From Sean -

I have been a faithful Providian customer for 4 years with no late payments and they thank me [with] a letter in the mail saying they are increasing [the] interest rate to 29.99%%!!!!

Those slimy bastards!

From Tef -

HI---LOVED YOUR WEBSITE. PROVIDIAN JUST SCREWED ME THIS PAST MONTH--SO I HAPPENED TO COME ACROSS YOUR WEBSITE---IT SEEMS THEIR LATEST TACTICS IS "REDUCING CREDIT LIMITS" AFTER YOU HAVE A LOT PAID IN, SO THAT THEY GET TO KEEP IT. OF COURSE, IT IS THEN DISGUISED IN CORPORATE DOUBLE TALK SO MAKE THEM APPEAR JUSTIFIED---BELIEVE ME, THEY ARE NOT.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK-----DEATH TO PROVIDIAN.

From "A NON" -

Providian Financial, which has already had its share of unethical business practices, is firing employees on fake charges. The company doesn't just screw over its customers...it treats it employees the same. The company is going down. They are wrongfully terminating employees so that the company will not have to give severance pay.

From "Southern Belle" -

Yeah, I agree with the posting of Anon that Providian has had its bad share of business practices, not only with the customers but the employees. I, unfortunately, am still an employee with the company, just long enough till I find another damn job. It seems that with the exaggerated increase of stocks and then the plummeting of them from the former CEO, employees are being terminated left and right. So far the Henderson, NV site closed down, terminating 700 employees, now another 2900 are expected to be terminated by the end of the year. Doesn't seem fair, does it, due to the fact that they made an unlawful business choice? Now in my site people are being terminated for things such as "customer complaints, disconnecting callers, and manipulating of the phone," most of which cannot be proven when asked "can I hear the call, or where is the proof." Also seems that a lot of us did loose part in our 401k and stock option plans because of this deception. This company not only screws over their customers but their employees.

From Lisa -

My husband and I currently have three Providian accounts. On my account, I was notified in April that my rate would go up from 23.99 % to 29.99 % in May if I did not cancel my account. I cancelled my account via their automated response system and thought my husband's accounts would be fine because we had received no such notice for them. I am exceedingly detail oriented and would have noticed such an atrocity. We have never paid any bill late including theirs, up until that date, and did not warrant a penalty APR.

When I got my Providian bill the following month, I was dismayed to find my rate was changed to 29.99 %, even after I cancelled my account. I called their  customer service number and talked with a lady who said No, I had received the notice in December (which I didn't, and still have the April notice) but she would put me back at the 23.99 % rate (still a crime.) Lo and behold, I'm still at 29.99 %. In the meantime, the only notification my husband's two cards were sent are that the late fee and over the limit fees were going up, nothing about a change in APR and guess what, my husband's cards are at 29.99 % too now !!! Unreal !

From "ORPH304"-

I have been receiving many phone calls from Providian's collection agency, plus unwanted letters trying to collect several thousand dollars from me.  Funny thing is, I never heard of Providian, never had a credit card with them, nor would I.  I carry one card - American Express - paid in 30 days.  I have told these morons to stop calling my home.  Apparently the phone calls are coming from the School for the Deaf.  They continue to come.  One abrasive lady wanted my Social Security number over the phone - my reply was "It ain't happening, baby."  I have advised them that if they don't stop the harassment, I will sue them.  The last lady told me I should call Providian myself.  My reply to that was since I have never dealt with Providian and since I don't owe them any money, I won't be contacting them; and also told them if they didn't have better information on who their customers are, you would wonder how they can stay in business.  As I say, up until these phone calls and letters started coming in, I have never heard of this outfit.  But if Providian and their collection agency want to duke it out in the courtroom, I say be my guest. 

(Note: As if it weren't enough that Providian is screwing their customers, now they're trying to screw their non-customers. My mind is boggled. - MB)

From "FlakeyChick" - (yeah, that's what she calls herself. Really.)

I received last week, much to my surprise, my share of the grand settlement against Providian.  It is a check for a WHOPPING $9.35.  I have to admit it was the biggest laugh I had in quite a while.  Two years ago I bought a house and paid off my Providian account that was transferred to a collection agency and then magically back to Providian, and although it has been paid off since 11/2000, it is still reflected as being unpaid by Equifax.  I have called Providian countless times, faxed the copy of the paid statement, etc., and yet it's the account that wouldn't die!

From Suzette -

I can sympathize with some of your complaints and others, that I haven't finished reading yet,** about your opinion of Providian.  But come on, really!  I am a consumer just like you when it comes to "Credit".  I read every fine print on the original offer before making my decision of joining that company.  If the print doesn't look right or feel right (the terms) then I don't apply. It's that simple!  So how can you justify that Providian rips people off when the terms are before you (if you read them)?  I just find it hard to believe that no one can take responsibility for their own actions.

Granted that Providian may have made bad choices when offering credit cards and have paid for them dearly (law suits) but no one really knows the truth about the law suits and what they were really over.  All law suits have a hidden agendas.  It's all about money.  Think about it, Providian, just like any other credit card company sets up their own guide lines and policies but Providian just was the first to be brought up on the carpet for their practices because they dealt with higher risk individuals (Providian has lost a lot of money from those risks just as well) who would have had to wait years to rebuild their credit.  Believe it or not they have many satisfied customers.  Now you see more and more companies being looked into for their business practices as well.  It's not just Providian anymore.  Besides Providian just like all the other credit card companies out there are governed by the FDIC.

** If you haven't finished reading them, how can you sympathize with them??????

(Note: I never said that customers don't have an obligation to read the fine print. One should not assume that the company won't change the interest rate. However, Providian routinely raises the rates in an arbitrary fashion, even for good customers. There are repeated instances of the bank sitting on payment checks till after the due date and then charging late fees, among other complaints.

From Dean -

 

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