If This Isn't True, It Sure Could Be ~~

[The Conch Man Past Goumba President & BigFrank's Cigar Buddy! Find all posts View Profile Close The Conch Man]

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die. This is so priceless, so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today.

Scenario:

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 when she died, but now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank.

Here's the exchange between the two:

Family Member:
"I am calling to tell you she died back 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?"

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."

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member:
"I'm calling to tell you, she died back in January with a $0 balance."

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

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 was given)

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

Family Member:
"Sure." (Fax number was given.)

After Citibank received the Certificate of Death by way of Fax:

Citibank:
"Our system just isn't setup for death. I don't know what more I can do to help or resolve this situation."

Family Member:
"Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. She won't care."

Citibank:
"Well, the late fees and charges do still apply." (What is wrong with these people?)

Family Member:
"Would you like her new address?"

Citibank:
"That might help."

Family Member:
"Odessa Memorial Cemetery, Highway 129, Plot Number 69."

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

Family Member:
"Of course, what do you do with dead people on your planet?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

We had similar problems when my mother died. The probate attorny posted the appropriat notices and sent the apppropriate letters out. What was deemed as reasonable bills where paid. Idiotic stuff like what's been described was disallowed. Proper notice of death was given in a timely manner according to the laws governing such events. We had a few similar conversations but none quite as humurous as the one in your post.

I recall when my father died, there was a parking ticket that was unresolved. Eventually the sherrif's office called concerning the ticket and actually threatened to come arrest my deceased father. When I stopped laughing I told them that he was now residing in a small town 300 miles away. They said he'd have to pay for the cost to retrive him if they had to go out and get him. At that point I almost had to be picked up off the floor. When I settled down enough, I told them they'd better bring a shovel and plan on spending a good part of the day explaining to the local sherrif in that county exactly why they were exhuming my father without a court order. There was a long silence and at that point I said, "I thought so" and hung up. We never heard back from them again.