Advanta bank review: Excess interest charged 62

I have a credit card from them and was never late on payment . well in May I got my mounthly payment it had double and so did my interest it went from 9% to
36% for no reason other then they want me to pay it off. TheySaid when I called them they have to omuch money out in loans. so now they want me to make a 1000 dollar payment with late fees. I don't know what I can do now I don't have that money in my budget. But I could have made the payments of 130dollars a mth I was paying on time.

BEWARE This company is out of control. My credit score is in the high 700's and I pay on time. They took me from 7.99% originally to 19.99%. When I called to complain they said only that it was a business decision to raise my rate. Well now they want over 35% and when I went to pay it off before I got hit it wouldn't let me pay the total amount off even though it said that the amount was below their max payment amount. So then I have to wait 3 business day to pay the rest off and get hit with another $60 in fee's. Call the BBB and complain about their web site and how it sets you up to fail to their benefit. Or go on-line to www.utah.bbb.org, then google Advanta Bank scam and read how they are doing it to many people!

I also got raised to 25.08 from 7.99%. What a predatory group of thieves. They must think that someone with a credit score of 800, who pays on time and pays extra can't get credit from other sources. I'm not done with them yet. Of course, it won't do any good, but a letter will go to my state's attorney general and the BBB. At least I got to use their money for a year interest free. Idiots.

I'm tempted to post the conversation I had with their "service rep" on youtube just for kicks. It sounded like the young lady on the other end probably took a lot of calls like mine because of her heavy sighs and frustrated answers.

Avoid Advanta Bank Corp. I have had a business card with these loan sharks for three years. Always paid my payment on time and over the minimum payment. They have increased my credit line over the past few years. Suddenly my interest rate jumps from 10.99% to 30.08%. When I called to discuss this matter I was given a rehearsed speech. Was told to check back in a couple of months to see if anything with my rating has changed.
NO THANKS. I will pay this card down and never do business with these loan sharks ever. I don't know how they get away with these scams.
THEY NEED TO BE EXPOSED.

their CEO is Dennis Alter, phone # is [protected]-call and ask for him, I actually got his email and left him a choice message, of course the jerk did not return my call, but I did get some satisfaction-they raised my rate from 8$ to 25 without any notificatrion, I closed it but will forever bad mouth these jerks-their stock is around $5 now, was up around $27 less than a year ago, CEO Alter paid himself 3 million in 2008, and he is a big contributor to Obama, McCain and Biden-what comes around goes around, I say.

Dont use this company. They are ripping off everyone. I had this card for 5 years. I Started from a 0% for 12 month and later on will be 7.99% in which I knew about it. Then suddenly they change from 7.99% to 21.99% without any notice.

When I call them and ask why is that? They told me that the increase is due to the following:
1) credit history, 2) back mortgage payments, 3) economical situation

In which none of them apply. I spoked to the supervisor and he told me the same.

Do not use it.

I was surprised when Advanta issued me a credit card with a 7.99% interest rate for up to $5, 000.00, after I had lost everything and had to declare bankruptcy. I thought it was a blessing. I had no idea Advanta had targetted me to rip me off. When my credit amount reached 95%, Advanta changed to 30.80%. All those affected must complain to Congress and demand a criminal investigation against Advanta Bank Corp. Also send your complaints to Fox News, CNN and MSNBC, plus file with your State Attorney General for fraud! Let's get rid of all financial predators! Email me use subject "Advanta".

(RUDE SERVICE REPS AND SUPERIORS: ATTENTION Travis Dunson) Our company did a balance transfer a little over a year ago to a credit card with Advanta. We locked in a 2.99% APR rate for the life of the balance. Our relations with Advanta were so good the first year, we decided to to a smaller transfer of $3, 500 a few months later. We didn't get the 2.99% rate, but they did lock us down for 9.99%. We accepted and transferred the money. A few months later, we received a statement with a 20.08% finance charge. We were outraged. We were never informed of this rate increase (had we known we would have canceled the card immediately).

