Dear Liz:
I came across your column discussing cardholders’ fears about canceling their cards. I thought I’d share my own experience.
So, I ordered something online using my credit card, which I’ve had since 1981. Unfortunately, the purchase was fraudulent, and I spent hours trying to resolve it.
When I finally managed to reach a customer service representative, communication was tough. She had a really condescending tone and told me I’d need to upgrade to a pricier version of the card. I ended up instructing her to just cancel it.
Interestingly, she then suddenly offered a $50 credit towards the disputed charge after flipping to another part of her script. After about 20 minutes of back and forth, she finally canceled the card because I insisted I no longer wanted it.
My credit score dropped by 4 points. I was a bit anxious at first, but honestly, after being with them for 44 years and paying thousands in fees, how I was treated made my decision much simpler.
Response:
I appreciate you sharing your experience! If this card was one of your main accounts or your credit score wasn’t strong, the consequences of closing it could have been more significant. Nevertheless, any negative effect tends to be temporary if you keep managing your other accounts wisely.
Dear Liz:
In a recent column, you suggested people pay their IRS taxes online. Have you ever done that? The options can be perplexing.
Last year, I tried helping my son pay online. Somehow, we chose the wrong tax type, and the payment went missing. He ended up getting fined for an overdue notice.
It took a while to correct the mess since it was held up for hours. Who has that kind of time? I think I’ll just have him mail it to me next year and hope for the best.
Response:
I can relate to the mistakes you mentioned, and I understand how annoying it can be to sort everything out. Still, mail theft and check fraud add their own layers of frustration.
It might have been beneficial for both of us to consult a tax professional beforehand, just to ensure we were making the right selections. They can also assist in resolving issues. The IRS has had staffing challenges and was struggling to answer calls even before the government shutdown, but tax professionals often have shorter wait times.
