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:

donna of pennington gap, VA July 28, 2009

i got a card fom these people i made my first payment, then came my second payment i sent them 25 dollars Not only did they get my payment early. They took out 22500. two hundred and twentyfive dollars. i have called these people, and wrote these people, i always make my payments on time please help me get what is mine, im on disablity and cant see how they can just go in my own banking account and take what they want.i hope you can help, thank you Damage credit worthyness. Limited crredit resources. Higher interest.

After the took out 225.00 from my checking i had cover 200.00 checks overdrawn i cant afford this and none of it is my fault,first primier say they did it and will fix it,this, but im consatantly getting phone calls telling me ive over spent, there crazy, they should only be able to take what the check says,

Judy of Saugus, MA July 23, 2009

I am complaining about a phone call I rerceived last night in regards to my credit card being over the limit. The man said I was to pay the differents then. I said i will not pay it over the phone. When I receive this months statement i will make sure it is paid up to my limit. He kept arguing with me saying it had to be paid and he wanted a date. I said when i receive my statement i will pay it. I also explained that if I went over my credit the card should have been declined not approved when I used it.

I also said I have never received a call like this before because usually if you are over the limit you people are getting the interest. I could understand if i did not pay a bill then you call looking for the money but when I haven't even received a bill which would be Augusts. Because I did pay July's. It is Harrasment! If I do receive another call about this I will bring your company up on Harrasment charges.

Eleanor of Brockton, MA July 15, 2009

Preface--a bit of recent history: I've taken over managing my elderly parents' (84 & 87) financial issues because they are too old to understand what is happening to them, too easily swayed by fast-talkers, and often forgetful about paying their bills on time. I've been cleaning up many messes, but the worst are with several major credit card banks (and AT&T). I'm still trying to resolve an account with a bank that agreed to a settlement a couple of months ago (after 6-1/2 months of negotiations and stonewalling), but they still haven't sent the promised settlement confirmation letter, and they keep promising me that a supervisor will call me "tomorrow," but tomorrow never comes. Also, their web site shows the account still open with a huge amount of debt on it--in spite of our having paid the settlement in full, while the bank rep was on the phone in a three-way call to another bank that was taking over the debt. My folks are so deep in debt (which I didn't learn until last November), that I can't imagine them ever getting out of it. They live on a tiny, less-than-half-of-the-national-average-household-income and their bills are larger their income, esp with medical bills.

My parents started abusing their credit cards ONLY after their rickety old trailer was demolished by a tornado, two years after the previous one was demolished by a hurricane. (The insurance was very poor in both cases.) They had no money to live on. (We didn't know that, either.) Those five cards were with Chase (the continuing culprit), Bank of America (three cards), and Discover.

The main story: Anyway, that's a huge long story, but I'm angry today about a "small" issue, which I'm mentioning here. We were spared the actual trouble, but I am sensitized by all the crap I've been dealing with re: credit card debt. Thank goodness my parents' mail is now coming to my house, where I check it out first, or they would have been additionally swindled by First Premier Bank. In today's mail, addressed to my mother is a letter offering an amazing credit card, and it contains the following paragraph: "Because we know that bad things happen to good people, First PREMIER Bank has created this card for those with less-than-perfect credit. So even if you've been turned down in the past, don't let that stop you."

Then it shows two "great" benefits, including a 9.9 apr on purchases (much lower than anything my folks have). Sounds great! However, I read the "Initial Disclosure" pamphlet -- something my octogenarian parents would never do, and they probably couldn't read the small print, anyway. These are the following fees: 95 Program Fee 29 Account Set-Up Fee 48 Annual Fee 84 Monthly servicing fee (7/mo) 20 Additional Card Fee (for spouse) And the Credit Line on this card is 250.00!!!

Thus, the first month leaves the customer with a 51.00 credit line, after that person has paid 199.00 FOR NOTHING. This is supposedly for individuals who already have trouble paying their bills!!! This slimy behavior preys on the elderly and those who aren't sharp enough to spot a scam when they see one. Oh, the document goes on to list other sleazy ways that the bank extorts money out of the unwary, but this post is already too long.

I tried calling them to complain, but there was no way to reach a REAL person, even by pressing "O" or saying "agent," "representative," or any of those usual methods of reaching a person. However, with the press of a button you can sign up immediately for the card. It figures. It just makes me SOOOO MAD! Sorry about the long story, but I think our government should REALLY CRACK DOWN on predatory lending practices. I read the summaries of the House and Senate proposals, and IMO they are as weak as (my father's phrase) "a fart in a windstorm."

Peter of Tucson, AZ July 15, 2009

Received email from First Premier Bank for credit card offer. This bank preys on people with lessz than perfect credit. Thier website says that you will recive at least a 250.00 credit limit. Adding up all the fees, and there are many... Program Fee = 95.00 Acct Setup Fee = 29.00 Annual Fee = 48.00 Monthly Service Fee = 7.00 per month or = 84.00 per year Internet Fee = 3.95 Acct Maintenance = 3.00 All this adds up to = 262.95 !!!! This before any purchases are made.