We called Advanta immediately and were treated with such disrespect by the supervisor of the Salt Lake City, Utah offer, my boss was blue in the face. Travis Dunson was condescending and completely rude to my boss stating "We don't have to have a reason to raise your rate" I was OUTRAGED to say the least. Not only would he not give us a specific reason as to why our rate went up, stating they had the right to do it without informing us. Upon further talks in a second conversation (With a very wonderful and pleasant woman named Linda from the PA office) we were given the name of Travis (who would not give us his last name) and were told in more detail that a letter was sent 8/4/08 (we never received it and I am the most OCD person when it comes to mail- color coded filed, calendar of payments, etc...) they stated that due to the economic crisis they were raising rates in fear of delinquent payments (wouldn't you want to lower them then so people can pay more to you?)

I would not recommend doing business with Advanta EVER. They have no respect for their customers and I think actually enjoy listening to people hurting from this crisis (Travis was certainly amused). Advanta is the worst company to do business for your small business. Based on the complaints I have seen on this website, I wish I would have read this site before we applied for it...

If you have been the victim of Advanta's arbitrary loan-sharking tactics, contact cloudcowboy@aol.com, he is an attorney in New York state and is gathering the names of interested parties to join in a class action lawsuit. The greed of Dennis Alter (CEO) of Advanta knows no bounds, and they need to be stopped from these practices-please email him, thanks.

You're right the company is out of control.

Advanta just raised my business card interest to 33 percent. I had a balance of 15, 000. Had paid 4000.00 for payment last month with intentions of paying off by the end of this year. Always use the card in business transaction.

After I called to complain and get my interest fee lowered. They told me they do not have a lower fee to drop back to.

Well that's it for that card and company because I will be dammed if I will bail them out of their mess. I gave them a chance to change their ways. They refused so I went to the bank today and transfered funds to pay it all off. I will not use that card ever again.

Forget Advanta.

I have been a long standing customer with Advanta. My credit is good and I have no late payments with them. As of Oct. 2008 my interest rate went from 10.99% to 31.31%. I am a small business and am trying to make it in these tough times. To have this happen made me very upset. I spoke to a rep in Salt Lake City to see if they could lower the interest rate the answer was NO.
This is outragious. I explained I own three homes all have plenty of equity, even in the current market. They did not want any part of this info.

At this rate they will put plenty of small business out of business.

One note the rep told me the reason the rate went up was because of the current market. I told the rep thank you for adding to the problem instead of helping.

I do not have an Advanta card. All of a sudden a "Past Due - Defult" shows up on my credit reports from them. I contact them for info - all I get is payment demands. They will not/cannot even produce the agreement that I allegedly signed. Yes, I'm doing the ID Theft thing, but why won't these guys at least send me something with a signature so that I can prove that I did not agree to anything? Lame.

I wanted to email you regarding they experience I had with Advanta. I signed up for an Advanta card with fixed 9.99%. 4 months passed and my interest suddenly went up to 25%. I've never been late on a payment and my credit score is 760. The customer service rep from India told me that due to economic conditions my rate would be increased. I was also, told that they sent a letter notifying me of the rate change but I never received any letter from them. I requested my account be closed and I mailed in the payoff amount. This is the first time I've come across a company that does thing like this. Something should be done to change their business practices. THE PEOPLE RUNNING THIS COMPANY ARE CROOKS. THEY OFFER A FIXED LOW INTEREST INTIALLY AND THEY JACK UP THE RATE WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WON''T BE ABLE TO PAY IF OFF.

I wanted to email you regarding they experience I had with Advanta. I signed up for an Advanta card with fixed 9.99%. 4 months passed and my interest suddenly went up to 25%. I've never been late on a payment and my credit score is 760. The customer service rep from India told me that due to economic conditions my rate would be increased. I was also, told that they sent a letter notifying me of the rate change but I never received any letter from them. I requested my account be closed and I mailed in the payoff amount. This is the first time I've come across a company that does thing like this. Something should be done to change their business practices. THE PEOPLE RUNNING THIS COMPANY ARE CROOKS. THEY OFFER A FIXED LOW INTEREST INTIALLY AND THEY JACK UP THE RATE WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WON''T BE ABLE TO PAY IF OFF.

I wanted to email you regarding they experience I had with Advanta. I signed up for an Advanta card with fixed 9.99%. 4 months passed and my interest suddenly went up to 25%. I've never been late on a payment and my credit score is 760. The customer service rep from India told me that due to economic conditions my rate would be increased. I was also, told that they sent a letter notifying me of the rate change but I never received any letter from them. I requested my account be closed and I mailed in the payoff amount. This is the first time I've come across a company that does thing like this. Something should be done to change their business practices. THE PEOPLE RUNNING THIS COMPANY ARE CROOKS. THEY OFFER A FIXED LOW INTEREST INTIALLY AND THEY JACK UP THE RATE WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WON''T BE ABLE TO PAY IF OFF.

