MBNA e-lert
Around 7 months ago, I signed up for a program from my credit card company called "e-lert," which monitors one's credit report. When changes are identified, they send an email to the subscriber, alerting him of the change. I only signed up because it was free - this is not a service I would pay for.
Since I had two MBNA credit cards, I recently decided to consolidate them into a single account. Within two weeks of doing so, I received an email stating that my "MBNA Identity Theft Protection" (e-lert) had been cancelled "since
your account did not meet the required eligibility requirements." It then went on to provide a number to call "if this is an error."
I called the number, which turned out to be MBNA's regular customer service, explained the situation, and was transferred to "MBNA Privacy Assist." The CSR there began her spiel about how wonderful their (fee-based) program is, and I cut her off informing her that I was calling to re-instate my free program. She knew of no such thing, and suggested that I call MBNA back.
So I called MBNA again, and spoke to yet another CSR who had never heard of MBNA e-lert. He offered to research it, and I agreed. When he returned a few minutes later, he informed me that not only did no such program exist, it never had. I then told him that as certain as he was that the program didn't exist, I was certain that it did. I then asked him if he thought that all of the documentation that I have on the program with MBNA's name all over it is fake. When he found out that I had paperwork, he got very excited, and asked me to fax it to him. Hopefully I'll have a chance to do that tonight or tomorrow.
Despite the paperwork, and the MBNA name, he suggested that maybe the program had been offered through MC Assist, a program offered by MasterCard, and gave me their number. I know it isn't, so I'm not even going to bother them.
Meanwhile, I researched the issue myself, and found an old email from when I first signed up. It listed yet another number, which I called. The CSR had actually heard of the program, found a little information on it, but had no idea how to sign up, or who to contact for more information. She said she believed it was offered through MBNA's online banking division. Though relatively useless, her last comment jogged my memory. I vaguely recalled being offered this program when I signed up for online bill payments with MBNA.
I'll keep you updated.
UPDATE: Here.