Big bank hit with allegations of bad credit card debt practices
Credit cards are a normal part of life for many people across the country, including those in Georgia. Some use them to pay bills, others use them to build credit, while others simply enjoy earning points that can be used to purchase vacations and other goods. Having access to a credit card is beneficial to people in a number of ways.
Unfortunately, banks and credit card companies don’t always treat their customers how they should be treated. That is the allegation in a recent lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase & Co. The largest bank in the United States allegedly violated consumer protection laws related to how it collected credit card debt.
Imagine the shock felt by some victims of these practices when the company tried to collect from people who did not owe money, had paid their debts off already, or who had gone through bankruptcy and had their debts wiped off their record. The complaint alleges that JPMorgan used “robo-signing” to collect debt that consumers did not owe.
Employees of the company pointed to a number of problems, including:
- High turnover.
- Widespread mistakes.
- Faulty training.
- Quotas that were unrealistic.
The bad practices of the company are said to have harmed consumers and created financial challenges for them. These issues include consumers having a harder time obtain gainful employment and qualify for loans. Whether credit card debt and its effects are legitimate or not, there are options available that may offer you immediate relief. An attorney can help explain those options.
Source: Reuters, “JPMorgan sued by Mississippi AG over credit card misconduct,” Jonathan Stempel, Dec. 17, 2013
