Dear FRONTLINE,

I recommend you do a follow up to this program on the Collection Industry since the two are correlated. "SECRETS OF THE COLLECTION INDUSTRY". The 5 W's of when debt is considered delinquent to the point of charge-off, the legal relationships between creditor and collector, authorities to collect, how bad debt is bought and sold, how debts can be resold after consumers settle, how the original creditors wipe their hands of the situation, the gutter-tactics some collectors use, interviews with victims of abusive collectors, resources for consumers, protections, legislation, previous cases, etc.

This would be a righteous follow up to the Credit Card program and get some exposure on this industry as well.

Thank you and keep up the great programming!

Iron Law
Long Beach, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Most people start having trouble paying their bills because of some sort of financial trauma in their life such as, a medical problem, job loss, divorce, etc. It would seem to me that this is the time when people need the lower fees and better rates to help them get back on their feet and be able to pay off their debt, but the opposite is true.

This is the time when credit card companies jack up their interest rates and dramatically increases their fees making it much more difficult for the consumer to pay off their debt. If the consumer then falls further behind financially, as a result of these practices, they often turn to personal bankruptcy as a last resort. Now credit card company lobbyist are trying to get the bankruptcy reform bill passed, which will exempt credit card debt from personal bankruptcy, the very thing which pushes most people to personal bankruptcy. This leaves the consumer with no last resort, and no leverage in negotiating with their creditors. It truly renders the consumer powerless. It’s beyond insane to me.

Lastly, why do insurance companies have any legal right to raise your insurance rates based on your credit score? I’m not asking for a loan or credit from the insurance company. In fact I’m forced to get auto insurance by law, if I want to own a car, which is a necessity in most states. How does my credit score have one thing at all to do with my driving skills? My history of a spotless driving record means less than my credit score to my insurance company apparently. Right to privacy seems to come to mind, but yet this is a common practice. What’s next? A credit check when you enter a store, because people with bad credit tend to shoplift more often, so of course they have to pay higher prices for items than people with good credit regardless of whether you’ve ever shoplifted before or not?

Overland Park, KS

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for your excellent investigative report entitled, "The Secret History of the Credit Card". Frankly I'm disgusted by your findings and not at all surprised by the the governments inability or seer stupidity in this matter. This is just another recent example that our business leaders have lost there way, and I'm no longer confident that we will re-gain our footing any time soon.

Atlanta, GA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I would suggest that the Federal Government is really not interested in high credit card rates as there is no impact upon tax revenues. Ever since there was a decision to disallow credit card and car loan interest deductions on Federal tax returns, there is no impact to tax revenues. So the government could care less if people pay 10, 25, or 35% interest.

Max Fenwick
Trinidad, CO

Dear FRONTLINE,

Your program was very interesting and informative; however, there is a credit card consumer you missed in your report: military servicemembers required to use a government credit card.

I am a personal credit card deadbeat with a strong distaste for consumer debt. When the Bank of America managed government travel card (GTC)became the mandatory tool to pay for servicemember expenses while on official duty (e.g. airfare, lodging), I refused to check the box stating I would allow a personal credit check. However, this then limited my credit on the GTC to $1000. Obviously, $1000 does not cover air and lodging on military travel. In order to execute my mission, I had two choices - either allow a personal credit check or try to find someone else who could deploy since my command would not allow me alternate means to fund travel - therefore, impacting my professional career.

Yes, we are required to use the GTC to purchase travel and lodging for official military moves. After travel, we file for reimbursement. Sometimes this can take weeks. Often, we receive harrassing notes from Bank of America stating we are behind on payments, when in fact we have not been reimbursed by the government yet. This is one of the biggest scams going and results in families of deployed servicemembers having their credit threatened while their military spouse is still deployed.

In a few weeks time I will make a change of station move. With airfare and lodging, I anticipate this will be about $7000 charged on the GTC. I will have training en route and will not be able to file for reimbursement for at least 45 days after the purchase of my airfare. Therefore I can expect my personal credit to be negatively affected by the inability of my government to pay off its credit card debt for my mandatory military move. An expose of this would be greatly appreciated.

Pacific Grove , CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thanks for a top notch program frontline,, and for all you frontline Junkies out there, check out The Man Who Knew! and if u want to scream at your Television for the injustice check out the frontline show called " An Ordinary Crime " !!

