hauling - here it is, cut and pasted. It's not very accurate. As a former journalist, I can tell you that the local stations are not very reliable with good information. Since Fair-Isaac is the engineer of the credit score that is used by creditors, it's best to take FICO data as the final word.
DENVER -- Credit card companies are increasing rates, decreasing limits and in some cases canceling accounts altogether.
The banking industry blames an increase in delinquent accounts, forcing it to raise rates and lower limits.
Consumer protection agencies assert the banking industry is still making an average of $16 billion a year on credit cards.
The one certainty seems to be if you carry over debt from one month to another, your interest rate is likely going up.
Ryan Kloberdanz just made a move from Iowa to Denver, which forced him to lean on his credit card a little more than he'd like.
"And I'm just trying to pay the minimum balance so that I can establish my life here in Denver. So, it’s been tough,” said Kloberdanz.
His card is through Wachovia, which was just bought by Wells Fargo. Although he hasn't noticed a rate increase, he's keeping a close eye on it.
"I call Wells Fargo and they can't really give me a straight answer. I call Wachovia and they say, 'Call Wells Fargo.' So, I don't know what's going to happen to it."
Kim McGrigg with Consumer Credit Counseling Services said interest rate hikes are common right now.
“Often times if you read the real fine print, you can reject the increase,” said McGrigg. But she said, that usually means you can no longer use the card.
One consumer advocacy group is going to Congress in hopes of making that practice by your credit card companies illegal.
"Credit card companies can actually increase your rates and decrease your limits for any reason, including no reason," said Danny Katz, state director with Colorado Public Interest Research Group.
Katz and his team are pushing Congress to pass the credit card holder bill of rights, which bans some practices by the card industry.
"One of the most egregious examples that we've heard about recently, is that they can literally raise your rates depending on where you shop. Meaning, you might be somebody who pays your credit card bills on-time and fully, but if you shop somewhere where other people tend to shop who tend to not pay their credit cards, they could potentially raise your rates as high as 37 percent," said Katz.
McGrigg said if you don't like your interest rate, you can always close the card and go with another creditor.
She said if you close an account yourself, it does not have a negative notation on your credit.
However, if a creditor closes your account, it usually is a ding on your credit.
McGrigg said she knows it’s easier said than done, but your best bet is to reduce your reliance on credit entirely.
pattycake's FICOs: 6/2/10 - TU: 708; EX: ???; EQ: 749
