Household HSBC Watch

Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:47 pm      

February 01, 2005

David’s Bridal
Household Bank
Corporate Receivables

To whom it may concern (and I believe it concerns all of you),

We have been dealing with a problem for over two years now. It began with David’s Bridal, escalated to Household Bank, and then to the most objectionable person at a collection agency I have ever spoke to, “My name is not Lady. You will address me as Miss Shaw”.

We do want to pay legitimate debts, however this debt is not legitimate. Seemingly, no one is listening or willing to resolve. “You will address me as Miss Shaw” intimated Saturday, January 29 that if I don’t ‘Quick Collect $1,700+ within 15 minutes’, that the bank will take whatever measures necessary to get their money and mentioned my house. She said we had the “assets” and could send. We do not have that kind of money on hand.

What she said to me regarding the account caught me unaware and she was very adamant that I had to take care of the matter now. She said my name is on the account and to file charges on my mentally challenged daughter. She went on to say that she had just concluded a conversation with my wife, and was now giving me a chance to take care of things. I wanted to get more information from my wife to determine what “ Miss Shaw” was saying was factual. This is what I found. You could have found the same information if you tried.

David’s Bridal. There are two sales in question with our names attached. Neither of which we authorized.

It all started when our 25 year old daughter, Jennifer, opened an account at David’s Bridal and signed my name and then charged a wedding dress. This was not done with my consent or knowledge. My wife tells me she has been dealing with David’s Bridal on this issue for a long time, and at least trying to get this transferred into the daughter’s name. And now charges cannot be filed on our daughter who originally opened the account. She died December 28, 2004.

Then another daughter (Laura, three years younger), who is on Social Security disability because she is mentally handicapped, went into David’s and added another dress to the account. The store called my wife who told them in no uncertain terms not to sell the dress to my daughter---but they did. My wife talked to the manager who was no help and recently talked to someone in corporate—they say “too late”.

Our question is, “Why are we expected to pay for David’s not honoring our wishes?” We were sent a copy of the sales receipts and neither our signature nor approval was made on any of it. David’s personnel apparently wanted to show a sale—no matter what.

Household Bank. Apparently Household Bank handles the credit issuance for David’s Bridal. Our daughter Jennifer supplied all our personal information. “Miss Shaw” questioned how my daughter would have my Social Security number. I explained that my tax records are not locked up and maybe she got it that way. Also, as you may remember, until recently, medical bills and insurance cards clearly showed SS numbers. In any event, my wife told David’s Bridal not to open an account in our name, but in our daughter Jennifer’s name. She assumed that her wishes would be honored. They were not. My wife did not know the account was in her name and then through “Miss Shaw”, I found that my name was on it.

My wife did ask Household to send a receipt, which they did. It was evident that it was not our signature, but our daughter Jennifer had signed with our name, but not our consent.

Now to address the David’s Bridal experience with our other daughter Laura. David’s Bridal called my wife (at work) who told them not to sell Laura the dress. They did so anyway and the put the dress on the account that was supposed to be in Jennifer’s name and not ours. We had no idea that the account was in my wife’s and my name until all the phone calls started coming. My wife told Household what happened and nothing was done. We are sorry that David’s Bridal wanted to make a sale that I feel they acted illegally. My wife went to David’s and spoke with the manager, who said the dress had been put on our charge and therefore was ours. She knew that my wife had told them not to make the sale, but Laura told the salesperson something different.

Corporate Receivables. My wife got a very rude phone call Saturday, January 29, 2005 from the same “Miss Shaw” that I had to listen to. She tried to tell the lady that the account had been opened without our consent and thought the account was originally opened in Jennifer’s name, and tried to tell this collector we had been trying to get someone at David’s Bridal or Household to resolve the situation.

My wife told David’s not to open an account in my daughter’s name, but they opened an account in our name after finding our daughter’s credit was not good enough. Now this unresolved account is a black mark against our credit. She said she told them not to open the account in her name and they did anyway because our daughter’s credit wasn’t good enough. We did not authorize or sign for credit on our daughters’ dresses

My wife tried to tell “Miss Shaw” the rest of the story how our other daughter, Laura, who is mentally challenged, went in and bought a dress and put in on the same account. My wife also restated that she told the lady at David’s Bridal not to sell my daughter the dress and they did anyhow. My wife also told “Miss Shaw” that our daughter Jennifer had just died and according to my wife, “Miss Shaw” started raising her voice and threatening my wife. She wouldn’t listen to anything said.

My wife was so upset and shaken that she had to call our older daughter (whose wedding dress I did pay for) to come over and help calm my wife so she wouldn’t have a stroke. She does have a medical history of them.

The fact is that if David’s Bridal and Household had not opened an account, this would never have happened and we would not be in this mess. We do want this to be resolved, and would like to but I’d prefer to deal with David’s or Household. We did really try.