Yes, it can be expensive unless you are on your toes, but for those with bad credit it is a way to rebuild it and "practice" responsible credit behavior.

I got this card because I was in a financial jam and needed a credit card. First off...big mistake. This card not only charges about $175 BEFORE you even get the card, but it also charges you a fee for even having your card (even if you pay off the balance) I got charged a $7.00 fee for just having the card. Thank goodness Im in a better place now so i can finally cancel this card!!

bad credit card

he people that give this card bad reviews are the ones that will always have bad credit because they 1. dont read the terms !!! 2. have bad credit but want a no-limit platinum card....HELLO...dont work that way...i got this card because it was the only bank that would take the chance with me, and for good reason....remember we "bad credit people" are high risk...your gonna pay if you wanna live a normal life in the future. this card is for someone that has money that wants to fix their credit !!! pay the 170 upfront it might seem like a loss but your really paying to get right...and it works.. if your like me...its worth paying the fees to boost my score.. i couldn't get a car an apartment NOTHING....NOW I HAVE BOTH AND 2 NEW CARDS WITH NO FEES....IM SO HAPPY I GOT THAT CARD..I DIDNT WANT TO PAY FEES BUT I HAD NO CHOICE....

Do not apply for this card. Do not enter any information on their website at all. Once you do, even if you do not agree to the details and terms on the last page, they will send you a card anyway. They will activate the card. They will send you a bill for $179 just to open the card, even though you did not accept the final terms or activate the card yourself. Then, when you don’t pay the bill..because you have never used the card and cut it up and threw it in the trash, they will send you another statement with a late fee attached to the $179 fee. Now you have over a $200 balance on a card you never authorized. The statement says you have a $250 credit limit and you owe over $200 and you never even used this card! Do not pay the bill. Call them and cancel the card! Write the BBB about this! Call your congressman! This should be illegal!! You should always have to call to activate a credit card!! And, there should never be these kind of SKY HIGH FEES to try to establish some credit!!! This bank is a RIP-OFF! READ THE FINE PRINT!!!

I accepted this card in 2004. I had really bad credit then. My credit score is now 660. It really does get better people so hang in there. I purchased a home with my husband in July 2007. I know this has alot to do with my score jumping. I cancelled this card as it has served it's purpose. I now have a home depot, wamu visa, juniper mastercard, and jcpenny cards. Use this crappy card as a credit rebuilder card only. It will help. Bye bye fees!!

There are two big things wrong with First Premier. First, they don't abide by their own credit line increase policies. They will find ANY excuse not to increase your limit, even after you meet criteria they lay out for you. Case in point: I had a Gold card with FP, paid diligently for 6 months. First violation: They don't automatically review your account like they say they do. You have to ask for increases. That's fine, but then don't tell me you review my account when you really don't. That's called bait and switch and it's illegal. Ok, so I submit my increase request online. Got a denial letter that said something along the lines of, "your account hasn't been open long enough". Second violation: Nowhere does it disclose a minimum timeframe that the account is required to be active in order to qualify for an increase. If you have a minimum threshold, fine...disclose it to the customer so they know what standards to meet. If you don't, you can't legally deny someone due to some ambiguous timeframe. That's a violation of Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Fine, so I wait 3 more months. Submit another application. This time the denial letter says something to the effect of, "you missed a payment, sorry". This of course was not true; the payment was cashed the day it was due (as I confirmed with Wells Fargo). FP chose to wait a week to credit my account. Not my fault; the payment arrived before the due date and FP was paid ON the due date, meaning it wasn't late and it wasn't missed. It took a conference call with Wells and FP to clear it up. Bottom line - false denial. Third violation: A denial letter based on an overturned decision. Not only was the denial reason invalid, it also means FP intentionally did no research to confirm 100% whether I missed that payment or not; they just assumed it based on the historical data. Violation of I don't know how many bank statutes and fair lending laws. Ok fine, got that cleared up, waited 2 more months for good measure, applied again. This time the denial letter said, "ooops, sorry, you have collections and a bankruptcy on file, no can do" - wait a minute. Isn't the card pitched to people with bad credit? Yet you penalize the same users because their credit hasn't yet improved within a year? That tells me that FP is using its knowledge of credit and the fact that credit doesn't miraculously heal itself in a year. It had no intentions of raising that limit, they just decided to string me along to make it seem like they were doing their job. Fourth violation: False advertisement, bait and switch, violation of Fair Credit law. These crooks should be shut down. Net 1st National Bank wasn't anywhere near this bad. At this point I've had it, but get this....they send me a PREAPPROVAL for a Platinum card. Ok, so my credit's so bad that you can't increase my Gold card by $100, but you'll give me a Platinum card for $300. WTH? That's when I realized what was happening. They want people to get in more and more debt with them. It's a total trap - they're not out to offer you a fair shot at credit. They're out to take you for your money. And before someone says something, no...all banks aren't like that. I've got other cards who abide by their policies, so I fail to understand what FP's issue is. I swear, they need to be shut down for good.

Get ready to spend alot and get little in return and that's with pretty good credit. First Premier Mastercard is full of charges. Capital One or Household Bank cards are much better to fix credit problems. $178 has been charged to my account already and it just came in the mail! They even charge when they increase your credit limit ~ and we're not talking small fees, in this case it's $25. THEY CHARGE FOR EVERY POSSIBLE THING, including accessing your account online; $3.95 and a Program fee for extending you credit, $95. Then there's a $6 monthly Participation fee for having credit with them, a $3 monthly Maintenance fee, a $48 Yearly fee and that's just half the page!!! And not to mention their Autodraft, Express delivery (who asked for that?), Return item, Set up FEE, Cash advance, and Additional card Fees. The whole back page of their information is nothing but fees they fondly call FINANCE CHARGES. Don't get this card. I'm calling now to cancel and if there's a problem with that they can answer to the SEC.

just stay away, they are plenty of other good card out there

It is an easy card to get if you have bad credit and need to rebuild it, but the first time I paid by check it was reported within the next day and I could use the credit on my card. The next 3 times I paid by check they said that I had to wait 30 days in order to use the credit on my card, which really messed me up a few times. So if you were to get this card I would suggest always paying by western union.

i appreciate a credit card people to believe in me. people have problems at times that can't be helped. I was trying to go to school and support myself and pay for everything myself and got into trouble