Jerrin of Phoenix, AZ July 14, 2009

I Have Got 2 differnt credit cards with same number from this Bank, And I have never even Applied for this Card, I donot understand Who gave my Address to them? And What should i Do If I Dont need this Card? Will I be charged For anything? Please let me know.

henry of roanoke, VA July 3, 2009

ask they do not call my work and they continue to do so...these calls could get me fired!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jill of Carleton, MI July 2, 2009

The month of May believing the card was paid off as I had done so and not used the card since started receiving collection calls. I asked what amount, 12.00 was my balance. The people calling were quite firm that it must have a payment promise for it. I received approx 3 calls a day for the first week and a half. Finally approaching payday I adv the rep i would call back the falling Thurs. They still pressed. I laughed and finally got someone that saw how silly Premier was being over 12 dollars w/ a cust that has been w/ them for years. So I did as promised (after receiving 2 more calls) and made the payment.

Now once again I was under the impression that the card was paid. I didn't use it again. Getting ready for vacation took accounting of monies avail and a ck of card balances. At this time I owed 6. June 17 we leave on vacation. We used the card for the next approx 2 weeks. We return home Tues I believe 6/29 or 6/30. We were in the door literally 10 min and our phone rings. A man on the other phone req me I was at the time getting 3 children in the house and settled. My husband advised him of our circumstance but that he would have me return the call asap. He had to repeat this 3-4 times. The rep told my husband that we owed 267 and change and that he had to have a promise to pay right now and proceeded to adv of cost and penalties. My husband for the last time adv him we had just walked thru the door he himself was not aware of status of my card and that he would have me call as soon as we were settled and hung up.

I called 7/1 spoke to a rep thought about req a supv right away but thought of the reasonable rep and thought I would give it a shot as soon as I started w/ the harassment over 12 in May she barked right back " well yes it was past due!" I realized this was going to go no where darn it I owed premier 12 and the 3 calls a day for 2 weeks were justified. I req a supervisor. I was surprised to be transferred fairly quickly. The supv introduced herself and I relayed the past 2 months of events to her. She apologized in a script sort of way and then lowered her iq to deal w/ me and talk to me as if I were a child quoting the card agreement. I was insulted and angered even more. I then raised my voice and became a bit sarcastic but hope that she still heard me. If not someone from premier please read this carefully. At the time of the late June call all we legally owed was 6 even the supervisor conceded that my next question to her was why then was the rep demanding and I do mean demanding the 267.00 total on the card 261.00 had just been put on it in the past 2 weeks!!! I had not been billed for it yet. He had nor right to demand full payment.

The supervisors only response was but you did get a bill for the 6. Now, my husband and I get offers from Premier weekly to get more cards from them offering us even more credit. Why the hell would we open ourselves up to even more harassment over 6 and 12 balances and be made to feel as deadbeats thank you but no. The only reason we don't close the existing accts is in today's financial climate we are adv to not close accts just to keep the balances dwn. Please someone from Premier contact me regarding this matter. I am sure corp can see this for what it is harassment over nothing amts to a long time cust.

William of Juno Beach, FL June 26, 2009

I opened a credit card account with First Premier with the understanding that the fees were exorbant. My intention was to use the account to build up my credit and use the card very prudently. I made the company aware of this fact and paid the 138 initial fees upfront. I paid 6 months of monthly fees in advance and did not use the card. When I started using the card I paid most balances in full in advance of the due date.

In the last two months I paid the minimums but in advance of due date. I recently got a call from Crystal and she said that I was overdrawn due to a backend fee that I was not aware of, by 13 dollars, plus a 29.00 overdrawn fee, for a total of 43.00. This (the 43.00) was immediately reported to all three credit bureaus. She said not to worry because First Premier would credit the 29.00 back to my account in 2 days. They don't charge for overdrawn fees on fees.

Ironically, one month prior I was offered a second card with identical terms. (percentage wise). I declined. So I paid 256 for a 200 credit limit and didn't improve my credit. I was sent a solitiation to purchase badges with my last statement/invoice and no mention of pending payment due.

Lisa of Beaumont , TX June 25, 2009

I have bad credit and signed up for the card to improve it. I was aware of all the charges and was not surprised when the first month's statement was over 240. I did pay it a few days late but paid in full. As soon as they got payment they cut off my credit line. They stated that with the 25 late fee I went over my limit. A week later I got a bill for 169! what? 25 late fee turns into 169! They say it is intrest on the fees. I thought they were not allowed to charge intrest on fees.

Rosalind of Bend, OR June 23, 2009

Thinking it would be wise for my wife of just over a year to establish credit following her bankruptcy and divorce earlier I asked her to sign the application for a Centennial credit card. Received the first statement with the following charges: Program fee 95.00, Account set-fee 29.00, Monthly servicing fee 7.00, Annual fee 48.00...total 179.00 at 19.90 % ...remaining available credit is 171.00

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