Complaint Review: Avia Providian Emerge

This is a huge scam. My credit is fine and I make a lot of money. 9 years ago I had financial troubles and I have done everything in my power to re-build great credit. I made the mistake of signing up for the the Avia card which was a gimmak right from the start stating I was pre-approved for 10,000.

When I got the card it was for $1,000. later it became Get-Smart which was supposed to be the future in credit cards.. I guess? I should have thrown it in the garbage because the $1,000 credit was useless, having a great Credit Union to turn to in terms of loans. I thought at the time, if I used the card in good standing it would be another excellent mark on my credit.

I was remodeling my home and purchased about $600-700
worth of goods. Always making the minimum or more for the monthly payment. At that time they lured me in with a tolerable interest rate. A few months later I had additional purchases I needed to make for the home, not keeping track of their limits (like most banks do - cutting you off or denying the purchase if you go over). My transaction went through no problem.

Of course not really paying attention to what was about to happen, I continued to make my minimum monthly payment. Shortly after, Providian cut my card completely off, no warnings, no nothing. When I called them they said they reviewed my credit and determined me a risk, and that my card was grossly over it's limit. Whose problem is that anyway?

They gave no explination, I could have paid it off on the spot (they or the snotty customer service rep who offered zero help or information), was not willing to talk basically.

A week or so later,determined to get an answer for this as well as worrying if these gypsies were going to report something negative on my credit - I called again. Only to find out the real story - "Get Smart", sold to this third tier, "C" grade loan shark, thief of a company I can barely bring myself to say with zero respect called.... Emerge.

instantly late fee's and interest rates flew through the roof and now suddenly after satying current and slightly going over my limit I was $350 over their piddly $1,000. The rate is so hig that if you make the minimum payment your debt will double in a year - or atleast it seems. How can companies legally do this to people and if it is legal - sign me up, I'd like to legally profit off of innocent people in what I call the worlds worst scam!!! The more I pay to get rid of this debt the more they scam me with some bogus fee or redicouls penalty or interest. Please expose them!

Scott
Aloha, Oregon
U.S.A.