FIA Card Services

[muffin]

I got a letter from this company today... I did a lot of reading on these forums, but wasn't able to find anything that answered my question... they want a lot of money by a certain date, but the account numbers they provide are not my account numbers for any credit cards I have... does anyone know what that's about? Is the letter legit?

[Goldbug]

FIA Card Services seems to be legit. The phone # I have for customer service is 1-800-362-6299. Website is: fiacardservices.com

Address for billing inquiries is:

FIA CARD SERVICES

PO BOX 15026

WILMINGTON, DE 19850-5026

Hope it helps!

Goldbug

[Denita]

Did you have a MBNA account or BOA account before? I believe that FIA is a servicer for quite a few different cc or LOC's.

[muffin]

I have two BoA cards, but the account numbers aren't remotely close to what this FIA letter says. The letter isn't even signed, either....

[BUDDINSKI]

I couldn't believe it when I read your post, I have been all day surfing around looking for something on FIA Cardservices. I just got two letters exactly like yours. They referenced 3 acc#s that aren't even close to the acc#s on my cards. They are reporting 2 of these fake #s to the CRA's so I disputed and then I get a letter from them with yet another fake acc#. Also i had 2 cards with another Bank that I think FIA is reporting as BofA acc's but the #'s dont match those cards either. All have been charged off. I am so confussed and kind of wishing I would have just left these undisputed. I disputed because the acc#s were not mine and now I'm afraid I have opened myself up for trouble.

[Recovering Attorney]

FIA is the cc arm of Bank of America. They use dit to throw all the old MBNA and Fleet crap into, and now they use it for all their cards, I think; They routinesly change account numbers. Dispute in writing to them that you have no idea who they are ( if that is so).

[BUDDINSKI]

They can change acc#s just like that? Then they are reporting inaccurate info to the CRA's right? I didn't know who they were, they are reporting both acc's as BofA but there is no way thats correct. I have only ever had 1 BofA card. Looks like they took the 2 acc's I had with the other bank, added tem together, changed the acc#s and then called them BofA. Thats the only way I can figure the 3 bogus acc#s. The first letter was on BofA letterhead, 2nd was on FIA letterhead, both signed by the same person. They didn't ask for any money or anything and it didn't have any info about the acc's just the acc# and # to call them. They said if they don't hear from me in 2 weeks they will consider the matter closed.

[muffin]

The #s that FIA provided for me have not been reported to any CRA's , so I don't know what's up. All I know is that I never had any MBNA or Fleet acct's. Just BofA- those are on my CRs. My lawyer thinks that the bogus FIA accounts are very interesting. I almost think they're trying to scam customers for more money than they owing by scaring the sh*t out of them.

[BUDDINSKI]

I think those fake acc #'s are interesting also. It was really strange that the letters I received didn't include info from within the acc (Bal,Date's), just those crazy acc #'s. I think you are right about them trying to scam folks for money they don't owe. They report these bogus acc #'s and the CRA's "verify" every time, the whole thing is confusing and scary for sure.

[joei]

Those probably are not fake account numbers.

For one thing, FIA is Bank of America. FIA was a division of MBNA but they were acquired by BoA in 2006. Basically, FIA is BoA's credit card division. Now, when BoA acquired MBNA back in 2006 they changed a lot of account numbers for internal reasons. Account numbers also change occasionally whenever an account is upgraded to another. For example, if they do an internal upgrade from a Gold card to a Platinum, or Platinum to a World card, there will be a number change. Sometimes if you haven't been using a card in a while they will change the number over, issue you a new card and say they added a points program to spur usage. This happens regularly. Let's say you lose a card or it's stolen and you call and report it, what'll happen is they'll issue you a new card with a new number, but it's still the same account. Also, and this may sound strange, a number will change in the system but you won't receive a card with that new number until you're issued a renewal card. This will usually happen if they change a number for internal filing reasons and don't see a reason to send you a new card that reflects that number. Now, with all this number changing it'll all be under one account, because it still is the same exact account, just a different account number. So, say you opened an account and it ends in 1234, but for whatever reason they changed the number and it ends in 6789, when you call it'll all be under one file. It's really easy to understand and comprehend when you're working with the filing and credit card maintenance system they have, but can be a bit much to dump on a customer.

What likely happened is your number either changed over and you weren't issued a new replacement card, but their mailings will have the new number on it, or you were issued the card with the new number, thought it was a new account and discarded it. Or, and this happens occasionally too, they'll mail you something about your card and the mailing system has a "hiccup" of sorts and it has an older account number listed. I've seen people who have had accounts for as little as 2 years and they'll have a handful of numbers that the card account was listed under and they may receive a statement or promotion that has an older number on it.

Other things that rarely happen is that an account will have it's number change over, but for some odd reason both account numbers get sent to a CRA. I've not seen that occur much, but it has happened. Also, and this is a bit shady, sometimes you may call up to discuss something about your card and a rep on the other line will sign you up for a new card without your knowledge or approval, or possibly even by confusing a customer. I don't agree with this, and BoA does not condone this, but all of those reps have sales quotas to meet, and mostly unreasonable ones, and may do shady things to meet them, if only to keep a job, other times it's that extra 5$ they get for signing someone up for a card.

What I suggest is that if you're ever confused about a card or you receive a mailing about a card with a different account number, give them a ring or call the number on the back of your card, ask them how many accounts you have with them and even if they can give you the last 4 numbers of your other accounts or the last 4 numbers that your current card has been listed under.

[andres99pony]

Those probably are not fake account numbers.

damn, sounds like some bull-poop. n/m