Advanta arbitrarily increased an existing account interest rate which was started by a promotional invitation. The account was in good standing even tho the promotional rate expired, it was being paid down with no incidences. They said they sent a change of terms letter which was never received.

First notice of this was on a statement which I called on immediately. No customer service rep was able to satisfy the request to withdraw the increase even tho they saw there was nothing wrong with the account. One rep suggested I opt out of the account, have it closed and continue to pay off the balance at the old terms. He closed the account, but they refused to allow me to opt out and continue to charge me these egregious interest rates even tho I am still paying on the account. The interest charges are more than I charge on the account and since it is closed have not made any new charges.

In fact, there were very few new charges on this account to keep the balance manageable for payment on a timely basis. I take great efforts to pay my bills on time and honor my credit commitments. However, this is totally unfair and pushing me to default when I didn't want to do so. Very poor client relations and no contact to work out the terms whatsoever after repeated efforts on my part to contact them. They continue to ignore and charge rates I refute and totally disagree with and do not want to pay.

I sent them a letter FAXED the day the account was supposedly closed to ask for a settlement amount which they didn't give so I gave them the amount expecting there would be some interest to settle, but now don't want to pay them at all any interest due to their poor business manners.

The company needs to be reprimanded and consumers made aware of their habits which I see from all the [redacted]s already online.

This is the worst card in the market today. I you want to be ripped of your money get this card. Very rude customer service and non co-operative staff. They allow any merchant to charge whatever they like on your account and then it takes 3-4 months to get answer with so many letters that you will give up the claim. If you miss out on any of their emails they will not open the case.

The Customer service is very egoic. They say we are enjoying their money. This was the last thorn and I cancelled the account. He did not seem to have any regret in cancelling the account.

I will strongly say do not get this card if you want to keep you credit intact and do not want to get into a debt trap

Try 37.8%. These guy's are a complete scam. If you look around the net, and can get past all the ADVANTA ads and shills (about 3 pages on Google) you will see the same story over and over. Low intruductory offers. Short grace periods etc. My deal is the only online notice they will give is a few days. Everyone else give you options for when you want to be notified of a payment due except Capital One-another mouse house worth avoiding. Then, they slow walk the posting so you are a day late here and a day late there then-HELLO-37.8%. I'm informing the AG in Washington State and my Congressman. These folks are pure ###. Guess things are different in Utah. At least they must think they are. We'll see.

Mark

Yes, i missed a payment when business was slow in 2007. It raised my rate and hit my credit! For the past year and a half, although business has been slower than ever I have paid on time. Oct '08 I decided to pay down $1500 of saved money on my Advanta credit line. They returned a letter Nov saying that Experien claims under unkown circumstances that my credit line has been brought down to less than half of what was available. I could have spent that hard cash on actual business expenses.

It seems that Advanta is 1. unavailable online when you are trying to put a payment through during crunch times to pay 2. somehow affiliated directly with Experian although they will not admit it 3. too good to be true with low interest rates and are unavailable when you try to do good on your account 4. customer service unwilling to give business owners a break when trying to pay large sums of money owed to accounts as almost every other credit card would do.

Don't go with Advanta credit cards. Don't believe the to-good-to-be-true mailers you see. With this economy, I wouldn't rely on any credit card company at this point.

This is bs. You try starting a business only to have your good credit robbed from you.

As the complaints published before mine, I, too, was a victim of Advanta Bank's predatory lending tactics. They raised my interest rate to 39% and basically made it impossible for me to pay even the minimum payment due each month. Therefore I have had to default on this credit card. I hope there is a class action lawsuit against this company in the very near future.

