Where's my freaking pitch fork??????

[MrsBrady]

I just got my "new and improved" interest rate on my credit card, when we've missed NO payments.
The dollar amount of the interest charge made me want to fall over.

Where's MY freaking bailout!!!

[kentuck]

1. Where's my freaking Democratic Party?

that is permitting these assholes to do this?? !!

[dionysus]

4. they're doingt his now because the dems passed a reform law that goes into effect soon.

thats the thing with those assholes, what they are doing is shitty but perfectly legal. no one forces you to get credit cards.

[dionysus]

2. yeah, they're jacking up everything they can before the new law takes effect.

crooked bastards.

[MrsBrady]

3. yep

[8 track mind]

5. greedy rat bastards.....n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. Greedy rat bastards run this country. They are running it off into a ditch. nt

[8 track mind]

8. the Reagan era coming home to roost.

In my opinion, the Reagan era made it perfectly ok to be greedy.

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. "Greed is Good"

:silly:

[MrsBrady]

9. I was just so pissed, I had to get it off my chest n/t

[MrsBrady]

29. you have such a way with words

:hi:

[imdjh]

7. The theory is that they will jack the rates until they are undercut by other companies.

I keep getting this solicitation from something called "Jupiter Bank" and other banks I have never heard of. The rate is attractive and they promise that it isn't a promotional rate. I haven't sent off for one, because if it's the same kind of bullshit that Chase pulls, I don't need it.

[Statistical]

12. Wait until AFTER the reform bill goes into effect.

You can get a new card today, transfer a balance to them and the day before reform bill takes effect they jack your rate to 29.99999%

That is 100% perfectly legal.

However if you get a card after the reform bill takes effect and they raise your rate it is ONLY on new purchases.
Just need to wait the greedy bastards out. Changing cards right now provides no real protection.

[MrsBrady]

13. Luckily I'm almost finished with my BA, so we can get back to normal

We haven't charged TOOOO much, but more than I'm comfortable with.

I can't wait to get these dern things taken care of.
They can kiss my you-know-what!

[tridim]

10. If you're paying off your card electronically every month, beware..

Their computers know this and you will get flagged for a new-improved-upgraded minimum payment. They wait a few months to tell you about it after assessing all the penalties and fees for paying less than the new minimum. Just happened to me.

FUCK. YOU. CHASE.

[MrsBrady]

14. good tip....

I make sure to check it online quite a bit, though.

We are in the process of moving are checking accounts from Chase to a Credit Union.
You might think about that too.
I couldn't believe how nice the credit union people are....they even made a phone call for me. When was the last time Chase did that for YOU?

[tridim]

15. Chase has me by the balls

Even my mortgage ended up there after being traded 4 or 5 times.

All Chase does for me is call me several times a day to tell me I'm a bad person because I lost my job.

[sharp_stick]

17. I hate Chase

I can't understand their business model at all. It seems to be something along the lines of... Piss off as many customers as possible as often as possible and they will beg for a new card or mortgage.

I'm done with them as soon as my current card is paid off, I don't care what the hell they do in the meantime and I'm going to make damned sure they know it.

[sharp_stick]

16. Chase did this to us about a month ago

Then about a week after they sent the letter telling us about our new and improved interest rate (never missed or was even close to late for a payment) they sent us a letter asking us to switch to their fucking bank and consider switching our mortgage to them.

My wife convinced me not to send the reply envelope back with a big FUUUUCK YOOOOOU!!! written over it with a large sharpie. I had the thing ready to go. I still kind of wish I had of sent it. As soon as this card is paid off it's pretty much done time for Chase.

[xxqqqzme]

19. Chase did the same to me in July. I got a twofer

Jacked the interest AND lowered my limit, I wasn't even close to the original limit (I've had since I got the card 12 years ago). I had some unexpected expenses when my dad was suddenly hospitalized, then died. Travel expenses, hotels etc for the two weeks. Bastards. I wish I could pay it off faster but I do have to eat.

[MrsBrady]

30. awwww lol

I wish you would have sent that!
That sounds like something my husband would do. :)

[sharp_stick]

32. Believe it or not

This morning Chase called to see if we'd consider applying for another of their cards. Lucky for them my wife answered... After a short discussion she mentioned how dissapointed she was in Chases previous behaviour toward us how bitter a pill it was to swallow the interest rate increase on a debt that we have never failed to pay on time. She then told the very nice lady on the phone that that unwarranted rate increase was going to figure prominently in all of our future financial decisions.

