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Hello all,
I wonder if any of you had problems with MBNA and its debt collector.
Recently I received a letter from MBNA for an existing loan that I had with them for the past 4 years. In their letter MBNA stated that my January direct debit payment could not be collected because my bank had declined the request and stated that there was no sufficcient funds. I called MBNA to clear the amount which was less than £250. But over the phone they began asking me so many personal questions I became suspicious. I said that I was just going to make a payment for an outstanding amount that they had informed me that it was not paid. They insisted that before I made the payment I should respond to all of their (so called) "security question" to identify myself. The questions that they raised were more than 9. I could understand if it was my name and address etc but the questions went beyond that. So I declined to answer any more of their questions and requested to know why they were making such demand for me to make a payment. I said "unless you colect data to sell my information to other parties you have no authority to ask me do many questions to identify me. When I first applied I only authorised you to ask me certain questions that were listed in your application form. Apart from those questions (which are 3) you are not authorised to ask further questions. I stated that I was willing to make a payment. You are forcing me to respond to rather personal questions over the phone and refusing to receive payment unless I answer all of them. How come?" MBNA staff insisted that "in order to identify you you need to respond to all the questions. This is for your benefit". I refused to accept and MBNA terminated the call.
Since then I was bombarded with phone calls day and nigh and received 72 calls to my home and mobile number from MBNA and their debt collecting agency (from India). I also received more than 30 letters. The calls were interesting, every time I responded the call they terminate the call without saying a word.
It was so disturbing I again called MBNA customer service and said that I wanted to make a payment. They refused to receive the payment unless I answered all their "security questions" to identify myself first. It was crazy. I began sending emails. 17 emails I sent. No response. Finally I wrote a letter to Watchdog and copied to MBNA. MBNA (Mrs GAIL POWELL gail1.powell@bankofamerica.com or customer-services@mbna-travel.co.uk) responded without answering my questions. Meanwhile my husband called the Customer service and said he wanted to make a payment into my account. He was not asked any questions and he was able to make a payment within few minutes.
I requested to know why this happened. MBNA said that my husband was not the account holder so he was not asked any questions. This was absurd because when I first phone MBNA I did not say "I want to make a payment to my account", I had just said (like my husband) "I want to make a payment in to an account ....which seems outstanding". I did not said it was my account.
Every time I made a complaint MBNA referred me to Financial Ombusdman. Unless Financial Ombusdman somewhat protect MBNA I do not see how on earth MBNA is so comfortable to refer a straight forward complaint to the FO. Meanwhile, I contacted my bank. They stated that there had been no such payment request from MBNA and no such refusal from the bank.
I am absolutely disgusted with MBNA who are INEPT, INCOMPETENT BULLIES. I would like to know if any of you received such harassment from MBNA and if you made a complaint to the FO. If so, what was the result..
Thank you:help:
I wonder if any of you had problems with MBNA and its debt collector.
Recently I received a letter from MBNA for an existing loan that I had with them for the past 4 years. In their letter MBNA stated that my January direct debit payment could not be collected because my bank had declined the request and stated that there was no sufficcient funds. I called MBNA to clear the amount which was less than £250. But over the phone they began asking me so many personal questions I became suspicious. I said that I was just going to make a payment for an outstanding amount that they had informed me that it was not paid. They insisted that before I made the payment I should respond to all of their (so called) "security question" to identify myself. The questions that they raised were more than 9. I could understand if it was my name and address etc but the questions went beyond that. So I declined to answer any more of their questions and requested to know why they were making such demand for me to make a payment. I said "unless you colect data to sell my information to other parties you have no authority to ask me do many questions to identify me. When I first applied I only authorised you to ask me certain questions that were listed in your application form. Apart from those questions (which are 3) you are not authorised to ask further questions. I stated that I was willing to make a payment. You are forcing me to respond to rather personal questions over the phone and refusing to receive payment unless I answer all of them. How come?" MBNA staff insisted that "in order to identify you you need to respond to all the questions. This is for your benefit". I refused to accept and MBNA terminated the call.
Since then I was bombarded with phone calls day and nigh and received 72 calls to my home and mobile number from MBNA and their debt collecting agency (from India). I also received more than 30 letters. The calls were interesting, every time I responded the call they terminate the call without saying a word.
It was so disturbing I again called MBNA customer service and said that I wanted to make a payment. They refused to receive the payment unless I answered all their "security questions" to identify myself first. It was crazy. I began sending emails. 17 emails I sent. No response. Finally I wrote a letter to Watchdog and copied to MBNA. MBNA (Mrs GAIL POWELL gail1.powell@bankofamerica.com or customer-services@mbna-travel.co.uk) responded without answering my questions. Meanwhile my husband called the Customer service and said he wanted to make a payment into my account. He was not asked any questions and he was able to make a payment within few minutes.
I requested to know why this happened. MBNA said that my husband was not the account holder so he was not asked any questions. This was absurd because when I first phone MBNA I did not say "I want to make a payment to my account", I had just said (like my husband) "I want to make a payment in to an account ....which seems outstanding". I did not said it was my account.
Every time I made a complaint MBNA referred me to Financial Ombusdman. Unless Financial Ombusdman somewhat protect MBNA I do not see how on earth MBNA is so comfortable to refer a straight forward complaint to the FO. Meanwhile, I contacted my bank. They stated that there had been no such payment request from MBNA and no such refusal from the bank.
I am absolutely disgusted with MBNA who are INEPT, INCOMPETENT BULLIES. I would like to know if any of you received such harassment from MBNA and if you made a complaint to the FO. If so, what was the result..
Thank you:help:
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