credit rating and every time there is an inquiry, it lowers your score. Why do banks put so much stock into something that is so easily manipulated? You can owe no money, never miss a payment on anything, pay all your bills on time and still have a low score!
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10-27-2009 @ 1:08PM
Robert said...
I recently made the decision to shred my credit cards and set up a budget that will allow me to pay off all of my debt in an accelerated manner. I am no longer going to pay interest on any purchases. If I cannot pay cash, I don't need it. I am building an adequate savings to backstop against unexpected expenses and to insure that I maintain 30 to 6 months worth of expenses in reserve. I am done with credit and borrowing against future earnings.
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10-29-2009 @ 10:04AM
everet said...
folks; R U so slow ? use some cash will solve all your problems!!!! OOOO U R on the 'dole eh? now i understand it all.popeople on welfare are 'bigger slaves' than in the past, stop whining some people are in wheelchairs or dying of cancer, "babies "GOT A LIFE & A JOB!! WRONG!! THERE ARE JOBS OUT THERE IF YOU LOOK!!!!
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10-30-2009 @ 5:15AM
Mandy said...
I totally agree with the post about credit scoring companies, why isn't there some kind of regulation and oversight of how people's credit scores are determined???
I just received a letter from CHASE saying they had CLOSED my credit card. The reason? Lack of use. First let me say I have excellent credit, a score of 790 to 800, never missed a payment, never late, never over the limit....none of this in 9 years. I have 3 credit cards, and only carry an on going balance on 1 of them. Now what do I get for being a responsible customer, a loyal customer who follows all the rules......I get my card canceled that I've had for 9 years, and with no notice either, was notified AFTER they closed it.
Now my credit score is going to plumet because of the idiotic way they determine credit scores. My score will drop because 1)my credit/debt ratio will plumet, as the card that closed was a 7,000. credit limit. 2)It was one of my oldest cards that was closed. 3) The company closed it, not me. So now I go from having excellent credit to God knows how low it will be after this. HOW CAN THEY LEGALLY DO THIS TO CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT AND BEEN PERFECT CUSTOMERS??? WHY CAN'T THEY REGULATE THE CREDIT SCORE COMPANIES TOO, THEIR STUPID WAYS OF MANIPULATING A PERSON'S CREDIT SCORE AFFECTS THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST WE HAVE TO PAY AND HOW MUCH CREDIT WE CAN HAVE.
Now I don't abuse credit cards, use them sparingly, why should we be punished for being responsible??? I try to pay cash for most things and only use credit cards for large purchases, emergencies, etc. Christmas is around the corner and my daughter is getting married in a few months.....so just when I need my scores to remain high and need the cash......I GET SCREWED!!!!!!!
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10-30-2009 @ 7:37PM
mike chatfield said...
I to paid my shell card ontime. I have been fighting with AT&T over a cancelled subscription. I wanted to pay the 2 months fine for cancelling early. What they refused to tell me that I would be fined 2 months or 140 bucks for the wifi card but also still charge me the full months bill and another months bill on top of it. Obviously I told them to pound sand. by the way their wifi card sucked. it would not stay connected to the wifi without being propt up with a towel under my pc. Very mobile huh. Long story short. Shell GAS Card canceled. I had had that card since 2001 and they said it was for negative remarks on my credit report. SCREW SHELL. WHAT THEY ONLY MAKE LIKE 42BILLION A QUARTER LAST YEAR. I WILL NEVER STOP AT SHELL AGAIN. BP DOES ME JUST FINE AND I HAVE BEEN USING MY DEBIT CARD LIKE I SHOULD HAVE.
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11-15-2009 @ 5:26PM
gasoline said...
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Reply
11-13-2009 @ 12:52PM
Connie said...
I will stop using my Shell credit card if that's the way they are going to treat customers. I had a similar problem with Bank of America. I have never been late, used it for gasoline monthly and small expenses and it was paid in full. Suddenly it was canceled. They said my income had changed. I have other credit cards that could have been canceled but they picked the one I had earned thousands of Royal Caribbean Cruise line bonus points with. I had been a loyal BOA customer for over ten years and was planning to take a cruise with my husband for our 30th Anniversary next year. I am angry with the bank and with Royal Caribbean.
I am going to pay off my other BOA cards and do business only with Discovery and American Express from now on. I hope other consumers reading this do the same. If many people unite, we can fight banks like BOA. We can show them that consumers can retaliate too. Congress is giving them till February to be good citizens and abide by fairer credit practices. I'm giving them zero time because they don't deserve it. I am also selling my BOA stock and hope others do the same so BOA "gets" the picture that we don't need them.
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