Junk Mail
We must get three calls a day from companies hoping we'll refinance our mortgage with them (we will not, thank you. Don't call again). And at least three or four "invitations" to take on a new credit card (which we're not interested in). But at least they get our names right. But imagine you're a US Army vet who gets a credit card offering addressed to "Palestinian Bomber." You open it up and it's the same damned letter you've gotten a million times before, extolling the wonders of Chase's credit card services, and opening "Dear Palestinian Bomber." And when you call Chase to complain--vehemently, I'm hoping--and provide your ZIP code and invitation number, the cheery voice at the other end says "Yes, Mr. Bomber, how can we help you?"
Mr. Bomber's name is Sami Habbas, he's lived in the US since he was 3, and he is rightly appalled and hurt. Chase bought the name on a list from some other vendor, and is "regrets the error," as the newspapers say. An apology, contrition, and a year of finance-charge free credit card charges seem in order to me. At the least.
Mr. Bomber's name is Sami Habbas, he's lived in the US since he was 3, and he is rightly appalled and hurt. Chase bought the name on a list from some other vendor, and is "regrets the error," as the newspapers say. An apology, contrition, and a year of finance-charge free credit card charges seem in order to me. At the least.
posted by Madeleine Robins at 8:05 AM
2 Comments:
This is one of my best friends -- you can register land-lines or mobiles: (I think mobiles become eligible for salescalls this Fall -- nice way to use minutes, hmmm?)
http://www.donotcall.gov
You can also contact the credit bureaus to stop credit card junk mails.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/optoutalrt.htm
Or, better yet, I believe you can put a temporary freeze on your credit report to help minimize chance of identity theft. Only thing is you have to release the freeze if you sign up for a new card, a mortgage, etc.
That article made me laugh in commiseration. Reminded me how my dad signed us up for magazines using nicknames when we were little. Got mail in those names for the rest of our lives...
e of the sTools
It's scary when the Young get credit card solicitations. YG's eyes lit up with terrifying glee when she got one; "I can have a credit card? Coooool!" "No, you cannot have a credit card." Face falls. "Why not." "Because once you charge things on a credit card, you have to pay them back." Winsome smile: "Couldn't you pay them back?" "Sure. If you take over the mortgage." "You are no fun."
Big mean babyhead, that's me!
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