Complain about a product or service

First Premier Bank

The offer looks pretty good. "Your Gold MasterCard is Pre-Approved! 9.9% APR Fixed" the envelope shouts. Inside is an effusive offering that rattles on about the "premium benefits" and the attractive 9.9% fixed rate. For those with shaky credit, it sounds good -- no security deposit or savings account required.

Ah but wait -- what are all these fees on the disclosure statement?

• Account set-up fee: $29 (one-time fee)
• Program fee: $95 (one-time fee)
• Annual fee: $48
• Participation fee: $72 annually
• Additional card fee: $20 (if applicable)
• Transaction fee for cash advances: Greater of $5 or 3% of the cash advance

Oh but wait, there's more. There's ...

• Credit limit increase fee: $25
• Return item charge: $25
• Auto draft charge: $5/$9 per draft
• Express delivery fee: $25 for cards sent Express Mail
• Copying fee: $3 per item
• Internet access fee: $3.95

This almost looks like a satire -- as though someone sat down and dreamed up as many fees as possible for comic effect. Program fee? Participation fee? Account set-up fee? Since when are these normal credit card charges?

Just to prove it's all heart, First Premier doesn't charge the whole $72 participation fee upfront, it parcels it out at $6 per month. Even so, as we add it up the start-up fees would be a minimum of $178 and possibly more if the mysterious copying fee, Internet access fee, etc. were added on.

The kicker to this ludicrous scenario is that the letter gives no hint what credit limit the consumer has been "pre-approved" for. Those we've heard from have had limits of as little as $300. With a few hundred dollars worth of upfront fees, that doesn't leave much room for error. Naturally, if the account is delinquent for two consecutive billing cycles two times in any six-month period, the 9.9% interest rate suddenly becomes 23.9%.

Here's what Premier's customers say:

samuel of sacramento, CA October 28, 2009

I was issued with a credit card by First premier bank, but I came to realize that they charges are to high and they are not fairly applied.They charged me 172 which they claimed to be initial fee, following that another 29 account setting and other charges such as making payments online or by phone.There so many charges which leaves the consumer with burden of paying the debt.I am concerned because I was trying to build my credit but having a credit with charges over the credit line is not help is a ripping money off from the consumers.I talked to the representative but they said i have to pay off since i have the card.

Louis of Fresno, TX October 23, 2009

Many web sites are dedicated to this institution providing poor customer service and excessive fines. To validate this all one has to do is google First Premier Bank and visit the sites of individuals providing reviews about service. I have dealt with this company for a month and have suffered rude, short, and painfully ill rapport with customer service from this "bank".

The issue that truly needs to be addressed is the excessive poorly represented fees attached to my account and additionally excessive fees for what would be standard account service. The most ludicrous fees are the program fee, account set up fee, and participation fee. Overall activation of the account was in excess of 170.00 in fees that are not normal credit charges.

In short someone sat down and decided to attach as many fees as possible to their clients. The biggest slap in the face is the monthly fee to view your account online. This is just outrageous! I have never had to pay for account access with any bank I have held an account with! It gets worse from there: if you make a payment via telephone you get charged a "convenience fee" in the double digits, and large fee is attached to making a payment online.

It is known that banks may charge such fees legally . . . as long as they are competitive within the market. Once these fees are excessive and beyond what the average instition charges within the shared market it does become a dance a bank will do on the line of enforcable law. I believe First Premier Bank is crossing the legal line and a class action lawsuit may be a viable option. It should also be noted a new consumer law is expected to pass on January 2010 that will go directly at banks that have excessive fees towards their clients like First Premier Bank.

At a time of people falling deeper in debt the fees First Premier Bank are almost, if not, criminal. I am a 100% disabled veteran that fought in Iraq, and my credit went from good to bad because of the time it took for the government to process and adjust my income. I have bad credit now and I understand that that creates issues with banks.