I have been a business customer with Advanta Bank corp for over three years. I have always paid my business credit card on time each month. They increased my interest rate from 7.99% to 34.99% I called customer service and they said they couldnt do anything about it. I asked for a supervisor and spoke to him and he said there is nothing he can do about it. I told him I was going to email the President of Advanta Bank and the supervisor told me they are the ones that increased the rate, so they will know what you are emailing them about. I told him that I would call FDIC and make a complaint about the bank. I NEVER received a letter or a phone call they would be increasing my interest rate NOTHING! FDIC referred me to the US consumer affairs and they took a report and reported it to the state of New York FDIC where this bank if regulated. I never heard anything back from them but at least I got my complaint in. It looks like Advanta Bank will be bought out as their stock is declining..They get what they deserve!

AVANTA!

FDIC DEFINATELY WANTS MORE STORIES!
THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTA COMPLAINTS QUITE SERIOUSLY.

Many small business owner's now know that Advanta Bank
engages in horrendous business practices.

I am among those with a FIXED RATE ACCOUNT that was jacked from 7.99% FIXED to over 32%. 750+ Fico, No lates anywhere, etc.

You all know that same story.

But, what you may not know is how much the FDIC CARES about this.

I spoke with some high-up people at the FDIC and they not only know about it, but their regulators have been notified. They have expressed sincere and deep concern over this.

So PLEASE SPEND 5 MINUTES AND TELL YOUR STORY...THEY NEED THE STORIES TO JUSTIFY HARD ACTION!

GO HERE Right now: https://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp

(Special Tip: Don't put any dashes in phone numbers on the form and make sure dates are in this format XX/XX/XXXX...)

48 hours later, call this special number at the FDIC: [protected] and verify that they have your complaint, POLITELY restate it and ASK for help. They DO want to help, but can't act without your story.

Be polite, clear, brief and specific.

I have heard, that just 200 more complaints, will trigger big trouble for Advanta.

Please go to this form: https://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp and tell your story.

And more importantly, PLEASE take
HEART by remembering this heartwarming fact:

Advanta EXISTS due to a BANK CHARTER.

This is simply a DOCUMENT -- an AGREEMENT -- AN IDEA.

..and this DOCUMENT can just as easily be shredded as it was printed.

What is a BANK with NO CHARTER?
What is a BANK with NO LICENSE?

SEE THE LIGHT?

1.2 Million Small Business Owners, with sufficient motivation can find a way to have that Charter revoked Advanta.

So, Advanta Executives, Stockholders, Employees, Advertisers, Vendors and SUPPLIERS take note: Advanta BANK exists because the PUBLIC TRUST ALLOWS it to EXIST.

As the PUBLIC, we simply TOLERATE Advanta's existence.

If the PUBLIC is SUFFICIENTLY OFFENDED as to ORGANIZE its effort, we may choose to REVOKE the RIGHT (i.e. LICENSE and CHARTER) of this Bank and replace it with one of our choosing -- or none at all.

KEEP YOUR FOCUS...

A Bank without a license is NOTHING.

...and complain to the FDIC RIGHT NOW...It is EASY
and WORTHWHILE.

https://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp

They truly need the clout of your story to act.

Best to you,
CreditCardJihad

Keywords: Advanta Sucks, Advanta Complaints, Advanta Stock Price, ADVNA, ADVNB, Advanta Lawsuit, Advanta News, Cardmember revolt, Advanta Failure, Advanta Taken Over by Feds, Advanta Fires all Employees, Advanta loses Bank Charter, Advanta Loses License, Advanta Earnings Report, Advanta 10K, Advanta 10Q, Advanta SEC Filings, ### Advanta, Advanta Screwing Me, Advanta Credit Cards, Bait and Switch, Advanta Raising Interest Rates, Advanta sealed their fate, Advanta Bank Financial News, Goodbye Advanta Bank, Advanta Fails, Don't do business with Advanta, Boycott Advanta, Advanta bank fails. Advanta shut down my regulators. FDIC moves against ADVANTA -- PUBLIC CHEERS!

Ps. Advanta Employees -- we honestly do love you. This is nothing do with you, but you must get rid of your maniacal management. Let them know that you can't support their policies and that they are killing the company. They are throwing you under the bus along with their customers. ORGANIZE!

Advanta Shareholders...ummm...it is up to you and everything, but this doesn't look good...may want to dump this crapper of a company. They are content to run it into the ground. Let's see, piss off all your GOOD customers and drive the regulators to shut you down...? Good strategy?

