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• 30,000 consumers weigh in on abusive credit card practices

  Posted Jul 25 2008, 07:23 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Debt, Banking, Credit, Consumer Affairs
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  This post comes from Joseph S. Enoch at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.

  More than 30,000 consumers have deluged the Federal Reserve Board's public comment system with opinions on the agency's proposed rules to addresses abusive credit card practices, according to the Consumer Federation of America.

  This is the second largest number of public comments the Federal Reserve has ever received, trailing the reform of the mortgage brokers, said Travis Plunkett, legislative director for the not-for-profit federation. The public comment period ends Aug. 4.   Read More...

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• Floating due date snags Chase, Citibank customers

  Posted Mar 18 2008, 10:03 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Debt, Banking, Credit, Consumer Affairs
  Rating:

  This post comes from Joseph S. Enoch at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.

  Consumers complain that Chase and Citibank are routinely changing the due dates on their credit card statements from month to month, often making customers with automatic payments late -- saddling them with late fees and higher interest rates.

  "(Citibank) moved my due date to cause me to be late and give them the ability to charge a late fee and move my rate from 3.99% (for the life of the balance) to 24.44%," wrote Jeff of Noblesville, Ind. "I have always paid electronically on the 24th. ... It sent my monthly bill for Citibank from $211 to $495.”

  While exact numbers are difficult to quantify, ConsumerAffairs.com has found numerous complaints, some going back as far as 2001. Consumer advocates say the banks' tactics are greedy, unnecessary and more than coincidence.   Read More...

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• First National Card: Too good to be true?

  Posted Jan 10 2008, 10:06 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Debt, Spending, Credit, Consumer Affairs
  Rating:

  This post comes from David Wood at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.

  While junk e-mail keeps us busy hitting the delete button, unsolicited advertisements and offers through old-fashioned snail mail also can sow the seeds of confusion.

  Not many do this better than a Nevada-based credit offer called First National Card.

  First National Card -- offered by both Consumer Credit Services Inc. and Capital Credit Alliance Inc. -- is one of the most confusing and complained-about credit offers anywhere.

  The two companies -- CCS and CCA -- reside in the same Las Vegas office building and offer the same products, but are owned by two different people. They generate numerous consumer complaints annually to consumer protection agencies, Web sites and just about anyone else willing to listen.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 3 comments) 2,009 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this