I also understand when I am getting taken advantage of. I expect the BBB to confront this institution about the business practices it has and to press First Premier Bank into fair competitive services and fees within the industry. It would be best for First Premier Bank to stop the excessive fees before the new laws are passed that protect the consumer in a few months.

Desired Resolution: A complete review of business practices, dealing specifically with excessive fines and charges that would make the products provided discontinue over-zealous fines and fees for expected practical standard service; (i.e. charges for on-line account management). This case will be reviewed by a complaint specialist at the Better Business Bureau, and then forwarded to the business for their response.

Lance of Fort Worth, TX October 19, 2009

I did not read the fine print when applying for this First Premier Bank card. The credit card they offer comes with up front fees of about 180. There is also an Online Banking Fee, annual fee, and a "program fee"...or something. Basically, its a ripoff card. I have bad credit, but I'm not about to pay some random bank just to raise it by a few points. How to get out of it: Call and say that someone had opened the account without your knowledge. The lady was very friendly and promptly closed the account and I did not end up paying anything.

Pawlla of Phoenix, AZ October 15, 2009

This care really sucks. I get the bill, pay all the fees associated with this subprime card. Fees are outrageous, was charged 95 program fee, 29 account set up fee, 7 twice for monthly service charge, 48 annual fee, 7 to make payment using their website and 3.95 to access the account online. Gave them almost 300 only to be told that since I used their website to make the payment that they were holding the funds for 7 days. I did not find this out until today when I called to check the available credit on the card. I specifically spoke with a supervisor 10/15 and was told would have full use of my credit card. The solution was to conference a three way call with my bank to verify that the funds have cleared or I should have called in to their customer service number to make a payment using my debit card. What does it matter if I use my checking information or my debit card, it comes from the same account. Besides if you talk to a live person and make a payment with them, they charge you 11 for the convenience. Its bad enough that I was charged 7 for the convenience of making the payment via their website. The customer service is lacking, they really dont care if you have been inconvenienced because of this. Now I am inconvenienced until 10/20 when I was told my card would be available for use. At this point I have put a stop payment on the payment I made via their website and will only pay for my actual charges. Sub-prime definitely fits this company in their shady practices of charging all these fees up front and their sub prime customer service.

WILLIAM of KEARNEYSVILLE, WV October 14, 2009

This card is horrible. The fees are so high that I never got to use it, except for 75.00. I am out of work and tried to cancel. Now my balance is 468.27. I receive a letter dated 8/19/2009 stating I could settle by paying 60% of balance, still close to 300.00; I cannot afford that either.

What a way to take advantage of people already struggling. The 75.00 actual charged amount was paid, the rest are fees. This should be a crime in itself. Of course, my credit is ruined and I receive a bill every month that I cannot pay. I have no job.

Jane of Mount Pleasant, SC October 12, 2009

I had applied online for a credit card (Master Card). I received one from First Premier about 2 weeks later. So I used it before I received the bill that was over 100 in fees etc. I thought that since I used it I had accepted it. However when I went to make my payment on their site I was charged for that too. This bank is a disgrace and they should be put out of business. Needless to say I have to pay a balance that I did not incur (except for the balance I used) I have enought debt without these people.

Withheld of Scottdale, GA October 9, 2009

On October 9, 2009 I called to report a stolen credit card. The woman took my information and told me a new card would be issued with a new account number, etc. Under the circumstances, I think the best thing to do is completely ditch the card. Pay what I owe, but completely and permanently close the account. I told her this, and she forwarded me to an "Account Specialist" who calls himself "DJ" and refuses to disclose his last name.

I explain to "DJ" that since the card has been stolen, I want to cancel altogether and I asked him to refrain from sending a new card. I said, "I'll pay my balance owed, but just get rid of the card, I'm done with it." "DJ" then became hyper-aggressive in his pitch to keep me hanging on. When I told him to please just cancel the account, he told me: "That doesn't make good financial sense to me. You have this card for only 4 months and now you want to close out, just because it was stolen- and we're sending you a new one and changing your account number?! That makes no sense to me whatsoever!"

