clarkhoward.com: Clarchives clarkhoward - Clarchives August 09, 2005

clarkhoward.com: Clarchives clarkhoward - Clarchives August 09, 2005: "Are you paying the highest interest rates?
Cardweb.com recently learned the highest interest rates from the ten largest credit card companies. These are the rates companies impose based on “cross default clauses.” Cross default clauses are any negative marks on your credit report that allow credit card companies to raise your interest rate. Here are the rates: Chase – 30%; Citibank – 30%; Bank of America – 30%; MBNA – 20%; Discover – 26%; Capital One – 27%; American Express – 28%; HSBC – 28%; Providian – 30% and Wells Fargo – 24%. So, if you have a credit card with one of these cards and you carry a balance, you run the risk of paying a 30 percent interest rate. In addition, there is no appeals process to the cross default clauses. If it’s an error on your credit report, credit card companies don’t care. They can still charge that rate. The only power you have is to pay your bills in full and on time. If you do that, you will never be charged these exorbitant rates."