XPost: uk.people.consumers 
 From: tsanford@nf.sympatico.ca 
  
 > This seems to be a typical strategy for companies these days. Make a 
 > "mistake" in their favour, and wait for people to query it. Some 
 > people won't query it, or will accept a half-baked solution such as 
 > having the extra charges cancelled at a later date, but not have the 
 > charges up to that time refunded. 
 > 
 > Cheers, 
 > 
 > Ross-c 
  
 Hi Ross. In reference to your comment about "Errors in their favour"; 
 I guess it's 'Caveat Emptor' all over again? 
 One just has to keep track of all these new fangled services. (I say 'new 
 fangled' because 50 years ago I was paid cash, weekly, in an envelope. 
 Nowadays it's electronic transfers and direct debit of funds deposited 
 automatically to ones account. I can check those accounts from my cell phone 
 if I want to!). 
 However to the point: For example our recent experience with Master Card 
 (Canada)! 
 Even though our CC statement is always paid slightly more than the balance 
 owing several days in advance of when due, twice, in recent months, I have 
 found minor additional 'interest' on my paper credit card statement! While 
 the amounts were almost neglegible a calculation showed that in one case, 
 for one month, it was the equivalent of about 2% per year on the balance 
 which had already been paid.. Since non of the CC interest rates quoted are 
 in that 'low' range and balance owing payments have always been made on 
 time, something clearly did not add up? 
 In both cases (two months in a row) I queried via the Toll Free contact 
 telephone number and they could not explain what the amounts were for and 
 each time cancelled them on the spot. 
 Some five years ago we accepted this CC at the offering of the issuer 
 (Canadian Tire Corporation), in place of a long held but rarely used 
 Canadian Tire 'Company Card' which we had obtained for 'emergency auto 
 repairs and the like' but had only used once in the preceding 15 years! 
 However since using the CC we have paid only one cent (that's one cent, not 
 one PER CENT btw). That minor computer miscalculation glitch on the 
 thousands of dollars that have gone through the CC account in some five 
 years, I will allow!). 
 Also BTW it is usually some 15 to 20 days after the statement is printed 
 that I receive the paper statement by mail, so with the payment due date 
 coming up in the meantime it is necessary to check using automated telephone 
 account access. I have tried to check how soon after printing the statement 
 is mailed; so whether this delay in receiving the paper statement is 
 deliberate or just inefficient mailing is hard to tell. It must lead 
 inevitably to more calls, at their cost, to their automated accounting 
 system as one gets closer to each monthly payment 'due date'? 
 So as  said "Caveat Emptor"; and I agree; just watch out for those extra 
 charges eh? 
 PS. Borrowing against a credit card is generally very expensive; typically 
 18% APR or more! It's much cheaper to borrow on a bank line of credit at say 
 6% and pay off the credit card each month, if you have to. keeping the 
 credit card paid up also leads to a 'good' credit rating. In fact the CC 
 company has 'extended our credit limit a couple of times without request by 
 about 27%. They now tell me that if I cut back to what the monthly limit was 
 previously I must leave it that way for six months! Hmm? That's just making 
 Change cards, get another card or prepay into the card so as to have a 
 credit on the card before going on a major trip? 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)