I told him: "Your personal opinion regarding my desire to cancel are of no significance to me. Are you paying my bills? Are you bringing money into my home?" He says: "Well, uh no, but I just want to save you money." I said: "No you don't. You want to keep me as a customer because that makes YOU money, you're not trying to help me. Now just cancel the account already and DO NOT SEND ME A NEW CARD. "DJ" then became very angry and aggressive with me, yelled at me: "LOOK, I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOU MONEY HERE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING MAKES NO SENSE, YOU ARE GETTING A NEW CARD WITH A NEW NUMBER! I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!

I asked: "Why are you yelling at me?" He yells: "BECAUSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME, I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU, JUST LISTEN TO ME! I asked his last name, he got angrier: "YOU DON'T GET THAT INFORMATION!" I asked the name of his supervisor: "YOU DON'T GET THAT INFORMATION EITHER!"

I said, "Look, I'm paying you people money every month, and I'm not allowed to speak to anyone but you? Let me talk to your supervisor, NOW." He says: "FINE." and puts me on hold for less than a minute then comes back with: "ALL OUR SUPERVISORS ARE BUSY SO THEY'LL HAVE TO CALL YOU BACK IN 6-8 HOURS." I told him I would hold, he says, "YOU CAN'T HOLD, THEY'RE BUSY." He then ended the call.

After attempting to bully me into keeping the card, he then blatantly lies to me and says all supervisors are busy and I can't hold. As soon as he hung up on me I called back and requested a supervisor, who must not have been too busy, as I waited less than 5 minutes for her. She calls herself "Misty," and promised I would not receive a card, and that the account will be closed. We'll see. At the time of the cancellation, they said 2.95 had been charged- probably an attempt to see if the card is good. I told them I'm not paying that, so don't expect it- I only pay what I owe.

theresa of battle creek, MI October 7, 2009

I have been fighting this for a while now, and they just keep going at it with me, i want this off my report and they say i have a card, i got a card from them but canceled right away since the fees are ougrageous, the card says 300 is on it but when you call to get it activated, you are left with 25.00 since the fees are so high, so they got a call and the card was send back without use and no activation on the card,

i just happened to listen to machine when on the phone with them, so please help me take this off my account. thank you. they have alot of people angry at them for this since they like to scre people.

Donna of Winchester, VA October 2, 2009

I received on 10.1.09 a First Premier Gold Visa Card in one envelope and a statement in another envelope. The invoice was for 179.00. I did not apply for this card and have never heard of First Premier Bank. I called Premier Bank and asked then why they would send me a card that I did not apply for and they would not talk to me, but said that they would call the credit bureaus and also cancell the card. They said that I had applies for the card and this is why I received it....now I have very bad credit and am unemployed at this time...1st. why would I apply for a card and 2nd. why would they send me one if I applied for one...I do belive this is a scam and really do not know what they have advised the credit bureaus.

Liudvika of Albuquerque, NM October 1, 2009

We had a payment that we made a little over a month ago that we had made with one of their managers. She asked me to pay 3 times the amount needed since they had some issues with their computers and they will return my fees as soon as the payment processes. I had given them the card numbers, and was waiting on the computer to see it show up on our bank statement. It showed up, and we figured everything was fine.

The next month, we were told that we had missed a payment, and that a report had been sent in to the credit bereau. We were told that we missed this payment, even though we have since sent in documentation 3 times showing that there was payment on that day, which was not returned, that had a delay until the next day (something they said was unique), and that they had made no mistake. We told them that we had no issue even paying it again, but that a credit report for something like this was ridiculous. They insisted that our full month's bank statement, and letter from the bank was not enough, and that it would stay.

We feel that this an absolute scam since it comes with all sorts of fees on top,even though the card is not working for a long time now. The representatives are not trained enough to handle anything,but collection script. Managers keep promissing to "Do the reseach" and all I get is more illiterate collection calls. My credit is all messed up now and there is no way to fight this injustics. Credit was damaged badly. We were asked to pay 5 times more than I ever borrowed

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.