I go Christmas shopping today and my JCP card was declined. I thought hmmm, this is odd. Then I use my debit card, declined. That's odd, I have hundreds of dollars in there. Last resort, use my Discover. Declined.

I get home to check my JCP account status. It says I'm past due. Hmm, that's odd, because I know for certain I mailed that check. Perhaps it got lost somewhere. So then I paid $100 toward it online with an online check.

I call the JCP credit company to ask why, he says my account is past due. Then I told him I just paid $100 online 10 minutes ago, and he told me that's not showing up in the system. I told him I HAVE THE CONFORMATION NUMBER and the $100 deducted from my checking account! He says he apologizes, but it's not showing up in the system - (isn't that what conformation numbers are for).

Then he has the gall to tell me if I go to the store and pay $25 minimum payment my card would be active again. WHY would I pay that when I just paid $100 toward it online and it's not showing up? That's $125, 100 of it not accounted for.

So that leads me to believe they DID receive my check and it didn't count.

I am thrown. Where do you live? You go on a date with a girl who lives in the Village, but on the other hand, you call it Greenwich Village, and gaining more points in that same column (the You Do Not Live in the City column), you shop at a JC Penny. Are you in Westchester or Danbury or where that groundhog pops up in Pennsylvania, maybe?

Call back and ask to speak to a manager. There's no guarantee you'll get a different explanation, but there is a possibility. If you don't, find out how you can file a complaint with JCP headquarters (which you may be able to do on line). You will get this resolved, and with an apology. So, never take the word or explanation of a low level rep. Demand to speak to a higher up. You'll likely get satisfaction, and an explanation, without much delay. Good luck!

You're over your limit.