Ronald Birse
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thanks for a great story. Steve Perrie of Baltimore, Maryland said your preaching to the choir because people who are revolvers are most likely not to watch this type of program. I think this is dead wrong. I owe a bit under the U.S. Average and i'm from canada. I think people that don't pay off their balance are interested in this type of show because they are getting fed up with all the secret fees and charges. My MBNA credit card i make about 1% over minimum payment and my balance doesn't even change enough for me to take $20 out on it each month. I made 5 consistent payments and tried to buy a package of halls and it was declined. These rates are ridiculous. In Canada Late fees are illegal. MBNA Canadais being sued right now because they were charging some people up to 99% interest!! Thanks again very much for a great program and i Love Frontline!

Ronald Birss
edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thanks for a great program and for the reinforcement of my family's commitment to being debt-free. We're looking forward to eliminating a little over $7,000 in credit card debt in the next 2 years and this was a great reminder to stick to the plan!

Natasha Stark
College Park, Georgia

Dear FRONTLINE,

Saying that it's the consumers’ fault for not reading and understanding the fine print is like say "It's your fault I stole everything from your house, because you didn't lock your door." I have more respect for the crook robbing your house, he probably really needs the money, the fat cats in the financial world are just using the special understanding and knowledge to take advantage of others less gifted. Apparently they lack the guts to make a living off people on there own level, the pick on the weakest. That's admirable.

Tim Olson
Royal Oak, Mi

Dear FRONTLINE,

I've been a big fan of Frontline for quite some time and I've admired it's objectivity, but I felt this episode was really one-sided. The Harvard Professor talked about how credit card companies can change interest rates without the consumer's authorization as opposed to mortgage loans.

I think the professor forgot that mortgage loans are secured by property whereas credit cards are unsecured loans.

Ed Quigley
chicago, Illinois

Dear FRONTLINE,

Several postings make the case that the consumer should be responsible for her use or abuse of credit cards. It is true that credit card use is voluntary (although some would argue that getting some services without a credit card is impossible). Credit card companies “disclose” credit card contract terms and consumers are left to use the cards at their own risk.

It is also true that astronomical late fees, over-limit fees, and universal default clauses are legal—but their legality hardly makes them fair or ethical. The ones most harmed by such lending practices are those who can least afford to be entangled in the financial mess that high fees and usurious interest rates often create. Yet, credit card companies are notorious for aggressively pushing their cards on consumers.

Yes, let’s all cheer on individual responsibility. But when do we start collectively demanding industry accountability?

Angela Steadman
McKinney, TX

Dear FRONTLINE,

I used to work for a Credit Card company. It was a customer service center that specialized in offering their cardholders balance transfers. They would offer cardholders low rates on balance transfers. For example, some cardholders would receive approximately 2.9% on all balance transfers, up to their credit limit. These rates on average lasted about 6 months. The catch always was in the fine print. Customers would also be able to apply for credit-limit increases over the phone.

The 2.9% rate would only apply to balance transfers, and any payments you made would first go to paying off the transferred balances. The balance that already existed with the company would still accumulate at the typical interest rate. So while it seemed like a good deal you would be paying off you transferred balances while you pre-existing balance was still accumulating at the 18% rate.

Massapequa, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

I enjoyed your expose on the credit card industry's dirty little

secrets. What really got my attention was the phenomenon known as

universal default, meaning that if one misses a payment or pays

late on anything, the credit card issuer is notified and takes

whatever action it deems necessary.

That was the ultimate wake-up

call I so desperately needed.

Bricker Lauri
Towson, Maryland

Dear FRONTLINE,

Your piece on Credit Cards has convinced me that I should go from using credit cards to using debit cards to keep the Credit Card Copmanies out of the loop.

What burns me the most is that the system hurts the people who are most vulnerable. As a result of your program I contacted both of my senators to ask them to help.

Steve Kalin
Tappan, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

I work one of large credit card company mentioned in your program. I find it astounding that Frontline has really only taken on one side of the story. Frontline never mentioned the carelessness of consumers. Consumers must take some responsibility for their own actions. Credit card companies lose billions of dollars every year because of high-risk, irresponsible consuumers. The companies have decided that instead of losing money on an account later they will make it up when the consumer first shows signs of being delinquent.

While I do not agree that all fees are appropriate and that the APRs should be changed as quickly as they are, it is a business like any other. They are there to make money. It's the same as saying McDonald's is the reason America is fat. No one is forcing people to eat at McDonald's and no one is forcing people to use credit cards.

I was actually surprised that the comments from a Harvard Law School Professor were not more intelligent. She compare a credit card to a mortgage. She said that if she lost her job her mortgage rate would not go up, but her credit card would. Take this into consideration, you stop paying on your mortgage, the bank takes your house. You stop paying on your credit card, the bank gets nothing. Which seems more risky to you as a bank?

While Frontline is a very informative program, I do think you should show more than one side of the story.

Steve King
Townsend, DE