bad credit cards associated


	IWedRich Writes: Complaint: CitiBank who owns Associated Bank plays dirty. I have been an Ass. Bank credit card holder for several years, have kept my card in good standing and kept a low interest rate. In July 2003 I paid a large sum of money bringing my balance down, and therefore my monthly payments. I continued to use the card and then 8/28/03 I received a letter they were lowering my credit limit to $74.47 BELOW what I OWED!!! This immediately places my account in overdraft status, and they are welcome to charge bogus fees to my account. I immediately did a balance transfer and closed the account, was advised by another banking institution that this is illegal and usurious. Card holders don't often complain because they don't know what to do. She said they have heard of problems w/ Citibank in the past. I reported to the Federal Reserve and the Better Business Bureau, and now to you. If you have one of these cards I would suggest to get out of it as soon as possible, and others beware! -don't get involved w/ this company. What they are doing is unethical and dirty, and I am sure I am not the only one this is happening to.

	Scott Niksich 1547 W Stonehenge Drive Sycamore, IL 60178 EmailAddress: ilend1-san@yahoo.com Complaint: Regarding the Associated Bank / Citibank problem, Citibank does not own Associated Bank. Apparently, Citibank issues credit cards and manages the credit care portfolio for Associated Bank. My account with Associated had only one small problem that was corrected promptly.

	Frankie Burlington, WI Complaint: Obviously I am not alone in feeling totally butt-screwed by Associated/Citibank. Back in September of 2004, Associated CLAIMED I was late with my payment by one freaking day. Associated immediately (1) lowered my credit limit to just under what my balance was, and (2) set me in default (29.88 percent) by doing so. Fine, I immediately began to set aside more and more funds to go to Associated each month, well above and beyond what their minimum payment due was. Today I was making checks to send to my various creditors, and Associated was due this time around. My wife (who has an excellent handle on the family checkbook and is financially savvy) noticed that minumum payment, despite the fact that we were sending in MORE than the minimum, actually went UP. Upon further investigation, I noticed that (1) I was over the credit limit (amazing considering that I have not charged a bloody thing on this card since before May of 2004), and (2) they reduced my credit line by several hundred dollars. Obviously this was an attempt (and more or less admitted to by the Associated representative I had less than friendly words with) of keeping me in default, even though I have made payments in a timely matter and sufficiently above and beyond their requested minimum. Are the stories about Associated and Citibank true in regards to predatorary banking? HELL YES they are. This latest credit line decrease was NEVER communicated to me in writing, even though the phone representative claimed that the letter was sent before the statement was generated. (She is going to send me a copy of this letter, and I am very interested to see the actual date of the letter to see if her story jives). Aside from submitting complaints with the FTC and BBB (which I fully intend to do), I might also consider enlisting the services of Contact 6, a local tv station's consumer affairs service. Obviously the readers of this website know the ills of Associated; by getting this broadcast, it will let more people know why they should not do business with any Associated or Citibank-related entity. What really bites about this is the fact that my wife and I financed a furniture purchase last year, and the store contracted with--you got it--Citi Financial. Fortunately the terms of this deal allow a payment until September without any interest being charged if the purchase is paid in full. Believe me, it WILL be paid, even if I have to collect aluminum cans along interstate highways for the summer.

	simon mungecho wichita, ks, 67207 Complaint: I am just another victim of this scam and i have never had an associate visa credit card with this company as alledged by their collection company. Its totally disgraceful if they can just forward your name and contact to those collection agencies when you dont even have an account with them.I am just shocked to find out about after i received a letter from a collection agency attorney and i am sure the judiciary will follow up with this company and prosecute all those involved in this money laundering and fraud business.PLEASE any concerned law enforcement prosecutors follow up and catch these culprits before they hurt so many of us.If this company is not in operation any more, the govt can stretch their arm and pierce their coverup.Simon