This card is not a scam and no I do not work for them. Due to a divorce 4 years ago, my credit took a major hit. In fact, prior to the divorce it was taking a hit and I never knew it. I found out when I tried to get an apartment and was declined housing. At that point I realized how important credit really is and to never trust anyone to look out for your credit except you. When I pulled my reports I was horrified at what I saw. A score of 489. I began doing tons of research on the subject and became educated very fast on what to do and how to do it. Someone had posted earlier about “skills” needed to obtain and remain in good credit standings. Nothing on this site is more accurate than that statement. My credit was so bad that FP was the ONLY one that would give me a card. The fees were high as well as the monthly participation fees. But it taught me to pay attention to what was going on with my credit. That “attention” came with a price but it also came with huge rewards. When I got my first card I did not charge anything for 6 months. I paid the big fee the first month then set up my online banking (my bank) to pay them the $6.00 automatically. If fact I paid $26.00 per month. In six months I had a credit balance of $120.00. Then I applied for another card from them. Same deal same fees. They sent me the check for $120.00 and I applied it to my first big fee on the new card. Paid the remaining 50 bucks. Set my bank up for the 6.00 monthly fee. With both cards in hand I used them to buy food, gas etc. Each day when I got home I would pay in full. I never charged anything more than I could not pay for that day with my debit card. After two short years things became much better. I cancelled my accounts with them. Waited about 60 days for them to report that I closed the accounts. I applied at cap-one got a card I could deal with and use like a normal person. 4 years later….. I have my own home, one BOA credit card, three Amex Cards (none have annual fees) and a score of 790. I have saved 1000 times in interest as to what I paid FP in fees to have their card. The price was fair but the key is to pay attention to your credit. FP is quite clear in all of their communications. This card is not for people that don’t have any money. It is for those that make a half decent salary , have no credit or have been thrust into a situation beyond your control and want to be responsible when it comes to their credit.

I had to file a Chapter 7 2 years ago as my business went under. Yes, this is the first credit card that I was approved for(of course it was the first I applied for since the BK). I understood the huge initial fees as you have to pay for your mistakes. The major problem with this company is the 3 week delay of posting your online payment(for which of cours they charge a $7 online payment fee). The customer service is atrocious. The people are rude and give absolutely no service. If your credit it bad, please only go to First Prem. if this is your LAST option. DO NOT MAKE AN ONLINE PAYMENT!!! My credit has gone up but not because of these jokers. It is because I have paid every bill on time since the BK.

I applied for this card with the sole purpose of rebuilding my credit. This card really requires you to develop the 'skills' you will need to be a responsible card holder. Make payments on time, watch your credit limit, pay it down!!, watch for fees, etc. This card helped me get a Cap One, Visa, and two retail cards. Now, with my good credit, I own a home! I cancelled the card recently because it had served its purpose. One final thing. You should use this card once a month (even if for a small purchase). I went a couple of months without using it and when I attempted to do so, the cashier said it came back as "inactive". I had my full line available but couldn't use it!

First off, mail your payments and save the online fees. There are no hidden fees, they are all explained up front. After you pay the upfront fees (175.00 billed, 20 due 1st month)it is like any other card, except the APR is lower than most cards. They report as soon as a payment is made. The online services cost a one time fee of $4.00 but is worth it to see your account. The monthly $6.00 fee will raise your credit score if it is all you use the card for.(no charges). Just paying it will be posted as "paid as agreed" on your report. If you just need to rebuild your credit, and are worried about making payments, then just pay the $6.00 each month and dont make charges. If you do make charges (like me) it is only a 9.9 rate. Thats better than most cards you get with good credit. One more thing: They have the nicest customer service people.

applied for this card with terrible credit, received my card a week later with a $300 limit to start. I have had nothing but positive experiences thus far with customer service. not a bad deal for those rebuilding credit. this one should be allowed as part of oprah's 'america's debt diet!'

I got this card when I had very bad credit. Unsecured. They report to all 3 agencies and my score jumps significantly each month due to this card and one other I got at the same time.

This card is a good card to have but they hit you with a lot of fees. The first reason why people try and get this card is because they either have bad credit or no credit at all. They hit you with a $46 dollar annual fee and every month you are charge a $6 fee for participation. The good thing is you can use the card anywhere and it helps your establish credit quickly. If you have no credit there one company that gives you a decent APR which is 9.9%. THe apr is fair and i would reccommend this card, but be alert with the fees that they hit you with. i wouldnt recommend the card if your broke at the time. They will offer you a 200-250 dollar credit limit but before you even see your card you have like 75 dollars availble. Once you pay that off then its smooth sailing. Good Luck fellow chargers.

I wanted to post again sorry but I have checked my credit reports and scores and they have already updated the 2 months and my scores have raise by about 40 points so far in 2 months which is wonderful!! I did want to make a note that the online payment fee is a one time only set up finance charge of 3.95 that is NOT charged every time however there is a 7.00 fee added if you pay online however it is not taken out of your payment or your checking account it is applied to the credit balance of your account as if you were charging the credit card. So far only my first payment was held for the 20 days and everything has posted within 1-2 billing days thereafter and been applied to my available credit. My boyfriend also just got the card and paid all of his fee's online as well and it's already updated on his account. Having this card allowed me to go and get an auto loan I otherwise would not have qualified for. This is also great because you don't have to pay the initial fees up front they are charged to the card, where others make you pay them before you even get a card. It has so far been accepted everywhere and your available credit is updated everyday immediatly online so that is very helpful in keeping you from going over the limits. So far customer service has been extremely helpful and friendly and you can understand what they are saying. Definatly recommend

I just got this card in April, I like the online site, you can submit questions, see your current activity, pay your bill, request credit limit increase ect, very user friendly. What I don't like is the first payment was held for 20 days because they do reserve that right, however it was only done on the first payment, every payment there after has posted the next day. There is a 7.00 fee that is charged to the card every time you pay online with is bad I really don't like that however it is faster than sending in payments in the mail. Over all I have had no problems and it is reporting to all 4 credit bureaus as they promised and it raised my credit enough in 2 months to get my car loan. I would recommend this for bad credit to improve your credit.

