Thread: Union Plus

Back in 1989 I belonged to a union for about 6 months. During that time received a credit card offer from Union Plus. I applied for and received the card. I used the card off and on for a number of years, but had not had a balance on the card for quite some time when I received a balance transfer offer from them in 2007 for 4.9%. My husband had bought a truck on eBay, which was on another card so I transferred the balance to the Union Plus card with the 4.9% which was to last for the life of the transfer balance. This "bargain" lasted for a little over a year, when I received notice from them in Dec 2008 that because I was no longer a union member I did not qualify for the 4.9% rate and my new rate would be 14.9% and 28.99% for new purchase. (It took them 19 years to determine I wasn't a union member?) Needless to say, I transferred the balance off their card immediately. Here comes the rub:

My "statement date" is the 17th of the month. My "payment due date" is the 11th of the month. I had already made my December 2008 payment when I received the notice of rate hike. The payment was posted on 12/5. The pay-off was posted on 12/16. On Monday I received a statement indicating a balance of $76.00. The only "transaction" on this statement is a late fee of $15. I had to go online to get my statements since January, because none were mailed to me. According to the first statement issued after the pay-off I owed $27.50 in finance charges. The statement indicates the "previous balance" and "payments/credits" are the same amount. I made the pay-off the day before the next month's statement date, so where does this $27.50 come from? The previous month's charge for the entire month was $30.93.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I am livid over this. I have never made a late payment in my life and this statement says I'm 3 months late!

I'd try calling and working it out civilly with them first. I've had mistakes like this on statements before and usually they are eager to correct mistakes if I've been a good customer, which it sounds like you have been.

After that, there's the disputing method.