Advanta Bank BAIT AND SWITCH TECHNIQUES and POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE ! Salt Lake City Utah

Advanta Credit Card Company, Advanta Bank Corp Advanta jacks APR from 12.49% to 30.08% overnight despite Excellent Credit and Perfect Account History Philadelphia Pennsylvania

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I found myself the victim of Advanta's swindling ways of the old Bait and Switch tactics upon opening my statement and looking at the area where finance charges are posted. I started off at 0% on a balance transfer. I thought to myself - wow, this is great and after the introductory rate, they stated I would be at 7.99% APR. I thought this was too good to be true...and then after paying my bill online for several months, never being late even once, in September I noticed that my percentage rate went up to 20.9% percent APR. I guess this is the thanks I get for paying my statement on time.

I immediately contacted them about this, and of course, I get a generated response that based on my account, this is where I am at now. Well, this didn't sit well with me especially even after I stated to them that my credit rate is excellent and I pay promptly on time every month. The customer service person (by the way, situated in low-wage India) didn't care to hear about my complaint.

I promptly, called Advanta a few days later (getting another barely-English speaking customer service person) to get the address to make a final payoff of my account since they would not (by any means) lower my percentage rate. Of course, even with the threat of closing the account off, they didn't budge -- they probably here this threat often with no action since most people are stuck with high percentage rates with lousy credit. And threatening bankruptcy doesn't even phase them because most people don't follow through.

I went to Chase bank (where I have my bank account) to see what they could do for me. Well, I was surprised that they could easily do a balance transfer at an amazing 2.99% for the ENTIRE LIFE OF THE LOAN at LESS than the payment I was making at Advanta!!!! What's the catch I asked? No catch - just don't default on your monthly payment, and you're okay. Some banks are finally realizing it's better to get a lower percentage rate payment from a customer than nothing at all. Advanta will figure this out after the politicians bail them out.

I contacted Advanta and they gave me the final statement balance payoff. I even performed this BEFORE the end of the statement period. LO and BEHOLD, I receive a statement in the mail for a final $15.31 finance charge. Nothing like sticking it to the disgruntled customer. Well, I politely told the customer service person from India (not Indiana, USA) that I would like to dispute this charge since I paid the balance off at the balance that the initial customer service person told me. Of course, they wouldn't budge, and I demanded to talk to a manager. They promptly granted my request and the next person simply said they were sorry they were losing me as a customer and what they might do to win me back. Well, I stated, to give me a 2% APR and I might do it. A dead response was all i received. Well, they said they would waive the finance charge and they couldn't come close to that rate because it is based on "my personal information"...well, amazingly I said Chase Bank sure came through for me based on my excellent credit rating. Again, dead silence.

Well, a week later, they still haven't taken off the charge. I called again and another person from India said they couldn't do it. Well, after stating that I had already talked to a manager who told me they would take it off, the customer service person stammered, stuttered in broken English that I would have to talk to another rep. Well, after saying a few stern things to this person, they forwarded me to America where I talked to a rep in Philadelphia who was very helpful (probably because I could understand him and him, me)...and they said the finance charge would be taken off by the next statement. Only time will tell.

I would NEVER do business again with this company even if they gave me a 0% APR for 5 years! They are a sham and they lure victims in with low percentage rates and stick it to you later by attempting to make up the difference by gouging us with HIGH percentage rates based on nothing other than what they want to do!!

ADVANTA STINKS....they take ADVANTA-AGE of people!!! I told the guy from India that is what they should rename this horrid company. He actually laughed. They must have a better sense of humor in those countries than us Americans' do even if they don't have a pot to peel a potato in.

DEANO


Advanta Bank Corp
Phone: 800-7057255
Fax: 800-3524738

PO Box 8088
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19101
U.S.A.

Dean
Auburn, Indiana
U.S.A.