My extensive professional back ground in sales and support with Wells Fargo banks have helped me understand why this card is an asset to any credit challenged (sub prime) customer. Sure you can apply with any secured card and make all the deposits you want, but First Premier bank master card is not asking for you to secure this card. This explains why they are charging those up front fees of $178.00 and giving you a 9.9% APR. After my initial inquiry with First Premier Platinum Master Card, I was concerned. But not after contacting the customer service department with a list of pre-written questions I had. I did do my homework and studied the Initial Disclosure Statement, the Joint Privacy Notice, and the Credit Card Agreement / Initial Disclosure, in which all three are mailed with your credit card and first statement (which arrive all at the same time). First let me explain...when you call them about your pre-approved letter, they do explain that you are already approved, period. In fact if you recieve a pre-approved letter, like I did, the initial pre-screening has already been completed. All they need is your personal information to complete the application. In about 7-12 business days, your mastercard arrives in the mail (in one envelope) already activated, along with your first billing statement (another envelope). No PIN number is assigned unless you call them to request one. Let me explain that you will have the $178.00 in charges posted on the billing statement right away. Your available credit will be initially $72.00. If I were to advise anyone using this card, it would be not to charge anything in the first 30 days...or at least until you have all your questions answered...this way you can still use your right to cancel anytime within the first 30 days only (by written request only). After 30 days, according to the disclosure statement, your account is a valid contract and you will no longer be able to walk away from this scott free. It is SO important that you read all the Disclosure statements so you understand the rules that this card and bank are offering you. After spending one hour with two different customer representatives, all my worries were gone. This bank is offering you a NON SECURED credit card at 9.9% APR (purchases only) with a 19.9% APR (if you take cash advances). There are no secret scams going on with this card. By the way...it doesn't matter whether your card is the standard card, the GOLD card or the Platinum card...they are all the same thing...according to customer service...the only difference is the color of the card, period. Payment options: 1)pay by money order or personal check in the mail...will be on hold for 20 days for verification of funds (so allow time for it to arrive before your due date). 2) pay online ($3.95 each time)with a check routing and acct number is 20 days hold plus 1 to 2 days proccessing of online payment. 3) pay by western union ($12.95) if you pay by 4pm CST any business day and amount will be posted by midnight that day and funds available on your card..no questions asked and no hold times. 4) pay by automatic ACH from a checking account by phone(if you set this up automatically deducted each month, NO CHARGE)but if you do not set up automatically then $7.00 fee applied to your next billing statement, but possible 20 day hold for funds made available to credit limit. I must explain that it is important you understand the 15-20 day hold times. If you pay by check or money order by mail or pay ACH over the phone, then hold times may apply, but as long as the actual payment is made before the due date...then the hold time only applies to the actual amount you paid that will be posted to your available credit limit for you to use on your card. IT IS NOT a hold of 15-20 days before it is posted to your account. The hold time applies to the payment amount you made as it pertains to the funds available on your credit card. In anyway, make your payment before the due date and you will not get charged a late fee of $25.00. But you may have to wait the hold time for the amount to be available on the card. I hope this explains the confusion. If you make your payments on time each month...and your not over your limit or you dont have any late fees for prior months, then there may not be any hold times from the payment options above for the following months. If you dont use that card at all for the first few months...no late fees and no over limit problems will occur....THAT is the secret to allowing this card to give you a GREAT credit score rating. They will notify the credit bureau's right after you make your first payment and then monthly there after. My first experience was pleasant with customer service as long as you know what your asking them. So please do your homework. I plan not to use this card more than one time a month and only to build up my credit score. This is not a card to max out on the first month or you will be asking for trouble. In general, you should never use more than 30% (with $250 limit, thats no more than $75)of your credit limit each month in order to recieve a positive credit review on your credit report. If your still not satisfied with your experience...I have made availlable the Corporate Headquarters address for you to file a complaint. GOOD LUCK! I hope I was able to help anyone make a choice about this card! Corporate contact: First Premier Bankcard, 900 W. Delaware St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

I got this card 6 months ago, I wasn't going to get it cuz the interest rate was terribly high and my credit was not all that bad for them to be acting that way but some rep. accountant gave me half on interest rate and partial start up charge. I still regret getting it because they charge you like $10-15 for you to make a payment online or even by phone (is it me or is that messed up) I m about to increase my other credit card and cancel them anyway but all in all they cost a person with fair credit way too much money. I feel sorry for those with real Bad credit.

I WOULD REFER THIS CARD TO ANYONE WITH POOR OR NO CREDIT. AFTER YEARS OF HAVING DAMAGED CREDIT I FINALLY WOKE UP AND DECIDED TO CLEAN MY CREDIT UP. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS NO ONE WOULD GIVE ME A CARD, BUT I CAME ACROSS THE FIRST PREMIER BANK CARD SITE AND APPLIED AND TO MY SURPRISE MY CARD WAS IN THE MAIL JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER I APPLIED FOR IT. I DIDNT MIND PAYING THE HIGH FEES BECAUSE THEY TOOK A CHANCE JUST GIVING ME THE CARD. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CARD FOUR FIVE MONTHS AND MY SCORE IS IMPROVING ALREADY.I PAY MY BILL ON TIME AND KEEP IT UNDER THE LIMIT. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CREDIT LIMIT INCREASE YET BUT THATS NOT WHAT THE CARD IS FOR. ITS TO HELP PEOPLE ESTABLISH CREDIT NOT CHARGE IT BACK UP! THANK YOU FIRST PREMIER BANK.

All of these excuses are killing me. I have never had a problem with this card. My payment usually posts within 3 days of mailing it. I never get charged a late fee or over the limit fee because I pay on time and I do not exceed my credit limit. Its 5th grade math people. All of these people that are making excuses about this card are just not ready to make a committment to clean up their credit. Its like any other card: pay your bill on time every month and do not exceed your credit limit. you will not have a problem. Quit making excuses for why you havent managed your credit. I recommend this card for anyone who is trying to re-establish their credit. Pay on time every month and you will not have a problem.

read the fine print....it says it all... the fee's they charge are ridiculous. there should be laws against these type's of predators, and that is what they are!! preying on the people who can least afford to be taken advantage of...(the poor) The officers of this bank should a the very least be put in jail. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM !!!!

I WAS SENT THIS CARD IN THE MAIL ALREADY ACTIVATED. I DID NOT APPLY FOR IT OR ASK FOR IT. I TOSSED IT IN THE TRASH, NOW I AM BEING CHARGES $198.56, FOR A CARD I DID NOT USE AT ALL.IT HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO NATIONWIDE COLLECTION.CUSTOMER SERVICE IS POSITIVELY HORRIBLE TO DEAL WITH, THEY SAY I OWE THEM REGARDLESS. THEY ARE CROOKS SO TAKE MY ADVISE, IF YOU EVER RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM FIRST PREMIER CUT IT UP, PUT IT IN AN ENVELOPE SEND IT BACK TO THEM REGISTERED MAIL SO YOU KNOW THEY GOT IT.

Here was my situation 4 years ago. I had no credit, and didn't really understand how it worked. I got the First Premier card in 2002, and kept it maxed out. After a year I got a $125 increase and then another $200. I had a few collection accounts on my credit that I disputed. A few got removed, and I paid the ones that didn't. I then learned about credit scores and how they worked. And yes I paid the fees for this card just like everyone else. Get over it, you screwed your credit up, now you have to pay fees if you WANT this card. But, with ON TIME payments and staying under your credit limit you can soon reap rewards that other cards offer. One of the first things to realize is just because you have a $250 or whatever limit doesn't mean you can use it all. If you dont pay your balance in full each month you will have interest charges, which can take you over the limit causing an over-limit fee. Trust me, the only way to get increases on this card is to stay under the limit and pay ON TIME. Also once a year you are charged an annual fee. You are notified the month before they are going to charge it, so send in extra $$ and dont be over the limit when the annual fee is charged. Next, whatever your balance is when your statement closes is what reports to the credit bureaus. So, with a $500 limit idealy you should only have $250 or less charged at the closing date. Your credit score is partly calculated by your balance to limit ratios. Balances at 35% or less of your credit line will increase your credit scores. So fast foreard to 2005, I still have my first premier card. If I closed it now, I would loose all that good credit history. Closing your oldest credit card will not help your credit scores. I now have 15 other credit cards. All with credit lines over $2000. I even have one with a $10,000 limit. Building good credit takes time, responsibility, and dedication. Just remember, dont spend more than you can afford to pay back. PAY ON TIME!!! STAY BELOW YOUR CREDIT LINE!! If you send your payment by mail, call and check to make sure it was received or check online before the due date. First Premier has never played games with my payments. But I do know how crappy the mail system can be. The way I look at it I payed the $172 to get this card, then $48 annual fee per year and $6 a month for the participation fee. A total of $604 approximately. But with the good credit Ive built Ive gotten almost tripple that in rewards off of the different cards I have now. Good luck everyone!

