Complain about a product or service

First Premier Bank

The offer looks pretty good. "Your Gold MasterCard is Pre-Approved! 9.9% APR Fixed" the envelope shouts. Inside is an effusive offering that rattles on about the "premium benefits" and the attractive 9.9% fixed rate. For those with shaky credit, it sounds good -- no security deposit or savings account required.

Ah but wait -- what are all these fees on the disclosure statement?

• Account set-up fee: $29 (one-time fee)
• Program fee: $95 (one-time fee)
• Annual fee: $48
• Participation fee: $72 annually
• Additional card fee: $20 (if applicable)
• Transaction fee for cash advances: Greater of $5 or 3% of the cash advance

Oh but wait, there's more. There's ...

• Credit limit increase fee: $25
• Return item charge: $25
• Auto draft charge: $5/$9 per draft
• Express delivery fee: $25 for cards sent Express Mail
• Copying fee: $3 per item
• Internet access fee: $3.95

This almost looks like a satire -- as though someone sat down and dreamed up as many fees as possible for comic effect. Program fee? Participation fee? Account set-up fee? Since when are these normal credit card charges?

Just to prove it's all heart, First Premier doesn't charge the whole $72 participation fee upfront, it parcels it out at $6 per month. Even so, as we add it up the start-up fees would be a minimum of $178 and possibly more if the mysterious copying fee, Internet access fee, etc. were added on.

The kicker to this ludicrous scenario is that the letter gives no hint what credit limit the consumer has been "pre-approved" for. Those we've heard from have had limits of as little as $300. With a few hundred dollars worth of upfront fees, that doesn't leave much room for error. Naturally, if the account is delinquent for two consecutive billing cycles two times in any six-month period, the 9.9% interest rate suddenly becomes 23.9%.

Here's what Premier's customers say:

Jacqueline of Newportnews VA (08/18/08)
I went on line just to check out things.trying to see what my credit report was, First Premier Bank came up. Iwanted to see if anything would happen. when 250.00 came up Itried to delete my name, then alive person came up and she asked me to wait a moment that she would reduce the interst rate.

Ishut down my computer, thought that was the end of it. but i recieved a letter in the mail about credit card protection, and two days later Ireceived acredit card. I tried to call them on 8/18/08 to find the number busy allday. Idon't want this card, that's why Ishut down my computer.

Asof yet nothing, but they wont pick the phone so that Ican tell them that i don'twant it. thecard is for 250.00 but the fees are 179.00

William of Sterling, VA August 10, 2008

William of Sterling VA (08/10/08)
First Premier bank has reported 3 different things to my credit bureaus which has had a negative effect on 2 of them. In trying to contact them they do not have a valid e-mail address that you can use anywhere. I am currently in Kosovo in support of the US Army and do not have access to a phone, therefore I cannot contact them to have this resolved...

Economic consequences have been me paying a lot higher interest rates than I need to be paying and First Premier Bank has trashed my credit as well.

Richard of Eugene, OR August 5, 2008

Richard of Eugene OR (08/05/08)
I applied for a credit card to try and re-establish my creit, when the card came it only had a 300.00 limit and the next day I recieved a bill for 179.00 and I have not even activeated the card!

Chris of Bakersfield, CA August 2, 2008

Chris of Bakersfield CA (08/02/08)
I wanted a credit card I was just turned down by my own bank with a credit score of 657. I made a bad choice with First premier credit. The fact is the card comes in the mail all ready activeate! HOW IS THAT LEGAL do you realize if someone got into your mail box and KNEW that first premier did that that they could use it and steal your personal ID.

Another thing is canceling processing on the card I called and it makes me sick that I can't cancel a card a day or two after I applied for it they thought they were doing me a favor by taking 60 off of it. I still have to pay 119 I haven't even got the card in the mail. I am going to fight these guys tooth and nail I will close the account Paid in full with a Certified letter stating it and copies of everything so if they DO try to take me for ANYTHING else I will be ready for it

Someone needs to put them out of bussiness and SOON I VERY much want a attorney to contact me about this PLEASE if anything can be done I sent a Certified letter stating I did not want the card. it wasn't even 24 hours after I applied for it that I started to read the complaints I can't afford this card if there is anyway I could close the account without making it look bad on my credit report let me know.

I get paid min wage it hurts me a lot I have other bills I need to pay along with gas its just not want I needed I didn't realize they were bad I thought it wouldn't be that bad but from what I read it is really bad

James of The Dalles, OR July 30, 2008

James of The Dalles OR (07/30/08)
I just came back to a bill form these folks saying I owed them 202.13 for a visa card they say I opened.. I never talked to anyone there except to try and get this cleared up today 7/30/08. I'm sorry I gave them my social but didn't want to get reported to the credit bureau. They are checking into the charges and reported this as fraud and are going to send me an affidavit to sign..

After looking on the internet I can see that these charges are probably from the host of charges the apply to their card. It's a total catch 22 because I gave them my social and telephone number to get this cleared up and now I can't prove or disprove their contention that they had that info before the call today. I doubt they did, their was no one living at the address above during the time they say this happened. May 08.. What should I do now?

No damages yet unless they use my ss# for fraud or report me to the credit bureau.

Valerie of Milwaukie, OR July 27, 2008

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