bad credit cards


	Glen writes: My complaint is with the Fleet Bank Visa. For the past 2 years, I've been a cardholder and had no complaints - 9.9% apr and no annual fee. I rarely open the paper statements as I do most of my transactions online and can view things there. However today, I opened up an old statement from about 2 months ago, when I first moved into my apartment, and within the pages saw the following. IMPORTANT NOTICES ABOUT CHANGES TO YOUR ACCOUNT We are changing your APR to the higher of either 14.99% or 13.56% above the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR. Now, the envelope in which this notice bore no markings that it contained an update to my terms and conditions, which in and of itself is unethical. Needless to say, Fleet no longer has a place in my wallet. My TARGET VISA has lower interest rates.

	Jeff writes: EmailAddress: erg@rmci.net Complaint: When I noticed my fleet credit card rate jumped seven points, from 8.99% to 15.94%, I thought I had failed to make a payment, exceeded my credit limit or somehow had damagedmy solid gold credit rating. It was none of the above, Fleet had simply raised my rate. Why? I was told it was because I had failed to notify Fleet not to raise my rate. I'm serious! The Fleet customer service person I questioned said Fleet had included a notice within one of my earlier credit card statements explaining Fleet planned to raise my rate unless I notified them otherwise. Since credit card cram bills are full of sales offers, I seldom look at anything other than my statement, including Fleet's rate notice. When I questioned why Fleet had raised my interest rate I was told it was because I hadn't been using the card. This is not a joke! In my thirty years of using credit cards I have to give this Fleet business tactic to screw customers the award for being the most unethical and ! deceptive credit card practice I experienced to date. With Fleet leading the way I'm sure others will follow this criminal behavior. The only way to stop these shenanigans is to file as many complaints as possible before other credit card companies adopt this practice.

	Ray Mercer Complaint: Fleet Credit Card is a rip-off issuer. They charge 15 dollars for same day service of online bill pay that most major issuers do not charge anything for. Shortly after transferring a balance i got a call that someone had tried to purchase luggage in N.J. for 1600$ they assured me that they declined the charge and were just looking out for me. 15 minutes later i got a call for protection service for the card and declined, the SOB'S added it anyway and i have been futile in getting answers why. STAY AWAY FROM FLEET, I am sorry and you will be too.

	Nelson Complaint: I've been a VISA Fleet cardholder out of Willmington, Delaware for quite a few years. They get check payment in full via mail and they have delayed in posting to account to charge late fees and interest. This was also done via computer with it being tranferred via bank account, but, still it was delayed until the next day to again charge late fees and interest. The 1st time they credited the account, the second they stated that it was company policy that if they rec'd two late payments within a year then they had to charge. Previously they were a company that charged no annual fee, however, they slipped that in a few years ago. Their customer service and customer appreciation has declined to the point where I am registering a complaint. I was treated rudely by one of their representatives, named Derek yesterday and will not tolerate this.

	Marie 26 EmailAddress: dmodet@cs.com Complaint: I have the Fleet credit card.I became disabled with a muscular Dystrophy I had credit protection and dept cancellation protection and filed for their dept cancellation because I am on SSI and SS and have M/D this happened while I was paying for their crdit protection well low and behold they will not cancel my dept with them because they say I am not totally and permanent disabled or they say my doctor missed the exact day or this or that wasent done right. Talk about deceiveing practices. I have been fighting this with them for awhile and they keep coming up with some lame excuse not to cancel my dept. Is anyone else out ther who has run into this kind of problem? If so feal free to send me an E-Mail

	Jeff Boise Complaint: My two cents.... When I noticed my fleet credit card rate jumped seven points, from 8.99% to 15.94%, I thought I had either failed to make a payment, had exceeded my credit limit, or had somehow damaged my credit. It was none of the above. Fleet had simply raised my rate. Why? Because I had failed to notify them not to raise my rate. (Confused yet?) The Fleet customer service person I questioned said Fleet had included a notice within one of my earlier credit card statements explaining Fleet planned to raise my rate unless I notified them otherwise. Since credit card cram bills are full of sales offers I seldom look at anything other than my statement, including Fleet's rate increase notice. When I questioned why Fleet had raised my interest rate I was told it was because I hadn't been using my fleet card. This is clearly a revenue-generating tactic by Fleet to take advantage of people who are trying to pay off their credit card balances. I must give this Fleet business tactic the award for being one of the most unethical and deceptive credit card practices I experienced to date. With Fleet leading the way I'm sure others will follow this criminal behavior. I've have always believed the market will correct these type of deceptive business practices, however, it appears big business are adopting deceptive tactics as normal operating procedures. Hopefully our representatives in congress are seeing this trend and will do everything in their power to acknowledge and reverse this trend.

