Key Post MBNA are torturing me with phone calls over cc arrears

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helens

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hi.

Short version of this story.

I had an mbna cc with a limit of €1,400 balance is €1,200. They cancelled my card last year due due to me not making full payments as Im unemployed & broke.

Anyway they are torturing me with phone-calls maybe 6 to 8 times a day.

I paid €40 off it this month leaving arrears of €15 & simply am not answering the phone any more because they don't want to listen to my side of not being able to afford it etc,

Anyway after 6 missed calls from them today I decided to call them back and make my arrears payment of €15.00 with hubies lazer card and the automated service wouldn't let me saying ''due to the serious nature of you account you will have to speak to an advisor monday!

What does this mean? could they have forwarded my debt to a collection agency or something? and what would this mean? im really distressed.
 
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Re: mbna torturing me

Relax! They are going through their script. Give MABS a call and make an appointment and they will guide you. You owe a relatively small sum and it is unsecured debt. To be honest as long as you are repaying, albeit slowly, there is not a lot MBNA can do to you, which is why they are making all the phone calls.

You should also write to them offering a small monthly payment that you can afford and say that from now on you only want to communicate in writing. MABS is the next step though, you will feel a lot better after you have asked their advice.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

hi thanks for replying..yeah i have been in contact wit mabs last year & we got mbna to freeze late payments for 3 months then...
i have since let it slide a bit but ib always paided something even though its not always the min repayment.im just so so afraid of being taken to court or a debt collection agency landng.i wonder why the automated service wouldnt accepet my payment,would it be because my debt has been forwared on?or am i just panicing?
 
Re: mbna torturing me

You should try to make a repayment every month. Set it to something you can afford but be consistent. A debt collection agency won't break your legs or anything (that was a joke by the way!) and I doubt they would take you to court for such a small sum. Even it they do, the court will order you to pay in instalments you can afford; if you don't have the money not much can be done. Food and shelter always take priority. So relax, but don't agree to pay more than you can afford to get them off your back.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

helens said:
Anyway after 6 missed calls from them today i decided to call them back and make my arears payment of €15.00 with hubies lazer card and the automated service wouldnt let me saying ''due to the serious nature of you account you will have to speak to an advisor monday!!
what does this mean?could they have forwared my debt to a collection agency or something?and what would this mean?im really distressed
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Helen, Just to note I know your in a bad situation and MBNA are owed the money, however MBNA are well known for harrasing people for money, I have heard some horror stories from the UK and US on what they do to get in contact with people. And I have had a similar experience myself where a relatively small amount was owed and I was called on one occasion 10 times in one day, with the follow on of 2 text messgaes saying something on the line of call me urgently and also a number of voice mails. On one occasion they managed to contact me via the switchboard in work(even though I had never given my work number to them) and my parents house which I had not lived at in 2 years . Whilst in the process of making a payment arrangment with them, I also wrote them a letter regarding their constant calls and advised them not to contact me whilst in work and only to contact me on the numbers which they had for me. Sometimes I believe MBNA staff can loose the run of themselves when dealing with people who owe them money and the credit control dept takes more the attitude of a baliff or debt collector, calling from mobile numbers, private numbers, sending strange text messages, which can add to the pressure of people who already owe them money. I would call them advise them you are happy to work a payment plan and agree it and stick with it, after this the calls should stop!
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Can your husband help you out and pay the bill for you? Have you still got your credit card? You could change phone numbers so they are unable to contact you. You could try and sell something to repay the debt?
 