Customer Service is poor and company only desires to milk its customers w/ charges.

My wife and I went through a BK chapter 7 a year and a half ago. First premier was the second company to give my wife a card with a 250 limit. After all of the fees she had an available balance of 75. Since she got the card in the middle of the year at the beginning of the next year she was hit with another set of annual fees. The only way to pay is through the mail to avoid fees. So we canceled. Throughout the life of the card we were late once. They did not report it becasue it was not over thirty days. When we canceled the card we were reported as being late over 60 days 2 times. We are fighting that becasue we kept good records. Good Luck if you got one.

Their APR is very high and the monthly charges and their annual fee is high.

after screwing my credit up a few years back when I was young, I got this & an Orchard card...I can't be happier with the Orchard card. The people who work for this company are horrible!! I have had NOTHING but problems with this company....PERIOD!! To make it worse - you CAN 'T cancel this damn card....they report it delinquent to the credit bureau's!!! AND!!! they charge you a monthly fee of 12 bucks for doing it. I regret the day I ever applied for this card. My advise...go to the Orchard Bank web site...you may pay a little more in interest fee's, but it sure is worth it!1 And the CR's are very helpful & polite.

I think that this bank is ripping people off like myself who is trying to establish credit. I will not pay any fees to get a card like this. its better to get a secured or an orchard bank card.

The gold cards from this bank is basically the same as the standard cards. the only difference is that the card is yellow. thats it. Im glad I no longer have this card. Orchard Bank is alot better than this card.

Folks: First I agree with the many reviews that state "READ the fine print", and to pay your bill as soon as it arrives. However, from personal experience, I have found the Orchard Bank Card a much better experience and the card to have. I am not inundated with excessive fees and credit increases are much easier. You can pay by check, phone or online wihtout the problems everyone has noted. The interest rate is higher, but at least you get a card with a decent balance. I have since closed my Orchard card (with no hassles) and am on to bigger things. It is tough, but as many are realizing now, your credit is key to everything. Be smart, not hasty.

I haven't had to talk to any customer service reps in the 3-4 months I've had this card, so I gave it an average rating of "3". And since I pay about two to three times the minimum payment each month and don't go over my limit, I won't need to worry about the CSRs calling me looking for their money like many of you have complained about. It's simple, pay at least the minimum amount each month, and they'll leave you alone. Anyone complaining about the high fees associated with this card need to realize that First Premier Bank charges those fees because they're taking a BIG chance on giving someone with bad credit a new card. If you just thoroughly read the Cardmember Agreement that comes with the initial "You're Pre-approved!" offer in the mail, you'll see that all the fees are there in black and white. They charge $7.00 when you make a phone or online payment, but you can circumvent this fee by either mailing your monthly payment, or making a payment using the "Online Billpay" section of your bank's Web site. I make my payment each month this way and I don't even need to spend money on a stamp to mail a check. Keep your balance at around 30% of your credit limit each month, and your score will go up. I've only had this card for about 3 or 4 months now, and my FICO score has already risen over 30 points. I've also been receiving more offers in the mail now for better cards. First Premier Bank offered me my first credit card in almost 5 years, so "thank you" to them for taking a risk and giving me a second chance. However, as soon as I get a better card (which won't be long now), I'll pay off and close my FPB card and cut it into pieces!

after thoroughly screwing my credit a few years ago, this was the first card i was able to get. yeah the fees suck, but they are a business and they do need to make money, and if you have bad credit, you kinda deserve them. and if you have good credit, then why the hell do you need this card when you can get one without fees?

I agree with Karen, customers should not have to wait an entire year for a credit limit increase. I have had my account for a year and I have to wait until November for my next increase. This sucks. Here's the funny part. I just received an offer from First Premier stating "Congratulations! Due to your excellent credit history with First Premier Bank, you are guaranteed a second first premier bank credit card with a seperate account number and credit limit". So they can get more fees out of me they are offering me a second account rather than raise my limit. It wouldn't be that bad if the new account offered a higher limit or less fees. The only reason I may consider getting this one is so my husband can use the account. Other than that, I would pass. Overall, I have no complaints about this card. My credit is getting better and better

This card was an answer to prayer when i first got it. I wanted to buy a house and i needed to establish some credit. Everything was fine as long as i paid it and kept the card. Then i made the mistake of closing it because they weren't very flexible as far as increasing my limit. Well, not only did they not close it right then, they charged me 12.00 for usage and sent a record of that to the credit bureau for late payment. I had never been late before and i wasn't aware that i was late this time. Someone from their so called customer service department called me demanding that i pay this 12.00 or else. After i politely told them, "i'm not giving you one red cent!", some one else came to the phone and said they would take care of everything. well, she took care of it alright, they sent my record to the credit bureau as dilinquent but they did credit my account back 12.00. Now i am trying to dispute this matter so that i may refinance the home i brought and i am trying to deal with the other rejection letters from creditors because of my bout with First Premier Bank. If you are looking for customer service from a credit card company... run as far away as you can from them! They tell you what you will do or else and they treat everyone as if they are just low-lifes trying to lie, cheat, or steal from their credit card company. If i ever had to do this again, i would go with anyother card company, not First Premier.

I have had this card for 8 months. In july of 2004, they said I would recieve an automatic limit increase at the end of 6 months. I never recieved it. 3 weeks ago I mailed them a FULL PAYMENT stapled to a letter telling them to STOP ALL DEDUCTIONS and CLOSE THE ACCOUNT and that I will REFUSE any and all future charges and fees from them. To date (3-31-2005, they still have not credited my payment and claimed they could not find the signed letter. Monday 3-28-2005 I faxed them a copy of the check and a copy of the letter. So far the only thing they have done is to close the account for me. They still have not posted my payment and all I get for answers from them are excuses. I am about ready to report them to the US Secret Service as they are who has final say in credit card matters in the USA. A list of other complaints can be found at: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/credit_cards/premier.html Avoid this card at all costs. It is worth paying a little more interest to avoid monthly service fees and agravation from these people... Sincerely, Joseph

This has been a great card. Ive rebuilt my credit enough to get approved for several other cards. However, I've only had one credit line increase of $125. I called in about another and was told it had to be a year from the last one. I was also told that the increase amounts range from $125-$200. So after someone has built credit this card is useless. Higher credit limits show you are trusted and raise your credit score. All in all this is a good card, but they need to offer higher credit line increases.

