Crooked Is As Crooked Does

I had a credit card issued by a company that shall remain nameless *cough Chase cough* some years ago, for several years. I missed ONE payment (being admitted to the hospital is no excuse for missing your payment, you know) and the APR jumped from 17% to 30%. ONE payment, mind you - no more, no less. On a balance of almost $7000, this was a huge hit to my wallet and the company REFUSED to budge when I requested a lower rate. The reason? I had canceled the card MYSELF previously. I've been paying 30% interest on this balance for almost 4 years now and haven't had a late payment since, yet they refuse to negotiate in any way, shape, or form. Period. End of story.

I put this into a financial calculator and found I would be paying on this stupid fucking credit card for the next 60+ years, to the tune of well over $100,000 (on $7000 "borrowed"). I almost had a fucking heart attack and a stroke all at once, right there on the spot. Talk about usury, but thanks to the Federal Government, those laws do not apply to banks issuing credit cards that have "National" or "N.A." in their name, blah blah blah.

Finally I had enough and said FUCK YOU. I went to CitiFinancial and applied for a loan. They gave me enough to pay off Chase plus a little extra for some medical bills headed into collections, so I could pay them off and protect my credit rating, which had finally started improving. Yeah, it was at like 25% APR, but it hands-down beat the 30% Chase was ass-raping me for and would be paid off in 60 months instead of 60 YEARS. I sure as hell ain't planning to stick around that long, especially not to fork over my cash to fuck faces like that.

I thought things are done, check in hand for the (supposed) payoff balance on the card. They tell me "Well, you see, the billing cycle's already started again and you'll have to pay the accrued interest." "Fine, how much is that?" I ask. "Well, I can't tell you that right now. You'll have to wait for your next statement." Four fucking days into a billing cycle and you can't tell me how much I owe you so I can pay you and be done?

Of course not, because that doesn't fit into their little game.

First day of the next billing cycle, I log on to my account online to pay the shitting balance. You know, the "accrued interest" for the 4 days of the previous cycle. $143.74.

WTF? For FOUR MOTHER-FUCKING DAYS?

Whatever. I pay it and once again think it's done.

But. . . of course, it's not.

I get ANOTHER statement from Chase with the next billing cycle. MORE accrued interest on the $143.74 for that single day. $1.00. ONE FUCKING DOLLAR? ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!?!

So next month I will have to pay you ANOTHER $1.00 for the "accrued interest" on that $1.00 - into infinity?

Oh, they were so kind as to "adjust" that $1.00 charge, of course. Not that it mattered, since I'm done with Chase. The day I paid it off, I took the check from Citi directly into the local Chase branch and bellied up to the counter. The gal who helped me asked me if I were interested in any financial services through Chase. I'm thinking to myself, "Uhhhh. . . I just brought you a check issued by YOUR COMPETITOR to pay you off, and you're asking me if I want MORE?" I told her "Not through Chase. I'll take my business to Citibank, since they didn't screw me for years without the benefit of a little Vaseline." It was mean, yes, and I know it wasn't HER fault, but I was pissed.