Last month,
a number of callers were reporting that Chase was trying to raise the interest rate on their fixed-rate cards.
The bank was telling customers that in order to keep their low interest rate for life, they'd have to pay an annual fee of $120. They were also charging interest on this $120 fee! That's outrageous on both counts, considering that Chase had entered into a contract with customers when they locked in the original low fixed rate for life.
Imagine being a rep at Chase customer no service and having to tell customers with a straight face that this is how it's going to be.
Meanwhile, as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve were both sleeping, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was on the ball. Cuomo went after Chase because he believed their actions were illegal.
Now Chase has agreed to refund all the money they charged customers on this rip-off. Clark would like to hear Chase CEO Jamie Dimon say, "We messed up and we are sorry." But that's not in the DNA of a giant monster mega-bank.
Remember, this is one of the banks lined up at the trough of the federal bailout guzzling our tax dollars.
Furthermore, the consumer champ believes Cuomo should continue with criminal charges. Yet there's no need for jail time or home detainment. Clark has another more fitting punishment in mind: Dimon should be sentenced to 30 days on the phone in customer no service so he can talk to the people he's ripped off every day and face them!