Peace of My Mind

Like you all, I have been inundated by countless banks, credit card companies, cable company, grocery store, you name it telling me how the virus is affecting them and our relationship.  They are all concerned.  They want me to know they care and will be there to help us all through this thing.  

Capitol One told me if I have a balance that I could choose not to pay it in April.  Quest Diagnostics (blood testing place) that if I needed to see them while this is going on, that I could come in the first hour they are open and they would get me right in (since, I presume, I am of an age).  Publix told me they were sanitizing all the carts and working less hours to do more cleaning.  Ally Bank told me my money was safe and, Hell, just for the fun of it, they'd let me trade stocks free of charge.  Now that I don't have any money or stocks left that's pretty neighborly of them.  Midwest Bank told me they were closing up the lobby all together to make it safe for me to make an appointment.  Each and every one of them told me how important my health, safety and well-being was to them.

And then, on March 23rd, I got one from Discover Card Services.  

Notice of Important Changes to your Discover Card Account Terms Now Available A Notice of Important Changes to your Discover Card Account Terms is now available for you to view at your convenience. Log In to View Forgot your login info? Retrieve User ID / Password Thanks for choosing Discover card.

I have two Discover cards.  One down here and one up North.  That way when I am up there I don't have to worry about them flagging it as a possible theft.  I have been a Discoverer for a long time.  I like their generous Rewards program and I have never had a problem with them.  When I got the above email I opened it up thinking they were going to give me a pass on Aprils bill, since I do have a balance with them.  Might be nice to direct those funds elsewhere, so I opened it up and here is what I found.


  EXPLANATION OF CHANGES TO YOUR CARDMEMBER AGREEMENT We are changing the Discover Cardmember Agreement.  Please read this notice carefully and keep it with your records. Late Fee. We are increasing the amount of your Late Fee. We are replacing the "Late Fee" paragraph with the following: - Late Fee. We will not charge a Late Fee the first time you do not make the Minimum Payment Due by the Payment Due Date. After that, if you do not pay the Minimum Payment Due by the Payment Due Date, we will charge you a Late Fee. The fee is $29, if you were not charged a Late Fee during any of the prior six billing periods. Otherwise, the fee is $40. This fee will never exceed the Minimum Payment Due that was due immediately prior to the date on which the fee was assessed. Returned Payment Fee. We are increasing the amount of your Returned Payment Fee. We are replacing the "Returned Payment Fee" paragraph with the following: - Returned Payment Fee. If you make a payment that is not honored by your financial institution, we will charge you a Returned Payment Fee even if the payment is honored after we re-submit it. The fee is $29 if you were not charged a Returned Payment Fee during any of the prior six billing periods. Otherwise, the fee is $40.



 The chintzy sons-a-bitches are upping late fees and returned payment fees.  A pandemic is sweeping the world and you crazy, bat-shit, shit-sucking bankers are taking advantage of the situation.  I'm fine.  I have income till I die but when I think of all the pay-check-to-paycheck families out there who are losing their jobs, or have one and no babysitters, and the thousands of other scenarios, all just as heartbreaking as the next, this kind of obvious, rampant gouging pisses me the hell off.  I remember Case's upping their gas prices on the day of 9-11.  Many, many, customers and consumers never forgave them.

This is a slicker way of doing it.  Same thing, just more covert.  How many times do we get these letters or emails and toss them in the trash because we learned long ago that it was just small print gobbledygook?   I attempted to contact them via an on-site messaging system they have.  But, of course, after 21 minutes no agents responded.  I could call but I don't hate them enough to put myself through that. 

As for me, I think I'll check the rewards on my other cards for a while.  I think Discover is going into hibernation. Be careful out there.  Scammers come in big and small sizes.  Shame on you, guys.