Late fees and charges still apply

[GalvestonDuck]

Just found this on snopes.com. It's validity has yet to be determined, but it's funny either way. I had to share.

http://www.snopes.com/business/bank/deadcard.asp

If you have ever had to deal with a major corporation's customer service then you will really appreciate this.

My aunt died this past January. Citi Bank billed her for February and March for their monthly service charge on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge...the balance had been $0.00... now was somewhere around $60.00)

I placed the following phone call to CitiBank:

Me: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."

CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."

Me: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections..."

CitiBank: "Since it is two months past due, it already has been."

Me: "So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"

CitiBank: "Either report her account to the frauds division, or report her to the credit bureau...maybe both!"

Me: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"

CitiBank: "...excuse me .?"

Me: "Did you just get what I was telling you.... the part about her being dead?"

CitiBank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor!"

(Supervisor gets on the phone)

Me: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January."

CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."

Me: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"

CitiBan k: ".....(stammer)" .... "Are you her lawyer?"

Me: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given... )

CitiBank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"

Me: "Sure." ( Fax number is given )

( After they get the fax. )

CitiBank: "Our system just isn't set up for death..."

Me: "Oh..."

CitiBank: "I don't know what more I can do to help..."

Me: "Well... if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her...I suppose... don't really think she will care...."

CitiBank: "Well...the late fees and charges do still apply."

Me: "Would you like her new billing address?"

CitiBank: "That might help."

Me: (Odessa Memorial Cemetery #345 Hwy 129, and plot number 744 given.)

CitiBank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"

Me: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?!!"

[GulfBreezer]

LOL!!! It sounds pathetic but things like this happen all the time!!

[TexasStooge]

LOL!!! It sounds pathetic but things like this happen all the time!!

LOL!

[stormraiser]

LOL Wonder if he had to think a second before he responded.

Me: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?!!"

[JCT777]

LOL! And who says you get rid of your debt when you die?

[opera ghost]

I Hate being the only Mrs. HB and being the only one level headed enough to actully deal with my mother in laws "bills". This is about par for the course. I posted these excerpts on a grief board a while back for some humor relief.... thought I'd reshare *grin* And I can promise this is all real.

Hospital: "Yes Ma'am I see your account. You owe (Approx 15,000) dollars. This account is over 60 days past due- how would you like to pay?

Me: I don't owe anything- don't you mean the estate?

Hospital: No Mrs. HB, you owe (Approx 15,000) dollars.

Me: I'm not Lisa. I'm Rebecca.

Hospital: Did you change your name?

Me: No. Lisa's dead. She died in your hospital. I'm her daughter in law.

Hospital: Well I don't see anything about a death in the system. Can you fax a death certificate or pay the bill? We will have to send it to collections if it goes past 90 days.

Me: (insert grumbling) She died in your flipping hospital- don't you have a record of it somewhere? (Takes number and faxes death certificate)

Hospital: No need to get beligerant ma'am.

Me: There's no estate. She died without a penny to her name.

Hospital: So?

Me: So... that's it?

Hospital: Which credit card would you like to use to pay the debt?

Me: Uh... I don't think you understand. No estate. She had nothing. She died under this hospitals care. I don't believe you can legally collect from the descendants if there's no estate.

Hospital: We take visa, master card, american express...

Me: What part of this aren't you getting?

Hospital: *static as phone leads over* Elisabeth HB?

Me: She's dead. This is Rebecca HB.

Hospital: I'm sorry we're not at liberty to discuss this account with anyone but the patient unless they sign a waiver. Would you like us to fax you a copy of the waiver?

Me: D. E. A. D. Ashes to ashes. Dust to Dust. Hail Mary full of grace. Last Rites have been said and she's currently residing in a nice urn. Patient can't sign anything if she's dead.

Hospital: No need to get beligerant Ma'am. Please have one of her children sign the waiver in her stead.

Me: Am I allowed to sign my own consent so that I'm allowed to see my mother in laws freaking billing records?

Hospital: That's highly irregular. We don't have either of her children as married in our records.

Me: Yeah. Tell me something I havn't already figgured out. Do you want a marriage certificate to go with your death certificate? Death Certificate Dated June 27. Marriage Certificate dated July 5. I've got my fax machine warmed up.

Hospital: Oh! You weren't related at the time of incurred charges or the time of death. Please have the waiver signed by someone who was related to her at the time of death.

Me *long silence* You realize that if I hang up this phone right now there's not a chance that you'll ever collect on this account- right? You can bill a dead woman into infinity- she doesn't care. I'm trying to help out here and I'm not getting anywhere.

Hospital: I'm sorry ma'am I can't help you without this waiver signed... patient privacy act an all. Perhaps have a relitive call about the account.

*insert the blessed sound of silence as the phone is hung up*

[wx247]

Those are so incredible. So incredible they are probably true.