topic Re: Yes, thank you... in Credit Cards

Capital One Rate increase delimna.

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:11:30 GMT

I'm new here, I swear....and haven't checked my credit score in maybe 8-10 months, which was in the 650s.

I decided to check again today, and am now 720. Pretty pleased with that considering I still have a charge off from 7 years back, but otherwise not a single negative thing to say about me.

What facilitated looking into my credit score, is a letter I recieved from Capitol One yesterday regarding my 7.9% fixed platinum card that I've had for 11+ years (and only Visa/MC credit card). Which currently 3k of 17k, and always has some form of balance from 1k to 5k.

The letter basically says that due to economic conditions, they are taking my account and converting it to a variable account at 17.9% (if I recall correctly). I can chose to decline their remarkably generous offer and have the account closed and pay off the balance, or I can accept it.

Shooting from the hip, I was thinking of getting another card and transferring. Looking at some of the card offers, that seems even more ludicrous due to some of the interesting transfer debt calculations other vendors use.

Then I was thinking, get another card, decline the new rate, and pay it off with out doing a transfer, but feel this will temprorarily destroy my credit rating, since the account will show closed, but with a balance (isn't that bad?!).

Now that I know what my credit rating is (and only the charge off being a negative), I will be calling Capital One (backdoor maybe?) to get them to reconsider. I'd love your thoughts in this delimna.

Re: Capital One Rate increase delimna.

score_building — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:16:09 GMT

as you field responses start here (closing credit cards by fused) if you haven't seen it yet: http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=creditcard&thread.id=138867

Re: Yes, thank you...

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:03:30 GMT

Yes, I had read that... Hense my concern about leaving the balance, at the low rate, on the closed credit card.

I think I'm looking for some kind of crazy wisdom that just may not exist.

I suppose it's in my best interest to get a second card, and then call Capital One and see if I can play it against them.

I was just so miffed, that I assumed I must have missed a payment or something (it's all automatic), so I'm freaking out as to why Capital One would choose me, a long time loyal sheep, versus someone else who has shown to be a real risk. Maybe they are just kicking out form letters, and they are hoping people just agree to the new terms and pay the higher APR rates.

Re: Yes, thank you...

marty56 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:03:52 GMT

Do not close the card. Pay down the a balance and if you can get a 0% BT to a new card and you are 1001% certian you can PIF during the BT period (dont use it for anything else) then that will save you money.

I woult ask Capitol if they would reduce the interest rate but I would not push it since you dont want them to close the card for you or some other AA.

Once the Capitol 1 card is PIF, you can use it once in awhile and PIF each month that you do.