Help! I opened a credit card by mistake, what should I do?

[JakeRogue]

This is mildly embarassing, but this past Sunday I was at Homegoods purchasing some kitchen knives with my girlfriend (my first time in a Homegoods store I might add). The register lady kindly asked if I was interested in a rewards card, if I signed up I could get 10% off my purchase and then I accrue points on future purchases. I have tons of rewards cards with different stores (I'm referring to membership and loyalty cards, NOT credit cards), so I said, "Sure why not!". She asked if she could borrow my license as it's easier to type in my name quickly, I did not object. She asked for my email and I gave it to her. She gave me this little thing to sign, and I signed it.

Not 30 seconds go by and I look behind her and see a poster advertisement that Homegoods has a credit card which offers 10% off your first purchase upon approval of the credit card. I ask the lady if that's what she meant by rewards card, because if that's the case I'm not trying to sign up for a credit card. But then her register prints a receipt, and it has my name, DOB, and it says I'm approved for $2000 at 27.XX% for a TJX card or something while simultaneously she says, "Yes I signed you up for the store card like you agreed to."

I immediately tell her I want to cancel this application process, manager comes over, they call customer service on the phone, and long story short 45 minutes later they said I can cancel the account on my own but since I'm already approved, I can't undo the application...

1) So first thing's first. I acknowledge that I clearly goofed and was not paying as sharp attention as I probably should have. I'm very embarassed and my GF was shocked this happened too and she didn't realize I was signing up for the credit card either when we discussed what transpired over and over.

2) In my defense, I was feeling very sick when we went to the store. This could possibly explain my lapse in judgment/paying attention.

3) Is there ANYTHING I can do or should do? Or is it too little too late? I've already received emails from my Discover Credit Monitoring and Credit Karma about a new account opening in my name. I'm very angry that I opened this card but I'm assuming that it's just my own dumb fault and that I have to live with the consequence.

Any advice, heckling, trolling, or solutions appreciated.

[Anonymous]

It's a lesson for sure.  They ask me all the time the same question.

I'd write a USPS CMRRR letter to Synchrony AND to TJX Corporation AND the CFPB explaining that you were deceived into applying, were not told it was an application, and that the store representative may be violating Federal law by promoting a credit application as a 'rewards card'.

DEMAND that they remove the inquiry AND the account COMPLETELY from your credit reports in a certain amount of time (I'd give them 5 days, myself).

CC everyone on the bottom of the letters and let them know you retain your rights but are giving them a chance to fix things before you have to accelerate further.

[Adkins]

That's some shady crap right there!

+1 on what ABCD2199 posted!

[tcbofade]

....and when that doesn't work....you now have a new account. 

Seriously, if they'll undo what is done, that's awesome....and rare. 

If not, it's water under the bridge and don't lose any sleep over it.  These things happen.

[Anonymous]

I agree with ABCD though I would suggest this one change - send your letters USPS priority mail with delivery confirmation and not certified return mail receipt.

I always suggest this when filing disputes as all the CRA's and most all creditors use PO BOXES (even if it's a regular address your sending to odds are it's a rented box) and any mail requiring a signature cannot be left in a po box and is this handled differently than priority mail with delivery confirmation. With PM they can leave your letter while also giving you proof of & time/date of delivery which can be important for time limited rules around disputes. Also if you get the tracking labels in advance at the post office or order them for free online from USPS store you can include the tracking number in the header of your dispute letter which gives you greater legal weight as they can't claim to not have seen the letter when responding to you or fudge their dates to be within legal requirements to respond to a dispute.
You do however want to use CMRR any time you send payments.

You also want to include any CRA showing an inquiry for the card (EX or EQ or TU depending who they pulled) in the letter campaign, again being sure to use priority mail with delivery confirmation. Depending on how you plan to go about this you might want to save notifying the CRA's until you send your initial dispute to the lender and see their response, but frankly if your going to include the CFPB you should go ahead and mail the CRA's as well. Get a binder & buy/print a calendar, make copies of every letter you send including PM tracking receipt & file turn in your binder. Do not accept offers to dispute or view any information online, via phone or email. If they email or call you insist on postal mail - harder to make a mistake or be taken advantage of when you have a clear and traceable written documentation.