She did that so much better than I would have. At least the woman listened to her, I think she would have just hung up on me. ;-)

[havocmom]

18. Right over here, by my sharpening tools. Yours is second to next for honing

Makins for torches are on the work bench to your left.

[hobbit709]

22. I want the tines dull and rusty

so as to inflict maximum pain on them when used.

[havocmom]

25. Oooooo, an ar-teest!

:rofl:

If using dull and rusty, looking for maximum pain, go for the belly.

[lonestarnot]

20. So did you just roll over and take eat that shit samich?

[Mari333]

21. they just raised my catastrophic care rates

the health insurance companies, that is. seems like they all want to get every last dollar out of the poor and ever declining middle class.
fuckers.
in the meantime, wall street is doing very well indeed.

[DarleenMB]

23. Which is exactly why I opted out.

The guy from Citibank kept trying to sell me on the 10% "rebate" and I informed him it was just the same old bait and switch or smoke & mirrors game and I wasn't having it. I told him at least 3 times to opt me out and close the account before he would finally agree.

I also told him flat out that Citibank took TAXPAYER money as a bailout and now that they had to pay it back they were gouging their customers who, in actuality, had LENT THEM THE DAMNED MONEY IN THE FIRST PLACE. You know what his response was? Something akin to "well that's why we raised the rates."

My payment history with them was spotless. I had somewhere around a $25,000 limit and they wanted to jump me to 29.9%. Just because they could.

Until Congress passes legislation reining these thugs in, there will be no end in sight. IMNSHO they should (a) be limited to a maximum 10% interest rate on cards and (b) be forced to run full credit checks on potential card holders and adhere to strict guidelines as to who and who cannot have one. Like they did 30+ years ago when Visa and MasterCard were first introduced. Back then we couldn't get a card. We both had jobs but no real credit history. NO one would issue one to us. Nowadays you can declare bankruptcy and the next day you'll have half a dozen cards waiting for you in the mail.

It has got to stop.

[tridim]

24. I love telling them that we bailed them out.

They obviously don't care, but it makes me feel just a little bit better. I also like telling them to cut their executive's bonus packages to save money and help their customers. I bet their call centers are getting an earful from everyone they're harassing.

Last week a collection agent from Chase told me that congress passed a law that said they MUST raise minimum payments. I called BS on the spot and after doing some research I was right. The law only says they have to let their customers know that minimum payments are a "bad way to repay a debt", but it doesn't say they have to raise the payment. Fucking liars. I can't wait to tell them about it next time they call. I have no reservations calling them liars on the phone.

[MadMaddie]

26. Pay it off and cancel it as soon as possible!

The only way these companies will get it is when they go out of business.

We should be promoting everyone to get rid of their credit cards and put the companies out of business. * yea I know a lot of people work for these companies but there will be other industries......

[MrsBrady]

28. it'll be gone soon

and good riddance.

this one is through HSBC, but they are all the same amount of crooked.

[bdamomma]

34. that would be great to see if people could really give up

credit cards, and see these companies go out of business, what crooks they are!!

[gleaner]

27. The credit industry has been shafting us ..

since Bush, and with his blessing. I read an article on what card holders could expect way back then and dumped every credit card I had. I knew there was going to be no relief while Bush was in office. I never thought it would get as bad as it has, though.

Citibank is closing all of their gas related credit cards regardless of payment history. I read an article on MSN about how one woman did not find out that they had closed her account until after she had filled her car with gas and went to pay for it.

I saw a post on this forum where OP had been notified by Citibank that his zero balance credit card which he had always paid in full from month to month was having its interest rate raised to 30% from around 10%. If he didn't accept the newer rate they told him they would cancel his card. He was righteously furious. They are schlubs. All of them, and I can see why you are angry.

[Brigid]

31. Cancel the card.

No pitchfork necessary in this instance.

[MrsBrady]

33. Yep, we are taking care of a few things as we speak

Then it will be a goner…

I don't actually own a pitchfork, living in the burbs, but my in-laws do for their large county garden.
I don't have any hay to move or clean out either.

But Lowes is just down the street. I'll be paying cash for this metaphorical pitchfork.