topic Re: ORCHARD A MESS in Credit Cards

ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:14:20 GMT

I HAVE THIS ORCHARD CC FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS WITH A MEASLE 300 LIMIT. I CALLED THEM AND ASKED FOR AN INCREASE. THEY ASKED ME TO PAY 25.00 TO GET 100.00 INCREASE, SO I REFUSED. WHY SHOULD I PAY TO GET AN INCREASE. THEIR INT RATE IS ALREADY SKY HIGH. THE REP SAID THE CARD IS USED FOR REBUILDING CREDIT...SO I GUESS I CAN CLOSE MINE NOW BECAUSE I DON'T NEED IT ANYMORE. ANYONE HAD ANY GOOD EXPERIENCES WITH THEM?

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

llecs — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:17:30 GMT

I have one of their secured cards and it is serving its purpose: to help rebuild credit and to be temporary. Asking for $$$ in exchange for a CLI isn't uncommon for them. Now some had success in threatening to close it only to be couter-offered a CLI or lower interest or a waived AF. However, be prepared to follow through with your quit-threat.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:18:36 GMT

Sorry you are having such a hard time with them. I've had them over 2 years and went from $500 CL to $1100. My CLI fees are $20, not $25 and they waived that and the AF for me, so that's why I have been holding on to it. I actually didn't find them to be that bad, I've gone from $500 to $600, $800, $1000 and then when I called to cancel, they waived my AF, gave me another $100 CLI at no charge and then went back and waived my $20 CLI fee from the month or two prior. Since I don't have any more fees and the CL is over $1000 I'm keeping them until the next AF is due.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Uncle_Money — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:00:28 GMT

Tryin,

Unfortunately, this is not a growing card and no good experiences with it here. I've had it for 3+ years now, my scores are 700+ across the board and my limit is just $700. I doubt they will waive any CLI fees, either.

On a positive note, they do report to all 3 credit bureaus so I'll never close it due to the history and reporting. You should consider that.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:10:43 GMT

Yeah don't expect much from them you might get a $100 here an $100 there. Like someone stated above there re builder cards when you can do better move on.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:15:45 GMT

I had them for awhile. Started out at 700 then 900---1100--1300. After three years I asked them to waive a/f. They wouldn't--I closed. CLIs were all automatic with no fee. When they sent me card a month later I got a card from HSBC with no fee. So I still have that one. Not much better but no fee.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:46:20 GMT

I think the key with Orchard and getting them to waive stuff is to not ask for it and just call to cancel. As somone stated above you need to be prepared to actually do it. I truly called to cancel the card and all of sudden they were throwing things at me and I never asked them too.

I have to wonder if the cards that start out either secured or at $300 never grow at all. I've seen some folks like me, who have had some success, in my opinion rather good success for a rebuilder card and then others that report after 2-3 years they can't get anything.

Regardless, it's a positive TL on your credit report, with now 3 years of history, so I wouldn't shut them down unitl you have something better first. Good luck. I know that credit rebuilding seems like a an endless, tedius, frustrating task!

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Client9 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:28:27 GMT

I am the Exception to the Rule when it comes to Orchard. I opened it in Nov of 2005, got a $400 CL. Now it is up to $2700. I have only paid once ($600 TO $1000) for a CLI. the interest rate is 14.99%

I use it to buy credit scores from MyFico. I make double payments on it. It can grow, but you might be The Rule, not the Exception

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Koffee — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:30:36 GMT

Overall I've had a good experience with Orchard. I've had my card since 10/2006. I started out with a $300.00 CL. Increased to $450.00 then $600.00 and yesterday I called the back door number and got another $400.00. So I'm sitting at $1000.00 after 22 months. I've never been charged a CLI fee with Orchard Bank. Most of the time I PIF each month.

Hoping for a B of A real soon!!!

