---

The following is taken verbatim from Thoughts on Freedom, the Australian Libertarian Society Blog.

---

Bank Late fees take on new meaning

If you’ve ever dealt with US bank’s call centre you know this story would be true.

A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00 when she died, but now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank. Here is the exchange :

Family Member: ‘I am calling to tell you she died back in January.’

Citibank: ‘The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.’

Family Member: ‘Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.’

Citibank: ‘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?’

Citibank: ‘Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!’

Family Member: ‘Do you think God will be mad at her?’

Citibank: ‘Excuse me?’

Family Member: ‘Did you just get what I was telling you – the part about her being dead?’

Citibank: ‘Sir, you’ll have to speak to my supervisor.’

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member: ‘I’m calling to tell you, she died back in January with a $0 balance.’

Citibank: ‘The account was never closed and late fees and charges still apply.’

Family Member: ‘You mean you want to collect from her estate?’

Citibank: (Stammer) ‘Are you her lawyer?’

Family Member: ‘No, I’m her great nephew.’ (Lawyer info was given)

Citibank: ‘Could you fax us a certificate of death?’

Family Member: ‘Sure.’ (Fax number was given )

After they get the fax :

Citibank: ‘Our system just isn’t setup 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. She won’t care.’

Citibank: ‘Well, the late fees and charges will still apply.’

(What is wrong with these people?!?)

Family Member: ‘Would you like her new billing address?’

Citibank: ‘That might help…’

Family Member: ‘ Odessa Memorial Cemetery , Highway 129, Plot Number 69.’

Citibank: ‘Sir, that’s a cemetery!’

Family Member: ‘And what do you do with dead people on your planet???’

The royal commission into Black Saturday will bring about a raft of changes to better protect communities in the future.

However, the government will have difficulty protecting people from themselves when it comes to the right to stay and defend one’s property. Whilst the landholder has that right, he also has corresponding responsibilities.

• In exercising that right, he does not have the right to put other people’s lives in jeopardy.  That includes his family as well as emergency service personnel.
• He has the responsibility to make provision for himself and his family against being burned to death.  That probably involves building a bunker underground away from the main house.  One couple died in their cellar with the house falling in on top of them.
• He has the responsibility to understand the properties of fire under extreme conditions and what precautions he needs to take  to defend his property against the fire.  Even those of us who have the CFA Minimum Skills accreditation can never be sure

A CFA Volunteer must be accredited before s/he can enter a fireground – why should it be different for property holders.  To exercise their right to stay and defend, they should be required to get accreditation from their local CFA Captain that shows:

1. The applicant has undergone the CFA Minimum Skills program
2. They have a designated shelter to survive in upon a blow-over of fire
3. They have a responsible fire plan to work to.

On the fireground, the incident controller has the authority of the Crown and must be given the authority to evacuate the landholder.