--CreditCardJihad

I just got my bill with32% rate for cash advance and they said they can charge up to 39% UT. The feds max is 24 % and thats the IRS!
kced@comcast.net

I have been a customer of Advanta for 5 years - they just raised my rate from 6.99% to 30.17%. Never one late payment in 5 years and always paid well over the minimum amount due. I overlooked my January 2009 payment due on 1/31/09, they called me on 2/5/09 and I paid immediately over the phone. They then told me that my interest rate would be raised from 6.99% to 30.17%. I spent 40 minutes waiting for a supervisor and he told me that they have zero late payment tolerance and that is the best rate.

Can you transfer your credit to another card? I keep only one credit card so I don't know much about this, but I would transfer and send my business elsewhere.

I too have been scammed by Advanta.

I had a 2.9% rate, never paid late, always paid more than the minimum, never went near my limit, and out of no where, for no reason, they changed my rate to 29%!

This happened last June, same as the rest. At one point it was up to 35% but I don't understand why they lowered it. I filed a complaint with the FDIC, spoke with Ms Timmons who handles Advanta. They were supposed to reduce my rate to 2.8 but did not comply with the FDIC!

They must be stopped. I am willing to join in any class action suit against them.

I am working with attorney Alan Finkel in Commack, NY who is working with some state class action law firms to seek action against Advanta. If your interested in particpating, please e-mail me at dec458@msn.com.

Advanta MasterCard did the exact same thing to me. Out of the blue they increased my interest rate from 8.99 to 35%. I had never been late with a payment as a business customer and I always submitted monthly payments hundreds of dollars over what they were requesting. I also spoke with customer service and then with a supervisor with negative results.

Their practices are unconscionable and would have thought unlawful. I will contact U.S. Consumer Affairs and lodge a complaint as well. How many people have to lodge a complaint before a class action can be lodges for corrupt business practices?

Let me add my story to the long list of complaints against this bank. I was a good customer of the bank until last fall when I fell victim to the old "change the due date" scheme which made my payment late. My interest rate immediately rose to 34.9% and has stayed there ever since. My payment went from $143 per month to now over $600 which I can not afford to pay. My first call to customer service resulted in a "sorry, noting we can do" . I have called repeatedly for the past 4 month requesting that my account be closed and that I be put on a payment plan...which evidently they keep telling me they do not have. Each representative I speak to advises me to wait another 30 days and then "something will be available to you" what is available is another $300 in interest charges, another late fee and another over the limit fee because of all these outrageous interest charges. I have filed a complaint with the FDIC but in speaking to them, they tell me there is nothing they can do? This is legal? My sympathies go out to those who have been hit with mortgag schemes but why isn't anyone looking into these credit card rackets? If there's a class action suit out there, please direct me to the site!

I am working with an attorney in NY who is working on legal action against Advanta. E-mail me at dec458@msn.com if interested in participating.

So pissed, My interest rate went from under 9% to over 34%. When called to complain they said that informed me that my credit was still in the 7oos and that I was never late and to just keep making my payments on time. I am done with them. They wil never get anymore of my business.

Stay away from Advanta Bank, I too was drawn in with the low interest rate, but after paying on time for several years my interest rate jumpted to 34.7%, I was told that after paying on time for the next few months it would be looked at again, now one year later I am still trying to get it reduce. Also, on the phone with them just now for 37 minutes, calling India, and was just told after all this time that I have to wait another year to lower my interest rate and they cannot give me the name and contact information for the President/CEO of the company, that is confidential information.

Stay away from them, if anyone needs money that badly you will do better with loan sharks than you will with this company that, and I confirmed this, has already received bailout money.

The President of the company is Dennis Alter. That is common knowledge. Last article I read a few months back, they were not going to take the bailout money. It wouldn't surprise me if they changed their minds. Advanta is definitely not a credit card one would like to have these days. You'd have better luck with a loan shark.

What is going on with these banks? The interest their charging is nothing more than RAPE.

I have never been late and always send more than the minimum required payment. I find that out of a $100.00 monthly pmt. $49.36 is interest. All of the bail out money given to the banks from the government should have been passed on to the customers who have been loyal in their payments. I cannot afford to pay for somebody elses mistakes furthermore, the people who made these mistakes are continueing to receive outrages bonuses. WE the people are outraged. The banks are doing nothing more than makeing incoherent accusations against the people that has supported them over the years. Somebody needs to put a stop to this!