Everyone needs to realize, yes you may have problems in your life but i worked for First Premier in their collections department and I have never heard more excuses in my life. I had one cardholder that would tell me every time I talked to her that a family member had been shot or was killed in a car accident, this particular cardholder had 25 people die in her family in one year. Come on people!!! The start up fees and late fees are disclosed from the beginning and if you dont read them whose fault is that???? You use the card and you pay the monthly payment you dont go over your credit limit and you will be fine. It doesnt take a brain surgeon to get one of these cards. You may want to just talk to the collection rep that calls you instead of making excuses and having friends and relatives lie and say you dont live there anymore or one of my personal favorites is when you get your small child on the phone telling the rep that you are not there HELLO WE ARE IN COLLECTIONS WE ARE NOT DEAF WE CAN HEAR YOU IN THE BACKGROUND WHY WOULD YOU PEOPLE DO THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN ACCEPT RESPONSIBLITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS AND YOUR CREDIT

In missing one payment a person from the company called and tried to get me to pay the entire bill. Which when I called customer service I was told the whole bill did not have to be paid. I hated the fact that the collection department lie to their customers. The bill was paid in full at a later date and then used again.

I received this card a few months ago to re-establish my credit. I do not have any complaints. Plains Commerce will process your payment and then hold your available credit for ten days. First Premier has never held ONE payment. Actually, my credit is available before the check has cleared! Also, this card has a much lower apr than Plains does. I don't understand why this card receives such negative reviews. Customer service has always been nice EVERYTIME I called. Of course, I pay my bills on time so I never have to deal with a phone rep unless I choose to. I am very happy and will recommend this card to others. I also have co-workers/relatives who own this card and they are very happy as well.

As MOST people are aware there are terms & conditions with any credit card...READ ALL OF THEM before applying for any credit card. The fees on this card are not hidden, they are actually quite easy to read if you take the time. From the reviews I've read, some people feel that this is the only card that charges late fees...EVERY credit card charges when a payment is late...bottom line...take responsibilty. You know when your payment is due. The fees are a bit much especially if you only get $250 credit limit, but if you have bad credit or no credit what do you expect! I would highly recommend this credit card to anyone who is serious about their credit. Don't like having to pay to make a payment online or by phone, have others that don't charge. Sometimes it takes forever to get thru to a customer service rep. All in all it's a good card.

reps don't care for customer complaints; and not interested in keeping customers. I complained about my payments not getting posted to my account in a timely fashion and asked to whom I can address my complaint. The supervisor, Lori, told me she can't go down and watch every piece of mail, and there is no one who can investigate my complaint. Kind of a 'tough luck buddy, we're doing YOU a favor, don't question US - we're a bank, so we're right!' attitude. I dont need the headaches, so I'm cancelling my card. I have other cards that DONT give me trouble, get my payments posted right and give great service.

Hi, I posted my first review for the card on 6/7/04. This card is great! I just received a my first credit limit increase after six months exactly as they promised. However, the increases are not automatically given, you have to call and request them. I received a $125 credit limit increase giving me total credit of $375.00. I have never had a problem with this card or customer service. Customer service will not bother you as long as you pay your bills on time. The fees are high, but it is worth it. I also want to point out that the customer service lady I spoke with was American and spoke very good english. I am not sure why people are commenting that they can't understand their representatives. All of the fees are clearly spelled out in black and white so I don't understand why people are complaining. If the fees are too high, DONT Get the card!! Please note, although first premier bank charges $7 to pay online, you can pay them using billpay at your bank for free! You have to be smart. I pay First Premier via bill pay every month and I don't pay a fee at all. I love this bank, they have helped me alot. I will still keep this card even after I clean my credit up.

I love my MasterCard from First Premier and would gladly let others know about their cards. I always pay my bill on time and always more then is due depending on how I want to use the card. They are the best.

If you are dumb enough to get the card you'll look even dumber trying to get rid of it. They will damage your credit rating when you try to cancel. Even if you are in good standing they will report to the credit bureau that you were not and make your credit rating go down. If you cancel this credit card because you don't want it they will give you something else you don't want as well. They will tell the creditors they cancelled you!. Don't get this card if you are trying to build up good credit, go to your bank and get a loan or something because you will have a half a chance of walking away with the good credit rating stamp. This company will not allow that to happen to you if you ever try to cancel from them. They have charges for everything you do with it and you get nothing in return but more debt and bad credit rating if you try to get out of it..Don't get this card

I love this card. All of the fees were disclosed upfront and I had no problem excepting them. Like many others here, I was having problems securing credit because of my history. this card has helped a great deal. Payments are always posted 3-4 days after I mail it. Unlike some cards, the credit is available to use before the money has been taken out of my account! I am VERY happy with this card.

i love this card! I have never had ANY problems with this credit card. It has always worked when I need it, and my payments ALWAYS post on time(normally within 4 days from mail date) I don't wait until the last minute to mail my payment. as soon as the bill is received payment is sent off within a day or two. I think this card is excellent for rebuilding your credit. I do agree the fees are high and a secured card would be a cheaper option (fleet/bank of america secured). However, many of us do not have 300 to send a company up front. The good thing about secured cards, you are not throwing money away. You get your deposit back. overall i would recommend this card. after the first year, you will pay about 120 in fees per year. So get it if you can afford it. Trust me this is a good card if YOU PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME.

I have held this card for 5 months now. I have always paid more than the minimum and ON TIME. I have NEVER had any problems with payments posting late. For example, I mailed my payment on 8/16/04 and it posted on 8/20/04. I always mail my payments a few days after receiving the bills, hence the reason why I don't have any problems. Come on people, with all the technology available, don't blame late payments on not receiving your bill. Ever heard of the internet?? I log onto their webiste every month to ensure my payments have posted well before they are due. I feel this is the best sub prime card available because of the low interest rate. This is a great credit rebuilding tool. I also have many co-workers who have this card as well and they love it. I think those of us who pay our bills will not have any problems. I like the low credit limit, it keeps me in control of my finances. I never carry a high balance on this card, I try to keep it open for emergencies. I do have a secured card with fleet bank, and a unsecured visa with plains commerce bank. All have helped me a great deal to get my credit back on track and ALL are payed on TIME. I do whatever it takes to ensure my payment is received on time. It's not hard people with all the many options available. I will be back to post again when i receive a credit limit increase. I should be available for one soon! good luck to all of you.

HELLO EVERYONE, WELL I JUST GOT DONE MAKING MY FIRST PAYMENT AND I MAILED IT FROM CALIFORNIA ON 8-25-04 AND IT WAS RECIEVED ON 8-29-04 AND THE AMOUNT WAS ALREADY POSTED ON MY CARD BEFORE MY CHECK EVEN CLEARED THE BANK. ALSO TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FURIOUS WITH THE FEES IT WAS CLEARLY STATED IN THE APPLICATION SO THERE SHOULD BE NO CONFUSION. I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CREDIT BEING SO POOR AND THAT WE NEED TO WAKE UP AND NOW THAT IT TAKES AT LEAST TWO YEARS TO HAVE YOUR CREDIT IN GOOD STANDING AGAIN. WELL GOODLUCK AND IF I EVER HAVE ANY PROBLEMS I WILL BE BACK AGAIN.

When my husband left me with about $17,000 in credit card debt..all in my name...Yea I was a dummy...this card has helped me reestablish and rebuild my credit. Their intial fees are HIGH, but I have had no problem with payments being posted in a timely manner, but have had no contact with customer service,,so I don't know how that particular "service" is. Their participation fee and online payment fee could be alleviated or stopped after a certain amount of time/business with them, but then someone, myself or a second party got us in this situation to begin with..so I don't find this exorbitant. If I do start to have problems with them, like some of the other posts, I will definately be back to report. Otherwise, this card has been good to me so far.

