BarclaycardUS Princess, cruiseline, VISA card SAILING INTO HIGH INTEREST RATES Wilmington, Delaware

You were late and had your interest rates increased.  Does it suck..of course.  But you are treated exactly how everyone else is treated..you are NOT that special.  These people probably heard the "family emergency" excuse a dozen times, and the "family emergency but look at my payment history" excuse a half-dozen times the same hour you talked to them. 

As for the new regulations you sure got fooled if you think the regulations were supposed to help the consumer.  If you were late before the law your interest rate could be increased, if you are late after the laws went into effect your interest rate could be increased.

But the best line is probably this one...

I have my doubts : This final payment  will arrive prior to the March statement & given the tactics credit card companies use to work around the new Congressional Credit Card consumer protections, Barclay bank will  apply it to the LAST month and assess me yet another late fee- it's what they do best.

- Paying before your closing date has NOTHING to do with the new laws.  Credit Cards have always had "Closing Dates".   Credit Cards COULD NOT and CAN NOT be paid in "advance", they are credited the day they arrive AND in the Statement Period they arrive in.  They are consideredd an "Open Account" and this is how "Open Accounts" work.

So if the payment you would make in March is truly your last payment, and you make it in the February Statement period you have nothing to worry about.  It is paid off and you are done.

However, IF you would have a payment in March even after this payment.  If the payment arrives in the February statement period and you don't make the March Payment because you "thought" you would be "smart" they would have every right to charge you a late fee.  So you may want to re-think your line of thought.

Oh and yes this is the same way that just about EVERY credit card works.