Owe A Debt Of Ingratitude

(I have a major credit card from a well know company. I use it with pleasure for several years until I bring my business to another bank. Despite their customer care repeatedly confirming they had fixed the issue, somehow the billing department keeps trying to charge my old (and closed) account instead of the new one, so every month I get in my mail first a polite letter telling me their charge bounced, then a slightly-less-polite, then a more-than-slightly-less-polite and finally, a nearly threatening letter. I decide to cancel my card, so I call once more.)

Me: “Good afternoon. My name is [My Name] and I’d like to cancel my card.”

Operator: “Sorry to hear that, sir. May I ask why?”

(I explain what has happened.)

Operator: “Sir, please let me check into the situation. We don’t want to lose you as a customer. I promise i will fix the issue.”

Me: “Thank you, but in the last six months at least 20 operators told me the same. I’m no longer interested in your service, so please cancel my card.”

Operator: “I’m deeply sorry for that, but let me please check it for you. We will find a solution.”

Me: “Look, I don’t want to be impolite but I tell it like it is: I’m getting quite tired of getting called a deadbeat by your company that apparently is unable to fix YOUR mistake. I already cut my card in half and placed it in an envelope. Please cancel it so I can send it back to you.”

Operator: “That’s fine sir. Glad to have had your business. Have a nice day.”

(10 days later I find in the mail a GOLD card from the same company. I called the customer care for explanation and it looked the last operator I spoke canceled my old card but gave me a free upgrade. They nearly begged me to give a try as they “fixed the issue” so I do a single transaction. One month later I got an irate call from a debt collector… Guess WHO requested their services?)