My long time bank, Bank One of Columbus Ohio, has apparently turned
over its credit card operations to First USA Bank as a result of its
acquisition by Bank One. As a result, they have changed the terms
of
my cardholder agreement to penalize any two late payments within a
consecutive 6 month billing cycle with and increase of the APR to 22.
99% !!! I encourage any Bank One card holders to cut up
their card
and write to the President and CEO of Bank One, John B. McCoy at 100
E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43271-0261 in protest.
Example 52
My name is Pat.
To keep a long story short this same thing has happened to me today.
I
received
my BankBoston statement and lo my APR went from 12.250 to 22.15.
I
have maitained my account since I applied for the card. I know
this is
not a First Card but I have had experience with this card also.
I
though BankBoston was a decent card until today. I could get
no
satisfaction from this company. I took your advise and submitted
a
complaint to the BBB. I am also going to my credit union monday
an
getting a loan to
pay of this card.
Thanks for your website and letting me vent.
Example 53
A few years ago, I started with First USA Visa because of the low rates.
... . but
when the six month introductory is over its all over. First USA was
doing fine with me
until a year ago when my monthly payment never made it to them until
two months later.
After dealing with their customer service agents I gave up and paid
the late
penatility. I have been in a "Fixed Interest Rate" at 13.9%, 15%, 18%
now I have a
"Fixed Interest rate of 21.99%. I am in the process of paying off the
card.
Example 54
In general Ive been happy w my First USA account and am fortunate enough
not
to have my APR raised drastically. However, sometimes my statements
seem
rather strange. One month I made several cash advances; I figured
it would
cost a certain percentage of the advance + the APR. They charged me
a $10.00
fee for every cash advance I made. So, if you're making one cash advance
of
$200 they'll charge you 10 bucks, and if you make 20 cash advances
of $10
each, they charge you 200 bucks in fees. That policy is probably
in the
agreement, but it makes no sense. Another problem was with
JCPenny Life
Insurance that a FirstUSA rep. tried to sell me. I said: "No
Im not
interested". They sent me a brochure in the mail anyway which
I threw out
wothout opening. Yet I still had to pay for 3 months of life
insurance
before I called up and cancelled what I never asked for.
Example 55
Feb 24, 1998
I currently have a First USA Visa, an Egghead Computer Store one, that
allows me to get gift certificates towards Egghead purchases.
I have
the card for about three years now.
About a year and a half ago, I decided to get engaged. Since my credit
limit was not enough (It was $2100) to buy a ring, I applied for the
Gold card version of the Egghead card because of it's $5000 limit.
About two weeks after applying, I was rejected on basis that I didn't
have enough revolving credit. No biggy, that's there prerogative if
they
don't want to give me a credit card, so I applied for another one from
a
different bank and received it.
A few days I called First USA to check on my balance, and the limit
on
my Egghead card had been raised to $6300!!!
This confused me to no end, but I accepted it and let it go at that.
Present time:
About a month ago I discovered that Egghead software is closing down
all
it's stores and just staying on-line. I decided that it was time
to get
a new credit card, so applied through the Fax for their Time-Life Gold
credit card, which works like the Egghead credit card. Yesterday
I
received a rejection letter from them. It told me that I didn't
have
enough revolving credit, insatisfactory accounts, and recency of
deliquency.
I checked my credit report, which I had received from the same credit
bureau they had used, and it told me I was late on one payment-my
student loan. Other then that, my other student loan, my six
other
credit cards (including the Egghead, which I have NEVER been late on.)
had perfect records! Since the two applications, I gained two credit
cards, went up 1.5 times in salary, and had my limit raised well above
the initial gold limit. In my entire life, I have only missed one credit
card payment? Why had they rejected me???
I know exactly why I had been rejected: I always get calls from First
USA asking me to sign up for something or other, and it can be quite
annoying (They call at all hours of the day; don't they realize I work?)
When I faxed the contract agreement to FIrst USA, I added a little
something to the bottom that stated First USA could not call me for
anything other credit card related business, and by sending me a credit
card they agreed to this. (The sending of the credit card would be
their
agreement)
Basically, all I wanted was a credit card without the harassement;
instead I get a rejection notice with more rejection reasons then the
last one. I interpet this as First USA wants to harass their customers
rather then issuing them a credit card and making money.
I just applied for a Chase credit card; hopefully they will be better;
I
will cut up my Egghead credit card as soon as it arrives.