Bob Mount: Exercise caution with credit cards

Twenty months ago, my wife Janie signed a contract with a local establishment that provides in-house exercise equipment.

She was advised that as a charter member she could cancel her membership by paying a $50 cancellation fee. After several visits she began experiencing some pain, consulted her orthopedist and was advised to stop using the equipment. He wrote a note to that effect.

She showed the note to the person in charge, paid $50 in cash to cancel her contract, and assumed that would end her association with the establishment. It did not. The outfit continued to bill her (our) credit card company for services neither being used nor wanted. The charges were rejected, and she began receiving letters from the company’s bill-collecting agency requesting payment.

The necessity to contact the credit card company each month to deny the charges became aggravating. She wrote a certified letter to the agency explaining her position, requesting it cease billing her credit card, to address any more letters concerning the matter to her attorney, and provided his name and address. The addressee acknowledged receiving the letter, but failed to respond. Our credit card company, Capital One, was very cooperative throughout the ordeal and suggested that we close the current account and open a new one, which we did.

Meanwhile, letters from the agency addressed to Janie requesting payment continued to arrive and became increasingly hostile in tone.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was one demanding payment of several hundred dollars. That one, or possibly the one before, stated in words to the effect, “Failure to pay will result in notification of a credit agency and litigation requesting that you be ordered to pay your debt to the company, their attorney’s fee and court costs.”

Also stated was “We don’t intend this to be threatening.” Now, if that isn’t threatening there ain’t a dog in Georgia!

I gathered up all the bills, correspondence, and other documents pertaining to the dispute and took them to our attorney, Walter Northcutt. He examined them, picked up the phone, and made a call. He calmly stated the strength of Janie’s position.

Afterward, he told me they would consult with their legal staff and return his call. Later that day, his secretary called me and said that Janie would no longer be bothered by the company or its collection agency. Thanks, Walter, for a job well done.

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A friend of mine is a plumber. I won’t mention his full name but his nickname is Whoopee. Last Saturday I was having a problem with a commode.
I called my friend and asked if he would come out and fix it. He said he couldn’t because he was watching NASCAR races. I hope he never needs my snake removal services.

Bob Mount is emeritus professor of zoology and entomology at Auburn University and writes a weekly column for the Opelika-Auburn News.