Complain about a product or service

Providian

Providian • Advance Fees • Credit Repair • Destinations Unlimited • Disputed Charges • Interest Rates • Late Posting • Late Refunds • Late Statements • Promotional Rates • Credit Protection • Unauthorized Balance Transfers --- News • WaMu Buys Providian • $300 Million Providian Settlement • Providian Chairman Out, Stock Tanks • Providian Settles Class-Action Suits

Providian made its money the good old-fashioned way -- on the backs of the working poor. It built its business on what is called the "subpar" segment of the market, customers whose credit records have a few blemishes.

Only problem is, the losses outran the sky-high fees and soaring interest rates and the house of cards came tumbling down in October 2001 and by mid-2005, Providian had been acquired by the nation's largest savings and loan, Washington Mutual.

But from what customers tell us, things haven't changed much at Providian, as the complaints in this section demonstrate. Here are a few of the more recent beefs ...

Daniel of Dover, NJ February 7, 2010

Last April we have decided to buy a house not knowing my credit score. I had notice that I own Providian Financial 890 which I don't remember owing this. So I decide to call the court house in Morris county,NJ give them all my information and Doc# that appear on my credit report. I have ask how should I paid this they told me to call the attorney, which I call right away they told me this collection had been closed a long time ago and they couldn't open this. So I told them how I'm suppost to paid this off, they couldn't provide me with more information. So I still have this on my credit and I don't know what to do... This account had been in judgement since 2005.

robert of houston , TX January 12, 2010

While living with my son and daughter in-law back in La Porte, Texas in 2007,I made a settlement agreement with Providian credit card over the telephone [spoke to a man who identified himself as Mr. Shon] for 1200+ approx dollars,payed in installments of 400+ approx dollars,for 3 months.I was told that upon payment completion that I would receive a certificate to show the credit reporting agencies. After speaking with Mr. S,I hung up agreeing to verify his credentials which I did [I called Providian directly]. And so, I called Mr. S back agreeing to their terms and I payed them off exactly as was told and instructed by Mr. S to do so .

In the meanwhile me and my daughter-in-law had a disagreement and I was asked to move elsewhere, and thus all of my mail was being forwarded to me. I never got any certificate from Providian forwarded with my other mail. Though I had no reason to suspect my daughter -in-law was throwing my mail out,I never received any "Certificate of Good Faith", as called by Mr. S. I had thought it possible it had got mistakenly tossed in the garbage as junk mail.My son is also named Robert.

So,I forgot the issue because I had assumed the matter closed,never heard from Mr. S again after that I had paid off the last payment.Now after over 2 years I start to get mail from a collector saying I owe 2,200 on my already paid by 2 years Providian debt!!! Well I threw it away figuring it was either a scam or something. I don't know what to believe at this point. Can you help me get to the bottom of this? I kept the post office money orders receipts for a long time,but finally I threw them out about 4 months ago.

Anthony of Bellmore, NY January 8, 2010

I paid off this credit card debet back in the late 90's. The company I work for does mobile advertizing in all 50 states I happened to be staying at a hotel in Portland, Or. thought also my home base was New York. Providian downsized my bill from 1743.00 to 943.00 pay-off. i sent in regular monthly payments for 9 months the last being 143.00. Then asked them to provide and release to all the credit bureaus, and close the account, needless to say computers weren't around at that time if they were I didn't obtain one till I returned to N.Y. back in 1998-99. Recently when I arrived at the room I rent in Nassau County their was a judgement slipped under my door with registered letter sliops from the post office.

I just happened to be working for the same advertizing company and just arrived from Miami, fl. 4- 4 weeks, Balt.Md. 4-four weeks, and 3 weeks in Phila,Pa. And I received a disturbing call from some secretary saying I owed providian 10,000.00 when I opened up the letter from the Nassau county Sheriff's office. I found out the case was in Supreme Court in Queens and filed in 2003. Not once have I ever received a notice or summones of any kind, nor where tere any affidavits of service attached to the court order. The attorneys Linda Schneider of Eltman, Eltman & Cooper 140 B'way N.Y.C. only had the date of the order, Providians file number, the day it was presented to court. And they sent to too my rooming house on Nov. 11th,2009 knowing very well that I was out of state. I sent a certified return receipt letter to both the Sheriff and the attorney' saying fraud was at play I paid Providian, and closed the account. I haven't heard anything at all. But hope to in the next few days, or weeks.

Gwen of Halifax, PA January 7, 2010

I just found out that this company is reporting on my credit report. This is not mine. it's my Husband's I was just added as a card holder. I'm trying to refinance a loan and this came up. I can't move forward until this matter is taken care of.