Re: mbna torturing me

hi thanks for the replys..well just an update..i rang them this morning to ask them to stop bombarding me with phone calls & to pay by laser the €15 of arears.Anyway the girl was horrible and made me feel like crying saying that i would have to make a payment of €55 to bring the account to date and i said well i though that i was €15 in areers & that the rest wasnt due till the payment date which is the 18th,she didnt appreciate me pointing this out and got snotier with me pointiing out how im always late with payments etc,anyway she took the €15 payment & mademt tell her when & how i would be making my next payment & that the bombarding phonecalls will not stop until lmy account is up to date.
my husband earns €580 per week which covers mortgage,personal loan and other small loan so there is just no cash in the house,we have a €500 overdraft which id be lost without although we dont be ''into'' it every week maybe only once a month.i no longer have the card & it hasnt been used since 2006.we live on very little every week
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Helens, Im sorry to hear they were so rude to you on the phone from my experience in delaing with them you really have to be firm and rude to them also, it appears to be the only language they understand. They can try and intimidate people and make people feel like children. I would tell them you are not in a financial position to make the payments. Ask them can you speak to someone in their payment arangement dept, they will ask you to complete a form and should eb able to arrange a minimum payment with you. IN regards to the agent telling you your always late with payment, reminding you of this is being snotty and unhelpful, there are a few nice agents working for them, but the majority are unhelpful and arrogant. Im not sure what training they get or what commision they are on to get the money in but they are driven by something! Just be short and firm with them Helen!
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Lilly2099 said:
it appears to be the only language they understand. They can try and intimidate people and make people feel like children.
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Thats spot on lily..like im in dyer straits over money as it is and im not avoiding them i try my best its just some times putting food on the table takes priority which i kow isnt mbnas problem,but why the nastiness?!
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Report them to the Gardaí for harassment. I would not let them away with that.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

bond-007 said:
Report them to the Gardaí for harassment. I would not let them away with that.
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Bond in my situation I actually threatened them with legal action, mainly on the based that they contacted me in my place of work without consent and without even having the number of my place I work. I actually felt like I was being stalked! The text messages they send are actually unbeliveable messages from a thing called MoneyAlert with no number attached that say ' we need to talk call me now with a number below' almost like a crazed ex!
 
Re: mbna torturing me

yeah there really freaking me out..they start ringing me from 8.30am & they go on untill 7.30pm..very stressful
 
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Re: mbna torturing me

I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties.

I realise this may not be much help to you if you haven't got the funds to do it but MBNA will probably settle for 50% of the debt without putting a black mark against your credit rating. My friend was able to settle with them on those terms.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

oh my God-Its now 8pm & im after getting another call from them..Saying is this helens,im calling from mbna & i said yes,why are you ringing me again,iv settled my arrears this morning & she just said ''oh right,i just see that'' and hung up,no apology for bothering me,nothing!!!GRRRR
john Rambo id love to do that But even €500 to me is like a lottery win
 
Re: mbna torturing me

helens, I see two issues:
1. You owe money that you are having difficulty in paying. All you can do is pay whatever you can whenever you can. Nothing else is possible.
2. MBNA are behaving badly. Do not let somebody else's bad behaviour affect how you feel about yourself. Whenever they contact you, say something short and simple and hang up. It might be "I'm dealing with it", but I would use a shorter and less polite expression.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Padraigb said:
helens, I see two issues:
1. You owe money that you are having difficulty in paying. All you can do is pay whatever you can whenever you can. Nothing else is possible.
2. MBNA are behaving badly. Do not let somebody else's bad behaviour affect how you feel about yourself. Whenever they contact you, say something short and simple and hang up. It might be "I'm dealing with it", but I would use a shorter and less polite expression.
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I agree, very short and very blunt. If nothing else you'll get a small bit of satisfaction from it..
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Tell the next caller you will no longer deal with them by phone and will only communicate with them in writing.

Then hang up. Follow it up in writing.

Then hang up on every further call they make. No anger or anything, just say that you've already advised them you will only communicate in writing so you're ending the call.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

A couple of months back I had a problem with these guys too. I had a pristine history with them and had forgotten to send in a payment one month.

Well to say the telephone calls came fast and furious is an understatement. Over twenty phone calls in an hour, voice messages you name it. And to top it all off in the same breath they are telling me I have an excellent account with them! How do you make sense of that??

To be honest I have never witnessed anything like it from a financial institution.

I have heard that the debt collection agency is far better to deal with.

Helen, a family member of mine went through the same scenario even though they had a debt consolation company working on their behalf and MBNA had been made aware of this. A very stressful time. Glad you got it all sorted.
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Thanks for all the replies & knowing im Not the only one helps.I really cant deal with these people anymore its to stressful having the phone constantly Ringing.Im just going to have to think of a way of getting the money to clear it.dont know how though.Like there really giving me sleepless nights
 
Re: mbna torturing me

Helens, honestly dont let the constant calls get you down. I would change my phone number and agina only contact them in writing. Just to note also if you call them from a private number as they can trace every number you call from and will also try and call you on this.
 
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