Without First Premier Bank, I was having a rough time to get a credit card and the change to rebuild my credit history and rating. First Premier gave me that chance; and a couple of years having it - gave me the credit I needed to buy a home in the Greater LA area. People talk about how much their company charges; but for the small price that I do pay; it was well worth it. Thank you First Premier Bank -- you gave me back my life.

I just got word that I was approved for this card. I have read all of the posted reviews and have this to say. I know of 2 people who alsp have this card. 1 of them has made one payment and let the card go, now First premier Bank wants their money. The second person is using the card very well with no problems. I think that if you keep up your payments, you will be okay. You were the one who screwed up your credit to begin with. This is now the price you need to pay to rebuild your credit. I feel it's a start and a small price to pay for something that can help you in the future long run of things. Think of all you can do with good credit in the future.......

First Premier offers "pay by phone" option. However, they can hold your payment for up to 15 days even after your bank transfers or wires the money to their account. This is the fine print in the contract agreement and also on your monthly statement. example: You authorize your draft on June 22, 2004 for 219.81 and your bank transfers by wire that exact authorized amount on the 23rd that payment should be posted and available to your credit card account. This is not the case. Customer service reps say my bank has 60 days to take the money back. I just made a payment of $50 a week ago that was available the next day. If the policy is they can hold it for up to 15 days then they should be able to release the funds once verification of payment has been established (if bank has 60 days why does the hold on payments last 15?). The wire from my bank to theirs, a letter from my bank and a history of early payments and a zero balance on my card since the first use is not enough verification. According to Customer Service the 15 day hold can not be released no matter what. Summary: I paid money, put my balance back at zero, thinking my full credit limit would be available, a hold was placed on a verified transfer, and the hold will be lifted and credit line available on July 6, 2004. I have been informed that they may never hold another payment again or they may hold every one made. That is their terms and conditions. (FYI $300 credit limit) I am actively seeking another company that does not have these "standard credit company practices" as stated by customer service. Already 2 other companies have never heard of such garbage.

I have been reading the reviews on this card. So far I like this card. Years ago I had credit cards, charge accounts, etc. Of course I was young and did not understand how to use credit. Because of this my credit is filled with charge offs and collection accounts. Some are due to family members irresponsibility. Nevertheless I have to pay for it. Which it what we all are doing now. You cannot expect to get a good card with poor credit. I understand this, so I am NOT bothered by the fees. As soon as the statement comes in I pay the bill. I sent a payment on 5/15/04 and the payment was credited to my account on 5/19/04. Compared to other cards for people with bad credit, I feel this is the best because of the low apr. Basically, pay on time every month and you will not have to worry about the collection department. The low credit limit does not bother me. I got this card to rebuild my credit. I don't intend on charging thousands of dollars on it. A wise man said, never charge more than you can afford. Credit is not free money. Remmeber that and you will be fine! I also check the website a week before my payment is due to ensure it has posted.

Will hold payments in office until they are overdue and when adding those fess will sometimes put you over the limit. to alleviate this problem you must send all payments Postal money order. Return receipt requested to prove when they were received. Also has history of illegal contract. BEWARE of these credit cards. Household bank is the best for reestablishing credit, but you must refuse to pay for credit increases. After a year they will start coming, if you pay over the maximum payment. Mine is $15 a month, I pay 50.) Do NOT us First Primier. I'm ceratain that one day they will be involved in a class action lawsuit. If you have one, break it and pay off the balance before the next annual fees are due. If their was such a thing as a loan shark card, this would be it!

I got this card two years ago and when i got it i was a little taken back at the fees becuase I DIDNT READ THAT IS NOT THE COMPANIES FAULT THAT I DID NOT READ as some of the other people suggest. The card only had a $250 limit but thats fine cause i really dont need any mroe debt. There have been a few times i have gone over the limit and they charged me a fee BUT DUH IF I PAID ON TIME AND STOPPED SPENDING THEY WOULDNT CHARGE ME ANYTHING!! So its not the companies fault that these people dont read or fail to pay their bills (which is why we all have bad credit) we screwed it up now we have to pay. GET OVER URSELVES IF U PAID THE BILL THEY WOULDNT HARRASS YOU OVER THE PHONE!! The customer service is alright...not really big talkers so you get quick responses but you get what you need. They cant report you to the credit agencies by law for 30 days but F.P. waits 60 to report you. I like the card and if you READ and PAY UR BILL its a good card!

I have a card with this outfit for 2 yrs and just renewed for another 2. About 2 months ago I paid my account in full online and printed out the confirmation number and then paid it again ther following month all together I paid 3 payments online . First Premier claims they could not locate my bank account eventhough it was the same account they had drafted previously earlier in the year. the have charged me a total of $187 in fees as a result. When I asked to elevate my issue to speak to a supervisor they service rep muttered she did not know what good it would do. The Supervisor would not address my issue and basically told me it was my fault eventhough I offered to conference in my banks representative who would verify my account had sufficient funds for the payments I had made on line and my bank was asking for the electronic polling signature numbers that occur when a creditor actually sends the request out to draft the bank account requested. I sent a letter with my concerns in over a month ago and copied the FDIC and have yet to hear a peep from First Premier except for the request for money which I will pay off. MY POINT IS STAY AWAY FROM THIS SOULESS UNCARING OUTFIT. IF you do need a secured card you will find Household Bank or Orchard Bank to be a much better deal and they do not charge a fee for paying your account on line.

On Wednesday 02-25-04 I recieved an e-mail that an derogatory remark had been posted on my credit report. I opened my e-mail and first priemier had reported that I was over my credit limit. I immeadatly called 1st Premier customer service and was told that my payment due on 02-19-04 had been recieved late. I have been a card holder since March of 2003 and have never been late with a payment. The first I spoke with said there was nothuing he could do about it. I asked to speak to a supervisor and that is why I am writing this neagative report. I did not remember her name, but she was the most rude peson that I have ever spoken to. She did not try and help me solve this problem. I told her that I have been mailing my check on the 10th of every month since April of 2003. She said that was my problem and that she could not control the mail. All she could say when I complained was "Is there any thing else I can help you with". I also want to say that I was not over my credit limit. When my checked was recieved 3 day late the late charge put me over the limit. I would never recomend this card to anybody! Instead of try to help sovle this problem all she would say is "there is nothing I can do".