Lady of Aubrey, TX December 30, 2009

I had a Providian Bank credit card back in the 1990's and filed and discharged a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 1997 and included this credit card debt in with the bankruptcy that was discharged. I never knew that Providian Bank sold the discharged debt in bankruptcy to Pinnacle Credit Services in 2002 which is illegal since the US Bankruptcy Courts resolved me of this debt. I've never received any correspondence from Providian or Pinnacle since this debt was discharged in bankruptcy back in 1997.

Yesterday, 12/29/09, I received a letter from Laurence A. H., Attorney At Law in Hamilton, NJ that states I now owe this debt of 7,655.26 which has excalated since this debt of only 5,000 at the time it was discharged in Bankruptcy. The attorney I spoke with (Justin M.) states that the debt was opened in 2002 (after my discharged bankruptcy) which is false information because that is when Pinnacle Credit Services bought the debt (not when the original debte was established and opened with Providian Bank).

The attorney was very verbally nasty, mean and cruel over the phone and said that if I did not settle this outstanding debt by 8:00pm I would suffer the consequences. He shot off his mouth (without knowing all the facts) and stated I opened up another account with Providian after I discharged the first Providian 5,000 account which is ludicrist.

What bank if any is going to open up a 7,655.26 line of credit for someone that just filed and discharged all their debt in a Chapter 7 Bankrupcty, especially a creditor that just lost 5,000 in bankruptcy. If anyone knows of any help I can receive to resolve this matter I would be very grateful to you. I am trying to obtain copies of my Bankruptcy Schedules from the Bankruptcy Courts to send in to this attorney to prove I included this same Visa Account number with Providian Bank they are showing in their letter and that I never opened or ever had 2 accounts with Providian Bank.

Please help as even if I do provide proof it may not stop the harrassment or collection efforts in the future since Pinnacle Credit Services is this attorney's client he is representing. Thank you.

Tammy of Longs, SC December 16, 2009

I am being harassed by this company when I do not owe them anything. I do not know how they obtained my cell phone number, but they are calling me and upsetting me. I don't owe them anything, this so called debt was paid years ago. I suffer from a debilitating disease, this harrassment had caused me to experience undue stress and the complications of that are devastating for my health. My daughter called them and told them to stop calling me, they were very nasty to her. I have severe health problems and this harrassment is making me regress quickly.

I want this to cease, I do not owe any money to them. My mother paid this because I am unable to care for financial issues. This has been over 5 years ago and now out of the blue they are claiming I owe them. I do not know what to do. I do not want tis to lead to a episode and make me end up hospitalized again. I cannot stand any stress. I am suffering from an illness that cannot be cured, I have enough to deal with already. How do I get them to leave me alone. I can't deal with this stress much longer.

F. Mary of Marriottsville , MD December 11, 2009

This bill has is over 9 years old and has accomulated in excess of 5,000.00 from 1900.00 I feel as though i am being swindled with no satisfaction from this company. How can thy freeze my bank account without an order to me from the courts.

Katrina of Decatur , GA December 1, 2009

I was just aware of my credit report showing the old Providian account i had was closed, but not paid off. I paid that account off long ago. I just was alerted of this during the refinance of my house. I really need to get some contact information from Providian so that i can talk to someone. My credit report is messed up due to Providian not reporting to the credit bureau that the loan was paid off for 500 plus.

Bertha of Frisco, TX November 12, 2009

someone used my credit card last four didgit 2705 and purchased 900.00 on it and it wasn't me. I paid for this at 29-32% interest because Providian said I made these purchases but I never made thise purchases. They said they called a phone number 505-898-9161 and spoke to me but that was never my number . Shouldn't they have investigated this better.

Kevin of Dayton, OH November 10, 2009

Back in 1999, There was a card issued in my name in which I had'nt applied for, In 2000 I moved out of state and discovered that the card was being reported on my credit, at that time I contacted Providian and informed them that I never applied for a card. Thay then told me I needed to send in my I.D. and sign a signature card as well as produce another signed form of truth. After which it was determined not to be my signature and the account was suspended and deleted from my credit file.At that time a fraud alert was added to my credit file which still to this days reads the same as the day it was added.

Now all of a sudden the credit bureaus are reporting the same Providian bank Acct. as a judgement for 831 plus interest.So I contacted the Lawyer that filed the complaint and I was told that they no longer had the file and that all Providian Bank Assets were owned by Chase Bank now, I contacted Chase and they verified that I never had an account,debt or anything pending.I asked to send me something in writing for my records and informed me to file the documents with the court that held the judgement and that they would update the Bureau's to have it deleted out of my file.The courts informed me it could take up to 90 days to see the release on my report.

As of today I contacted the courts to inform them it has been over 6months and its still on my credit, the told me that along with the document I submitted the filing attorney needed to send a release also,I contacted the filing attorneys office again the same office that told me in May that I needed to contact Chase Bank and that they didnt have the file mysteriously now has the file and wants over 2k for the release letter.

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