February 23, 2005

Dealing with Credit Card Companies

Found this one via a link at Gut Rumbles as well.

What to do when you are maxed out on a high-interest Credit Card:

Credit Card Rape
No longer enjoying the double digit screw courtesy my credit card company, I decided shave a little interest rate girth today.

If you are likewise suffering, here is your way out:

Call the 1-800 numbah on your bill. Punch in the necessary coded array of buttons that gets you to a live person, then say this: “Hi I need to speak with an account supervisor to discuss closing my account.”

No, you can't pay off your card. Yes, this is a bluff. The people who answer the phone cannot authorize an interest rate reduction, and they will only hand you over to a supervisor if you threaten to close your account.

Supervisor gets on the phone, and after giving your name and account number, you will embellish the bluff, “Yes, I need to get a ten day payoff amount and close my account. I'll be switching to a card with a lower, fixed rate.”

This is when they get friendly.

Read the rest — Key then outlines how she got lowered from 27.9% APR to 7.996% Fixed. Nice to know if you are in that position…

Posted by DaveH at February 23, 2005 11:44 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Livid I was when I saw that fig!

I hate to think that there are people out there paying such a crippling rate.

Thanks for stopping by, and for the link, Dave. ; )

Posted by: Key at February 24, 2005 09:00 AM