First I would like to state that I do work in the credit field, and I feel that this is a very good card to allow you to re-establish your credit, why do I say this, because all I do all day long is approve or deny credit for 10 hours a day I view credit bureau reports and make loan decisions, and I just like you do not have an excellent credit rating, what have I learned in my line of work though is this is that if you keep at least one to two credit cards and items like your car payment or house note paid on time every month after filing bankruptcy or going through a bad phase for at least two years then other companies will give you a chance because those companies are looking for customers to add to their list also and they look for the customers from these companies to add to them the thing that most customers don't realize is that larger banks don't really care much if you make over 100,000 a year or 15,000 a year all they care about is can you pay them their money and that's all first premier wants, if you can only make the minimum payment then make it ( more than likely it's probably only 20.00, but pay them if you run into a problem then call them before your payment is due and keep all of the promises you make to them if you have to take 5 to 10 dollars and give it to your mother to hold until the payment is due then do it, because it's to your benefit to do so, most of the stories I hear on these web sites concern oh I bounced a check accidentially or something happened stop and think about the fact that if you were running a business how could you stay afloat if all of your customers came running to you with why they couldn't make their payment because of this that or the other, how would you stay in business and what would you in turn tell your creditors as far as the fees, all the fees add up to is good faith, I mean lets honestly think about this I give a person with poor credit 250.00 I am taking a risk, but i charge them some fees upfront to get the credit and they pay me then I know that they are serious about wanting to get back on track, but if you dont even make the first payment on time then your still up to your old habits and excuses, if you had a friend that you knew didn't pay back loans and they came to you would you give them one, probably not, and please don't think i work for first premier I don't I filed bankruptcy 2 years ago, lost my job 4 years ago my credit was all shot to you know where and even the job I have I was blessed to get because who ever thought that someone who didn't really understand what credit was all about until I got my job now I understand and by learning from the people who where just like me how to re-establish my credit i finally am and this is not a bad company to start with

First PREMIER helped me to rebuild my credit. I realize that for someone with a sub 550 FICO score that credit is going to be expensive. A year later I have 4 Cards and a 651 FICO. Thank you First PREMIER. I am sorry that I have to cancel this card now, but my credit is good enought that I can qualify for a card with a larger credit line and no fees. Also, First PREMIER is very tricky when it comes to Credit Line Increases. I recieved one of $100.00 but I had to pay $25.00 to get it. Also I was informed that I would only recieve 1 increase per year.

I went to lendingtree.com 6 months ago and filled out their from for credit cards.They then ran my credit and I received 4 offers for First Premier Bank.I chose the Gold MasterCard.I later received the card 2-3 weeks later with a $250.00 limit and a total of $178.00 in fees.I called them and told them I wanted to cancel the account because of the fees and they amazingly took of $110.00 in fees and left me balance of $68.00 owed in fees which is not real bad considering I have alot of credit inquiries but no late payment and I don't really have "Bad" credit I just have too much credit around $15,000 in debt.I shut off all my cards months ago and I just wanted 1 credit card to keep my credit report going and for a small card that I can't over spend with like I did like with my Discover Platinum Card with a line of $6,000.The credit limit is small but for someone like me who likes to spend,its for me!Or if you have bad credit then I recommend it for you.But if you have absolutely no credit,you won't qualify for the unsecured card,you will have to take out the secured card they offer.I have had it for 6 months now and paid them between $25-$60.00 a month and I never paid just the minimum and I called a couple of days ago and I got a $100 increase on my card for a fee of $25.00.I was kind of expecting a bigger increase like $200 or over.But theres always next time.They do have a great APR only 9.90% but the $6.00 a month fee and the annual fee of $48.00 is the only thing I don't like about this card.Other than that its been a pretty good card for me.Over a long time one of the representatives told me the top credit limit this card can go up to is $2,500.00.But I don't know anyone who has got approved for a limit larger than $400.00 with them.Most of the time its $250.00.But I was also told by the representative "You must have excellent payment history and a very long established credit history" to receive the $1,000 maximum starting limit but if you have excellent credit in the first place,why would someone want to apply for this card when you could have a Bank one Platinum Card or a AMEX?Their customer service is pretty nice and I haven't had any problems with them so far and I haven't had no problems with my payments not posting on time either as others have said on here.I recommend this card only if your seriously desperate for a card or you have bad credit or you want a card with a very low limit to start so you don't over spend.

When I recieved this card I was promised a $500.00 level and only recieved a $250.00 level.I was then promised a raise within 30-days and never recieved it. I was also told after I paid off my balance I would recieve a raise up to $500.00.But this once again was a lie.So as soon as I pay off my account I will close this acount!

Although I have just begun to try and rebuild credit after having a bankruptcy I am already impressed with this particular company! I had $10.00 subtracted from my balance due for paying my bill on time! I thought that was pretty motivating to make absolutely sure that I had that bill in the mail a week in advance! The only thing I have found that I don't care for is the amount of charges one incures in order to build the credit (i.e. the cost of this particular card).

2 years ago I was looking to get a credit card, but because I didn't have any credit no one would approve me. So, I went to First Premier bank. Everything was fine after I paid off the initial fees which were around $230.00. About 1 year after getting the card I was laid off. I called 1st premier and explained my situation I was told that it was not a problem, they placed me on a hardship program. A few weekd later I recieved a call telling me that if I didn't make some kind of payment my card would go into collections, I sent a $40 money order, that was the last bit of money I had in my bank account. According to First Premier my payment was never recieved and because it was a money order I've had no luck in tracking it down. Now I am waiting to hear from a collections agent to see if First Premier will send me to legal. Bottom line, THIS CARD IS NOT THE ANSWER TO REBUILIDING YOUR CREDIT IF ANYTHING IT DESTOYS IT!Thanks a lot First Premier...now that I'm back on my feet I might possibly be sued by your company!

IF YOU WHERE PROMISED A CHANCE TO REBUILD YOUR CREDIT AND FEEL YOU WHERE LIED TO THEN JOIN THE CLUB. I THINK A CLASS ACTION IS IN ORDER. AND WHO IS THE BBB WATCHDOG THAT LET THIS COMPANY GET A MEMBERSHIP. IF YOUR READING THIS DONT FALL FOR IT YOUR NOT THAT DESPERATE AND YOU WILL PAY TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ABOUT 25 IN FUNDS AVAILABLE.

When I first received the card, the limit was to be $250.00, to help me build my credit. After start up fees were placed on the card, I had a starting credit line of $75.00. I needed it. I used it. Then I had one of the worst cycles of luck with my finances and I was broke. I was only able to make the first payment. It was many months later before I was able to come up with a plan with a collections agent. He offered me two plans and I chose the plan that would allow me to keep the account open. I explained to the agent that I would have to take bill money to bring this card up to good standing. He explained that I would be able to receive 250.00 of credit once I paid the full balance on the card because he was issuing me a 100.00 credit. The total balance was $288.25. I made a quick collect payment (service offered through western union)on June 13, 2003. The payment and fees totaled around $315.00. I was told to call in to reactivate my card and have the $100.00 credit applied to my account. Since the 13th, I have only received 150.00 of credit. I have been given the run around by numerous customer service representatives. One day its 24 to 48 hours. Then I am told to wait an additional 72 hours. One rep got an attitude with ME and told me that my request was put in late and that I was the one wrong for thinking that these things should happen withing 24 hours. Well, it must have been a miracle that got my payment posted within 12 hours. Today was different though, the rep simply said that she apologized that I had to wait and that my 100.00 credit request had not been placed in collections until the "25th of June" by a representative. (they must have felt pity on me) She simply said that all anyone could do was wait. I now have to borrow money from a friend to pay the remaining two bills and their late fees that were not paid two weeks ago. Now I'll owe someone else. I feel that representatives of companies should issue the same information (eg. time frames for processing requests). The collections agent should have told me that these things can take weeks. He stated that using the quick collect guaranteed that this process should only take a few days. This card has cost me twice as much than it is worth and truthfully I have not seen any of its benefits in effect.