	Sergio New Jersey EmailAddress: quietcp@aol.com Complaint: Last September I got an offer for a Fleet/Bank of America credit card with a 0 percent introductory APR on purchases until November 2005, "if you transfer a balance now.'' The offer didn't specify that I had to transfer a balance simultaneously with applying for the card, so when I did transfer a balance two months later Bank of America claimed that I did not live by the terms of agreement and charged me interest on purchases for November and December 2004 totaling $57. I believe the offer is deceiving and misleading. Its formulation is so imprecise that consumers can easily fall into the trap of deception through intended lack of clarity from BoA. The offer that I received does not clearly tie the obtaining of 0 percent APR "until November 2005'' to transferring a balance when a customer applies for the card. Usually, banks give you 1-2 months during which a customer can transfer a balance. Although I complained to a Bank of America customer service representative, he laughed when I told him that I plan to file a complaint with the Attorney General of the state of New Jersey, where I live. "We are based in Delaware,'' he quipped. Then I comlained to "Max'' a BoA supervisor, but it seems that the bank will continue to charge me interest and the "0 percent APR until Novemver 2005'' was just a siren's song. When I told "Max" that I will talk to a consumer rights lawyer, he abruptly ended the phone conversation. I don't think that this is fair. Sergio

	Susan Complaint: I opened a credit card with Fleet/Bank of America with a promotional interest rate on my balance transfers. In January they sent me a notice that they were going to raise my rates. I contacted customer service because according to their user agreement they would only increase the interest rate if I had paid any credit account late or had gone over my credit account with them or any other account. I have never done any of these things in the last 18 years (that was when I received my first credit card). I have a credit score in the mid 700's which I understand to be a fairly good score, but they said that they were raising my rates because I had another credit card with a high balance. The funny thing is that I had that credit card when I was offered theirs? I told the customer service rep. that I would like to opt out and just pay it down. I received my new bill and it has the HIGHER interest rate. The customer service girl said it was because I opted out and I sa! id I opted out to stop the interest rate from rising. She said I closed the account FIRST. Talk about going in circles. ugh....... What a bunch of unethical, fraudulent people!

