Death and Taxes

[Bullitt]

Reported in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle recently;

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die!

This is so priceless and so easy to see happening
- customer service, being what it is today!

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A lady died this past September, and MBNA bank
billed her for October and November for their annual
service charges on her credit card, and then added
late fees and interest on the monthly charge.
The balance that had been £0.00, now is somewhere
around £60.00.

A family member placed a call to the MBNA Bank:

Family Member:

'I am calling to tell you that she died in September.'

MBNA:

'The account was never closed and the late fees and
charges still apply.'

Family Member:

'Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.'

MBNA:

'Since it is two months past due, it already has been.'

Family Member:

So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'

MBNA:

'Either report her account to the frauds division or report
her to the credit bureau, maybe both!'

Family Member:

'Do you think God will be mad at her?'

MBNA:

'Excuse me?'

Family Member:

'Did you just get what I was telling you .... The part about
her being dead?'

MBNA:

'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor.'

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member:

'I'm calling to tell you,she died in September.'

MBNA:

'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges
still apply.'

Family Member:

'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'

MBNA:

(Stammer) 'Are you her lawyer?'

Family Member:

'No, I'm her grandson'

(Lawyer info given)

MBNA:

'Could you fax us a certificate of death?'

Family Member:

'Sure.'

( fax number is given )

After they get the fax:

MBNA:

'Our system just isn't set up for death. I don't know what more
I can do to help.'

Family Member:

'Well, if you figure it out, great!
If not, you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care.'

MBNA:

'Well, the late fees and charges do still apply.'

Family Member:

'Would you like her new billing address?'

MBNA:

'That might help.'

Family Member:

' Heaton Cemetery, Heaton Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne Plot 1049.'

MBNA:

'Sir, that's a cemetery!'

Family Member:

'Well, what the **** do you do with dead people on your planet?'

MBNA were not available for comment when a reporter from the Newcastle
Evening Chronicle rang.