Woman Seriously Overcharges On Her Credit Card

Woman sues after receiving $287M credit card bill

Dec. 14, 2010


PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania woman who charged too many purchases using her credit card is now suing the credit card issuer for insisting that she pay the outstanding balance of $286,651,237.

The lawsuit filed by Pat Bottomly, 43, who might be shown in the accompanying photo, alleges the company used "terroristic debt-collection methods," in violation of the USA Patriot Act, while dunning her, family members and co-workers for months to collect on the debt.

Bottomly's attorney, said the bank issuing the card was negligent in allowing her to charge well beyond her $5,000 credit limit, $286,646,237 over the limit.

"It's not your typical scenario, where you'd expect if they were pursuing a debt with interest it would only go up," said her attorney. "It went up and down. I think they were trying to intimidate my client into paying the balance in full."

Bottomly acknowledges using the card to purchase resort homes in 23 different countries for $184,000,000; condos in several U.S. cities, including New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and Tyler, TX.; a Lear Jet for $3 million and a custom outfitted Boeing 747, with a movie theater, bowling alley, and pistol range, for $96 million. "It adds up fast," said Bottomly.

Bottomly's suit seeks $286,651,237, the same amount the bank says she owes.

A bank spokeswoman said the company is agreeable to working out a long term payoff, but needs for Bottomly to make an immediate payment of $125 million. Bottomly, who works part time at a Taco Bell in Tyler, TX, said she could not afford to pay more than $25 monthly or otherwise would be forced to file for bankruptcy. She acknowledged that she thought it was unusual when she bought her first penthouse apartment in Manhattan for $12 million, using the card. But the charge to her card was approved by the bank and she thought nothing further about it.

Bottomly, who enjoys traveling, then began acquiring resort homes in some of her favorite countries.