A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00, now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank.
Here is the exchange:
Family Member: “I am calling to tell you she died in January.”
Citibank: “The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.”
Family Member: “Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.”
Citibank: “Since it is two months past due, it already has been.”
Family Member : So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?”
Citibank: “Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!”
Family Member: “Do you think God will be mad at her?” (I really liked this part!!!!)
Citibank: “Excuse me?”
Family Member: “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.” (Duh!)
Supervisor gets on the phone:
Family Member: “I’m calling to tell you, she died in January.”
Citibank: “The account was never closed and late fees and charges still apply.” (This must be a phrase taught by the bank!)
Family Member: “You mean you want to collect from her estate?”
Citibank: (Stammer) “Are you her lawyer?”
Family Member: “No, I’m her great nephew.”
(Lawyer info given)
Citibank: “Could you fax us a certificate of death?”
Family Member: “Sure.” (Fax number is given)
After they get the fax:
Citibank: “Our system just isn’t setup for death. I don’t know what more I can do to help.”
Family Member: “Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. I don’t think she will care.”
Citibank: “Well, the late fees and charges do still apply.” (What is wrong with these people?!?)
Family Member: “Would you like her new billing address?”
Citibank: “That might help.”
Family Member: “Odessa Memorial Cemetery , Highway 129, Plot Number 69.”
Citibank: “Sir, that’s a cemetery!”
The Conversation ended here but I wonder if Citibank is still sending credit card statements and collection staff to this address.
Citibank: “Our system just isn’t setup for death. I don’t know what more I can do to help.”
And this is where it becomes obvious, complete, utter bullshit. Does anybody really believe that *nobody* has *ever* died with a credit card still active before? That no bank has *ever* had to deal with this in the last 50+ years when we’ve had credit cards?
That anybody would think this is funny is funnier than the joke.
The new address was too funny
it was the best part Infidel… personally I have went thru this to some extent… my parents both died and I had to deal with the estate or trust, after a year I choose to move into there home as my mother wished I would, in the transition, my step brother told me to get a PO Box and it would help with mail so I didn’t have to run over there for a year or until I actually moved.
I did, and moved, and before I actually got rid of the PO box, the post office miss delivered a credit card application, to which a PO box holder had filled out (most likely hoping another miss delivery to get the card). the card was never used, because it came to the right PO box, but it did take a death cert. to end the account. They gave my dead step father a $20k limit…
No matter how much north-americans are considered intelligent people, sometimes they act like portugueses without moustache…(I can kid them since I am portuguese from family origin):-))
Something similar happened when my mom died with a department store card. They no longer send bills, but there are still occasionally ads that get sent to her. (For frame of reference, she died in 1994.)
I’ve often thought I could have a really good fradulent legal case if I decided to sue them for mental anguish for reminding me that my mom’s dead or something like that. Not technically “true,” but if I ever need some quick cash…it’s a thought. 🙂
@ Derek’s comment…Think of the cost of printing and sending ads to people who have been gone for a decade and a half. Who obviously haven’t patronized the business in at least that long. Multiplied by all the different companies.
No wonder costs keep skyrocketing.
When my Mom died I just returned to sender with”Mother doesn’t live here anymore. My Father build her A MANSION.”