Message Edited by Koffee on 08-16-2008 04:30 PM

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:24:13 GMT

Koffee do you mind sharing the back door # so i can get this increase. I just need the TL. I don't plan on using the amount.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Koffee — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:44:48 GMT

The backdoor number is 1-800-395-6090. I got it from the sticky at the top of the forum.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=creditcard&thread.id=65717

Good Luck

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:51:56 GMT

I got approved for the Orchard card in July of this year with an initial 300 CL, a 39.00 processing fee, and a 79.00 AF. A week or two later I was able to get my membership with NFCU reinstated after nearly 18 years and was instantly approved for their nRewards Visa and MC, each with a 2500 limit.

Needless to say, I called to cancel the Orchard card but was met with an offer to up my CL from 300 to 500 if I would keep the card. So I kept the card and made a couple of gas purchases. 3 weeks after getting the card I called to make a payment over the phone using my checking account. The CSR told me that a 15.00 fee would apply due to using the phone payment method(this was not a last minute payment situation either, as I hadnt even received a statement yet). I was shocked and stunned to say the least as the 15.00 fee was not taken from my payment amount, but rather the 15.00 fee was added BACK to my card -AFTER- I made the payment(PIF'd). So far this card has cost me the 39.00 processing fee, the 79.00 AF, and the 15.00 payment fee. So that's 133.00 in fees for less than a month of card ownership. Ridiculous.

The only reason I have yet to cancel the card is that it helps with my utilization at the moment. As soon as I can get another no fee card to give me 3, no fee, revolving accounts, I will be cancelling this card asap.

These kind of cards do serve a purpose, but I do, and will continue to question the outrageous nature of their fee system.

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:43:26 GMT

try WAMU

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:52:45 GMT

I used Koffee'a number and got bumped from $300 to $500. The lady on the other end didn't even review the application or anything. YEAAAAH!!!!

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:03:56 GMT

After doing a search for Orchard Bank CLI on the forum- here are the most effective ways to get a CLI with them

1-Call backdoor #

2-Complain about low CL

3-Flatter them by saying that you would love to use the card more if you had a higher CL(I threw that one in for good measure:

3-Threaten to cancel

I called yesterday and pretty much used all of these tactics with the "threat to cancel" being the most effective tool for this company" and the rep was so nice and agreed to increase my limit by $200(she also said this is in house increase so no credit pulls and no CLI fees or charges). I think I will be doing this every 4-6 months, at least until I can get a $2000 CL from them. Ok we have to be careful not to all call them the same day else the might catch on!!!

Message Edited by tryintorebuild on 08-19-2008 08:03 AM

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:30:55 GMT

Thanks Koffee and others. This # did not work for me. I called the back door # and treaten to payoff and cancel, first the guy acted like he was willing to do someone about it. He said I had the card for 3 years and in good standing. Never reported to the CRA only one late payment. So I asked why was I not given the increase I requested and a lower int rate? I asked why am I treated differently? He stated that I wasn't treated different from anyone else because it's a credit rebuilding card and they're very tight with the CLI. All he offered to do was reverse the late fee of 30.00 if I intend to keep the account open and fee to process the payment over the phone WTH???. So I paid it off. It was good while it served the purpose. He said he I was refused last week I should give it sometime. WHATEVER!!! FORGET THEM ANYWAY. I DON'T NEED THAT CARD ANYMORE. I THANKED THEM FOR THE TIME. THEY THANKED ME FOR BEING A VALUED CUSTOMER!!! I WILL CLOSE IT BY DECEMBER BECAUSE THE ANNUAL FEE IS DUE JANUARY!!!

Re: ORCHARD A MESS

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:38:10 GMT

So sorry to hear about your experience tryin2rebuild08. I only had my card since 6/21/08 and have only received 2 statements but I did pay down most of my balance before my statement dates(don't know if that makes a difference). Honestly I think it has more to do with what rep you get and what kind of mood they are in at the time you call-maybe mine was feeling a little generous yesterday.

Message Edited by tryintorebuild on 08-19-2008 09:38 AM