I wish you luck and feel free to pm me or post followup questions here. Unfortunately from a legal standpoint based on your description of the event it's going to come down to a matter of "do they want to make the effort fighting you?" in regards to will you succeed. Since you technically gave verbal concept to apply and signed the agreement they're covered, it'll be up to you to make the case of misleading & deceptive practices.

I'm attaching a picture of the tracking forms you want in case your post office sucks like mine and tells you they won't give you any or have them. They come in a 50 pack and are stickers with a built in receipt portion. USPS website store calls them "USPS tracking label"

[Anonymous]

Yeah the signing of the app was bad news. Very bad because you should never sign anything without reading it.

Still, if the rep misled you, you have an out. They should not be lying to people to get them to sign up.

[Anonymous]

True. From my time managing retail I can tell you it's rare to unheard of for survalience cameras to record audio in any area except the cash room so it will come down to he said she said as far as what the cashier told you you were applying for. Still the signature hurts but if you explain how she made it seem you were signing up for a store membership card and not a CC you've got a shot.

I think if you handle it all via tracked & documented mail and maintain the impression that you will be meticulous and persistent until every avenue has been exhausted they may very well give in just to get you to stop. Here's hoping.

[SBR249]

I'm not a lawyer but I think it may be hard to really nail them on the language used in the exchange for a few reasons:

1. It's probably not recorded, so it's a he said/she said kind of thing. 

2. "Rewards card" isn't really a term with concrete legal definitions. Technically, a credit card that gives rewards (which it sounds like this one does) can be a "rewards card" and it is possible that using such terms to promote the card isn't even against policy or regulations. 

3. You did sign on the dotted line. Regardless of what is said, you had the opportunity to read over the contract and see exactly what the terms are that you are agreeing to. 

4. (This is purely my speculation) There probably wasn't any deliberate intent to deceive since she gave you the contract without trying to conceal the credit provisions and she honestly answered your questions when you referred her to the advertised signs about the card posted in store. 

While I agree that it would be nice if credit applications can have an automatic cooling off period like cell phone contracts but I don't think it's common. Rather than coming out guns blazing, it may be better to be nice and polite with the bank and ask for a favor. After all, honey attracts more flies than vinegar. 

[Anonymous]

OP send me the card and I'll take care of everything. J/K

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I agree with ABCD though I would suggest this one change - send your letters USPS priority mail with delivery confirmation and not certified return mail receipt.

I always suggest this when filing disputes as all the CRA's and most all creditors use PO BOXES (even if it's a regular address your sending to odds are it's a rented box) and any mail requiring a signature cannot be left in a po box and is this handled differently than priority mail with delivery confirmation. With PM they can leave your letter while also giving you proof of & time/date of delivery which can be important for time limited rules around disputes. Also if you get the tracking labels in advance at the post office or order them for free online from USPS store you can include the tracking number in the header of your dispute letter which gives you greater legal weight as they can't claim to not have seen the letter when responding to you or fudge their dates to be within legal requirements to respond to a dispute.
You do however want to use CMRR any time you send payments.

You also want to include any CRA showing an inquiry for the card (EX or EQ or TU depending who they pulled) in the letter campaign, again being sure to use priority mail with delivery confirmation. Depending on how you plan to go about this you might want to save notifying the CRA's until you send your initial dispute to the lender and see their response, but frankly if your going to include the CFPB you should go ahead and mail the CRA's as well. Get a binder & buy/print a calendar, make copies of every letter you send including PM tracking receipt & file turn in your binder. Do not accept offers to dispute or view any information online, via phone or email. If they email or call you insist on postal mail - harder to make a mistake or be taken advantage of when you have a clear and traceable written documentation.

I wish you luck and feel free to pm me or post followup questions here. Unfortunately from a legal standpoint based on your description of the event it's going to come down to a matter of "do they want to make the effort fighting you?" in regards to will you succeed. Since you technically gave verbal concept to apply and signed the agreement they're covered, it'll be up to you to make the case of misleading & deceptive practices.

I'm attaching a picture of the tracking forms you want in case your post office sucks like mine and tells you they won't give you any or have them. They come in a 50 pack and are stickers with a built in receipt portion. USPS website store calls them "USPS tracking label"

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Thanks for the info! I didn't know that and it's probably cheaper than CMRRR