I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN WHICH IS BEEN ROSE. THE THINGS NEED TO BE SORTED OUT BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL BUT IT CAN BE WITH EVERYONE.

DO not do any business with Advanta! I have been a loyal credit card member for years and always paid my monthly balances in full each month. I never carried a balance! NO INTEREST OR FEES – Ever! In July 2007 I went to pay my bill on-line….. THEIR WEB SITE WAS DOWN! The credit card was for my business and with a tight schedule I always paid via their web for the ease and convenience. The bill was due that day, I could not make the payment, and did not have the time to call them or try later that day or maybe the next day. I wanted to make the payment now and could not because someone at Advanta botched a web update.

The Advanta Story from their site: “At Advanta, our focus is on small businesses, and no one knows the needs of small business like we do. Started in 1951 with $30 in seed money in founder Jack Alter's spare bedroom, Advanta has grown into one of the nation's largest providers (through Advanta Bank Corp.) of business credit cards to small businesses, without forgetting what it is like to be a small or start-up business.” OK, Yeah right! Don’t bend over anytime soon because it’s 2007 and you will pay for that seed and growing out of your a**!

When I called (now after the due date) the customer service representative told me he was aware of the problem and told me I could make a payment today over the phone and I did in full as always. I asked him (more than once) if I would be charged for the phone payment and a late fee and he assured me that our conversation would be documented and that I should not have a problem. OK

Well, I received my next statement and I had a charge for $12.00 for a phone payment service fee and a $39.00 late fee. I figured no problem, I would call Advanta and they would see the notes from my last call and credit me for their error. WEB SITE DOWN! I was told that they have credited me for a late fee in the past and they can not and will not waive the late fee but will remove the phone payment fee. Yippee, I wanted to jump for joy but thought the seed I mentioned earlier might fall out and it would smell like the BULL S**T that Advanta has grown to be! Bogus Fees and Charges for their web outage and forget me the small business customer “as their founder focused on?”. Advanta would rather focus on charging you fees for their loss in interest and/or loose you as a customer. The Advanta Story – SCAM YOU OUT OF YOUR MONEY! Advanta Customer service? NO, IT DOES NOT EXIST! No such department.

I was a loyal customer for years and never missed a payment, either. Then I bought some software that didn't work. I returned it to the vendor, who refused it. I refused to pay for it and cited three pages of the software's and vendor's failings to Advanta. Their response was that I had to find other dissatisfied customers before they would credit my account. That is impossible. Do you think the vendor is going to give me a list of his dissatisfied customers?
I paid the bill and learned to live with the software, which still sucks. Advanta charged me interest and a late fee for not paying for the software until the next month. I paid that, too.
Months later I cancelled a monthly service 10 days before the end of the credit card cycle--plenty of time for the service to reverse its monthly charges. An Advanta rep told me on the phone they had talked to the service and the service agreed to credit back my account the following month. They subsequently refused to do that and Advanta refused to credit back my account, too, despite what Advanta told me. I didn't pay that bill, figuring the service would come to their senses, but when they didn't, I was into another billing cycle with more interest and late fees. Advanta refused to reverse either. I paid the bill and closed the account, vowing never again to do business with Advanta.
My conclusion is that they are vendor oriented, not consumer oriented. They have arbitrary rules that do not fit reality. They are inflexible. I'm not. I now have other credit cards. I suggest anyone who reads this take this to heart. You won't know just how bad these people are until you really need them. In a word, Advanta is AWFUL.

I have had a credit card with these loan sharks for 3 yrs. Always paid on time and paid over the minimum payment. Regardless they raised my rate from 10.09% to 30.08%.

When I called to complain they just said it was due to my credit rating, although none of my other credit cards changed my rate. I was given the same rehearsed speech over and over again. Was told to check back in a couple of months to see if my rating has changed.

No Thanks. I will pay this card down and never do business with them ever.

This scam needs to be exposed!

36% INTEREST ADJUSTMENT - Dirty Rotten ###. Luckily, I was able to transfer out. My prayers are out to those who can't.

Exact same problem here. There are many references to Advanta on the net. They are running a bait and switch scam where they screen for high FICO customers then after a period of time and a balance has been run up, they switch to 30% rate for no reason. I hope to see these clowns sweating in front of a congressional hearing soon.