	SB Illinois Complaint: I was issued a platinum card by Fleet Credit Card Services in 2003 with an 8.4% interest rate on the transfers (adjusting with prime) and 0% on purchases for 1 year - pretty good deal. I have never missed a payment, never been late. My credit history shows consistent on-time payments for all of my creditors - mortgage, car loans, and other credit cards - but I do carry balances on my cards and since the interest rate on my bank cards are all at less than 10%, I usually pay only slightly above the minimum required payment. In January 2005 I received a letter from Fleet (in process of merging with Bank of America) welcoming me to BoA, with one of those difficult to decipher terms documents that seemed to indicate that my rate was going to be significantly increased to 14.99% above prime. If they were going to raise my rate, why not state this clearly in the body of the letter? I immediately called Fleet to clarify my understanding that this was a change in terms, and if so, why my rate was being increased. I stated that if in fact my rate was being increased to what amounted to 20%, I would exercise my option to close the account immediately, preserving the right to pay off the balance under my current terms. The Fleet representative I spoke with reviewed my account and assured me that my interest rate was NOT going to be increased, my account was in good standing, & I had an excellent payment history. He stated the enclosure was about rates that would be charged if I defaulted or missed ! payments and clearly I paid on time, so no need to worry. Unfortunately however, I took him at his word - he either was grossly misinformed or he straight up lied. I opened my April bill from Fleet/Bank of America to discover my interest rate has been increased to 19.74% (my rate in March was 9.82%)!!! You can imagine my reaction - my interest had more than doubled! I contacted Bank of America immediately...I was informed that final transfer of the Fleet accounts to BoA had just been completed this week, and BoA could not see my history nor explain why the rate had increased, as the account "came over from Fleet" at this rate. Recalling the letter I received in January, my gut feeling was that I had just been screwed. I pushed BoA for a definitive answer - after all, this is their account now. I was put on hold repeatedly, bounced around to several different departments, disconnected twice, before finally being connected to a 'credit specialist.' This woman informed me in a cold, judgmental tone, that despite my timely payment history, my rate was increased because I should have been paying more that at or near the minimum required payment. I argued that the bank sets the minimum payment - if they wanted larger payments, why not raise the required monthly payment? She said they can't do that - why not? If they can raise the rate - they can change the payment requirement - but clearly, it is not to the bank's advantage to do so. I also pointed out that despite my history of making at or near minimum payments, Fleet had recently increased my credit limit by $3000! However, since I am unabl! e to prove that I had spoken to Fleet in January and therefore, did not exercise my option to close the account, I have no recourse. I pointed out I would have to be an idiot to accept these terms and certainly would not have done so if I had not been misinformed. My argument was met with stony silence and a subsequent refusal to adjust the rate. It seems obvious that my account with Fleet may have gone through a "portfolio review" during the merger with BoA - accounts generating higher interest returns increase the asset position of the bank being acquired so it is no surprise that I suddenly saw my rates increase during this merger. I suspect I am not alone. I believe these banking practices are intentional. The bank had access to my credit file, knows what debt I am carrying, what I pay cumulatively each month, etc. They took steps to increase my indebtedness by increasing my limit and offering additional no fee balance transfer deals. Then they used the flimsy excuse that my balances are too high & that I am only paying at or near the minimum required. But isn't that exactly what they most desire in a customer? One who pays on time, but carries a balance -- because don't customers like myself produce their biggest return in interest? Now, however, they are gouging me with this obscene interest rate, politel! y robbing me to the tune of several thousand dollars. They have also increased the purchase price of every item I have bought in the past with that credit! Recent news reports have warned that credit card companies would use missed or late payments, even on other credit accounts, as an excuse to raise your rate. But I had no idea I could be penalized because I faithfully paid at or near what the credit card company set as my minimum required payment. Credit card consumers, be very, very cautious. Credit card companies can raise your rates for little cause, and with the impending changes to the bankruptcy laws making it more difficult to discharge debt, know that many middle class consumers will be saddled with years of credit card debt - with little regard for the serious financial consequences to those impacted. Well, I finally got the message loud and clear - my husband and I cut up all of our cards and will focus our energies on eliminating them permanently from our lives. If you can't pay off your balances, don't use them. You cannot trust the industry to play fair - I have learned my lesson the hard way.

	Rhonda Breckenridge, TX Complaint_against: Fleet/Bank of America Complaint: I have had a Fleet credit card for several year which had a 0 balance on many occassions. Some time in 2005, I received a notice that my Fleet card would be changed to Bank of America. At the time, the Fleet interest rate on purchases was 9.9%. For the months of January and February of 2006, Bank of America has been slowly raising my interest rate. I received the bill today, for March 2006, to find that now the interest rate is raised to 17.9%. I of course contacted customer service and was told that interest rates are up and there is nothing they can do about lowering the interest rate on my card. I don't owe that much on the card. I will be cancelling it immediatley and I will never use Bank of America for anything again. I beleive this is stealing from consumers and we can't put a stop to it unless we warn others of these unfair practices.

	Dot Wisconsin Complaint_against: RBS (formerly Fleet card) Complaint: I received an offer with checks to transfer a balance at the low rate of 4.99% until the balance is paid off. I utilized this offer. Then ONE WEEK after taking advantage of the offer, I received another offer from your bank for 3.99%, same terms. This seems almost like a gloat "ha ha we got you at 4.99 and you could have had 3.99 na na na na". Being distressed by this "slap in the face" I called tjeir service department to see if the lower rate could be extended on my balance since I received it only a week after taking advantage of the 4.99% offer. I was told by a supervisor, Linell (employee number 20198) that there is no way to accommodate my request. Period. No empathy at all. Just blunt rudeness. And as for Linell, she was rude and unsympathetic with a harsh tone. Dot - former RBS customer