cancel credit cards before you die

[briggie]

This was reported in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle recently.
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> Be sure to cancel your credit cards before you die!!!
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> This is so priceless and so easy to see happening - customer service,
> being what it is today!
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> A lady died this past September, and MBNA bank billed her for October and
> November for their annual service
> charges on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the
> monthly charge.
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> The balance that had been £0.00, now is somewhere around £60.00.
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> A family member placed a call to the MBNA Bank:
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> Family Member:
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> 'I am calling to tell you that she died in September.'
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> MBNA:
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> 'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.'
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> MBNA:
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> 'Since it is two months past due, it already has been.'
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> Family Member:
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> So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'
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> MBNA:
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> 'Either report her account to the frauds division or report her to the
> credit bureau, maybe both!'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Do you think God will be mad at her?'
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> MBNA:
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> 'Excuse me?'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Did you just get what I was telling you .... The part about her being
> dead?'
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> MBNA:
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> 'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor.'
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> Supervisor gets on the phone:
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> Family Member:
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> 'I'm calling to tell you, she died in September.'
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> MBNA:
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> 'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.'
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> Family Member:
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> 'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'
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> MBNA:
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> (Stammer) 'Are you her lawyer?'
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> Family Member:
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> 'No, I'm her grandson'
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> (Lawyer info given)
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> MBNA:
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> 'Could you fax us a certificate of death?'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Sure.'
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> (fax number is given)
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> After MBNA gets the fax:
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> MBNA:
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> 'Our system just isn't set up for death. I don't know what more I can do
> to help.'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing
> her. I don't think she will care.'
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> MBNA:
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> 'Well, the late fees and charges do still apply.'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Would you like her new billing address?'
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> MBNA:
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> 'That might help.'
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> Family Member:
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> ' Heaton Cemetery , Heaton Road , Newcastle upon Tyne Plot 1049.'
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> MBNA:
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> 'Sir, that's a cemetery!'
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> Family Member:
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> 'Well, what the f*** do you do with dead people on your planet?'
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> MBNA were not available for comment when a reporter from the Newcastle
> Evening Chronicle rang.

[tezzer]

yep sounds about right , i had the same sort of thing happen when my dad died, i phoned his mobile phone company to inform them of his death and to cancel his account, they said i cant close his account, and that he would have give them permission for me to cancel the account, a short delay while i had a laugh, the guy said what's funny, i said you are you thick twat, did you hear what i said, he is dead, i said poke the account where the sun don't shine and hung up.

never heard anything after that call,

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

slightly from the other side,ie the supplier not death lol.

we were waiting 3 months for a deceased customer's solictor to send
in a death cert so our finance team could process a refund on an order.

frankly i could have cancelled it first day and funds would have gone
back to his card and surely his estate, but needed proof to send a
cheque to the solicitor. my department must have spent hours over a
few minutes every day as the order kept flagging up it needed resolve.
all we could do was keep adding notes, 'as below' or 'waiting lawyer'.

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by tezzer

yep sounds about right , i had the same sort of thing happen when my dad died, i phoned his mobile phone company to inform them of his death and to cancel his account, they said i cant close his account, and that he would have give them permission for me to cancel the account, a short delay while i had a laugh, the guy said what's funny, i said you are you thick twat, did you hear what i said, he is dead, i said poke the account where the sun don't shine and hung up.

never heard anything after that call,

When my Father died in 1994 he did not leave a will and virtually everything was in his name rather than joint names with my Mum as was the way with older folk.

When registering his death I was given a Probate Advice leaflet by the City Council and I sent out almost 30 letters and obtained four certified copies of his death certificate for use when dealing with banks & credit cards etc. With one exception a Bank who insisted on my Mother taking out an Affidavit to Access his Building Society Account I found everyone really helpful. I notified by telephone for pressing issues and always confirmed in writing using recorded delivery when sending out death certificates.

The Probate office in Nottingham were brilliant and fully advised me on my Mothers rights to avoid inheritance tax on the house as it was in my fathers name only. I returned his driving licence to DVLA, his hearing aid to the Hospital and sent letters to each hospital department he had attended to avoid next appointment letters being sent out to my Mum after his death.

His credit card with Allied Irish Bank was suspended by them until I obtained full probate with no interest charges being accrued from the date of his death.

Like many things in life if you are meticulous in following the regulations with the various departments such as the Inland Revenue and the Benefits Agency and you keep your cool they can be easy to deal with during a difficult time.

My brother agreed for me to handle all administration and I managed to have some small debts written off.
I even got an ex-gratia payment for my Mum on a holiday he and I were due to take two weeks after his death. I dealt with the Travel Insurance underwriter on the phone who on receiving a faxed copy of the death certificate came up with a way dealing with the refund swiftly and negociated a deal where I was able to take the holiday with a friend by buying back the cancellation at a special rate.

I think the key with these types of situations is to deal with a supervisor whenever possible and if you use the written word for most of the dealings you can avoid the spiral of conflict / anger that often results when you are emotionally involved.

Sadly there are people out there who try to avoid liabilities by using death as a solution to their problems and firms are often reluctant to act without documents such as death certificates and Probate Authority etc.

[Deleted account DD]

Well said Macabethiel

We had to deal with a death and estate earlier this year. I have to say most people were very helpful.

I think the problem with some call centres like Tezzers phone company you get some robot reading screen prompts with no interpretation.

I think the old fashioned statement is you need the organ grinder and not the monkey.

[Liam]

Originally Posted by daved

I think the old fashioned statement is you need the organ grinder and not the monkey.

And which button on the phone do you press to get the organ grinder? Problem is,reduced staff in most of these businesses make it almost impossible to reach someone with a few grey cells and an ounce of cop on. Wouldn't it be so easy for these organisations to just come up with a form xyz that you could ask for over the phone and fill out the relevant details and include a copy of any necessary certificates etc. They could even print it on the back of their statements,for God's sake. That would be a simple,common sense solution so is probably unlikely to happen anytime soon.