SUBMITTED: Saturday, February 05, 2005
POSTED: Saturday, February 05, 2005
I have had several credit card companies, including Chase recently, to unnecessarily increase my APR. They always, always, say it is because of the credit report.
MY solution, and suggestion, has worked so far.
1. I NEVER refuse to pay what I owe. I immediately contact the company and advise them that I dispute the increase and discuss lowering it back, if they refuse and if needed, follow up with a letter advising them that if they do not lower my interest rate back to where it is suppose to be, and has been, I will discontinue paying. Also, in this letter I advise them NOT to contact me by phone at my home or work and to contact me by mail (also by mail I am able to keep record of my repeated offers to settle the debt by paying what I owe but NOT excessive, unjustified increases in interest rates). When I send the letter, I include their credit card and tell them to close the account. I DO NOT keep using their card or continue to possess it.
2. I send letters to the credit bureaus (all of them) stating the credit card company name and account number and to specify on my report “this account is in dispute”. That way, when you stop paying them anything, it will not count against your credit report because the account shows “in dispute”.
3. When you receive a pass due notice, AGAIN write a letter advising the situation and that you will be glad to pay it when they reduce the rate back and credit your account for the excessive increase already charged.
4. When, or if, you receive a letter from a collection agency at the very bottom, probably in small, or smaller, print it will state something about if this is a dispute to advise them within thirty days – DO IT. Write them a letter briefly explaining the situation and include a copy of the letter you sent to the company the first time. KEEP this letter saved, if possible, you will probably use this letter several times to different collection companies. When one sends you a notice and you respond, the credit card company will give it to another and they will send you one (I have received notices from about four different collection companies in reference to the same credit card company).
5. FINAL – I always respond willing to pay what I HONESTLY owe the company. I refuse to pay any late fees, over the limit fees, or anything that is a result of the excessive, unnecessary and unjustified rate increase. If they will reduce the rate and/or settle on the original balance at the time it all started - I will pay.
I presently have three companies, Chase Credit Card (Wilmington, DE) recently, Advanta Bank Corp. (Salt Lake City, UT) that started back in September 2003 and People's Bank (Stamford, CT) that started back in July 2000. I haven't paid anything, it hasn't counted against me and IF they ever sue me, I have records and records of where I have repeatedly tried to pay what I owe them but THEY will not cooperate.
May check where you live for the legal advice but here, THEY HAVE TO WIN A CIVIL SUIT IN COURT BEFORE THEY GARNISH YOUR CHECK OR FORCE ANY TYPE OF PAYMENTS.