VERR GOOD CARD I LIKE THE SERVICE AND THE CARD I WOULD HAVE THEM FOR A WHILE

My fiance received this card last month and although we were hoping he would get a high credit limit, he of course only got a $250.00 limit and when the card arrived in the mail it only had $78.00 worth of credit available. We knew this going into it so it was not hidden, it was not unexpected or a rip off.. I had been concerned about making a payment, because the payment was due may 19th and because I have heard so many people on here compalin about their checks being lost, or held, I sent in the payment on 5/7/03. Today when I went online to check the balance of the account, not only had the payment been received but it was also posted with funds available on 5/11/03 and when I checked my bank it had not yet been presented. I hear everyone complain about over limit fees and late payment fees.. do you not understand that every business today charges a fee when they receive a late payment or you go over you limit. If you learn how to manager your debt well, know that maxing out your cards unless it is an emergency is not sound financial sense, and that credit cards are small loans and not free money you would be just fine. Besides when you have bad credit it costs to reestablish it.

First Premier offers this card to people with a poor credit history, the card has an activation fee, a monthly participation fee, an annual fee, and a fee for each card sent. We got a bill for $249 before the card even arrived and it had a $250. limit. When they add your first monthly fees, you are already overlimit (a $35 fee) before you get a chance to use the card. Their customer service reps are rude and pushy.

Be careful of those HIDDEN fees/charges that are applied to this card when you open your account. There are also very stiff LATE fees and overlimit charges.

I have since canceled this card it is just a rip off for people that have less than A-1 credit

not very good at helping with reducing fees

happy over all

I am currently over the limit on this card and I am paying the late and over the limit fees and that is my fault and I really cannot blame them for that. they called me in december when I was late and they were very friendly with me and they offered to do a check by phone for me and they offered to waive the $9 fee for me without my asking.. it posted to my checking acct on 12/17 and it went to my cc acct soon after.. I was so happy with the process that I am going to do another check by phone (fee waived, of course) for mid february and they were friendly with me as well.. i will be honest, this is an expensive card to maintain with all of the fees upon initiation and thereafter but if you can keep up on it it is not a bad option. they took a chance one me and are working with me on my problems i am currently having 1 year after signing up

first premier bank credit card is not so bad it's a good credit card. but you have less available balance in your account.

This card is extremely expensive. I went through a bankruptancy a few years ago and even though my credit is now good, I have a hard time obtaining credit.They approached me with a card offer, which I accepted.Out of a $250 line of credit theif fees were $210 with an additional fee of $6.00 per month.This last month the bank notified me that they will increase my line of credit by $25.00; but they would charge me a service fee of $25.00 for the privilege.In the future, any additional line increase would cost a corresponding fee( dollar for Dollar).Do not sign up for this card unless you really have to.Also they take a long time to post your payments; they tried to access me a penalty of $25.00 for a late payment although I mailed them a check 5 days before the due date;after I yelled at them and told them to keep their card they removed the charge.

I have mixed feelings about my Gold Master card with First Premier Bank. The good thing about this card is that it has a simple application process, and it is pretty easy to qaulify for, which is good for less than perfect credit. They do have some application fees, but they charge these to your card. This is applied against your initial line of credit, but you don't have to send in any money. Also, they have a feature that allows you to access your account online, so you can check your balance, when your next payment is due, and any other information reagrding your account. However, this card also has some downfalls. The beginning credit line is small, around $250.00. The interest rate is low to begin with, but is outrageous if you are late. Being late even once will more than likely put you over your credit line, because they charge you an over the limit fee and will increase your interest rate. This causes a vicous circle of over the limit fees month after month if you are not careful! But, If you pay off your balance every month, you may keep your low interest rate, and by not going over your credit limit, you can avoid late fees. Overall, if used wisely, this is a pretty decent card. It is useful to help build or reapir your credit, and I would probably recommend it to those who are serious and careful about reestablishing good credit.

in one billing cycle I was charge a total of $75 in fees, one for returned check, one for overlimit and one for late fee.. clealry ridiculous

they have given me a chance,so far so good.i mailed my first pmt. on the 23rd. and it was posted by the 29th.the 9.9% deal they gave me was pretty good, i think.if you be careful and get the pmt. in on time, it could be a good opportunity.

I applied for this card not expecting to be approved because of my bad credit.However, the card arrived in the mail, with approximately $70 available credit left out of the original $250. The fees included a one-time set up fee, an annual fee of $48 dollars, and a monthly fee of $6. After six months of on-time payments, i was given a credit increase of $100 without requesting it. I was charged $25 for the increase. I'm going to keep the card to rebuild my credit and hopefully qualify me for better offers in the future. I wouldn't recommend the card to anyone who isn't in a similar situation.

Horrible customer service! Credit promised 3 times and never taken care of because of THEIR mistake! I plan to pay this card off right away and never deal with them again.

First Premier holds up payments made by check for 15 days. I made a payment on line w/First Premier. Apparently there was a typographical error in my transaction. It was not returned for insufficient funds. They now hold any payment that I make by check for 15 days. I do not have access to this on my credit line. I may as well not even have a card. I cannot use it most of the time even when it is under it's limit. If I pay $100 they withhold that $100 from me. I am not a bad check writer. I made a mistake on an internet transaction. I was charged a late fee and a check return fee. Stay away from First Premier.

THE START UP FEES ARE OUTRAGOUS AND THE FACT THAT YOU MUST PAY THEM $25 TO INCREASE YOUR LIMIT IS OUTRAGOUS TOO. IF YOU ARE IN GOOD STANDING WITH I THE SIX MONTH TIME FRAME WHY SHOULD YOU PAY THEM EXTRA IF THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE AN "UNSECURED CREDIT CARD?" WE ALL MUST PAY FOR OUR MISTAKES BUT WHAT THEY ARE CHARGING IS TOTALLY OUT THERE IN LEFT FIELD..... BEND OVER EVERYONE......IT IS GOING TO BE A DRY ONE THAT HURTS!!!!

I paid my balance in full via electronic bank transfer as per their automated telephone instructions. It stated the transfer would be credited within 24 hrs. It IMMEDIATELY cleared my bank (I confirmed this with my bank by phone and online). My payment was NOT credited for 14 days despite 2 phone calls to them but I was informed that payments made by check clear immediately. Does this make sense? Theoretically, it would have been much easier to bounce their payment by check than by electronic bank transfer. Customer Service agent "Rocky" informed me that they're only a small company. I told him that it sure sounds like it to me. He said they don't take any chances. I asked why then do they offer unsecured visas/mastercards to people with tainted credit histories. Rocky had no answer. Poor service; can't in good conscience recommend.

I just got an offer from them. I thought It was a joke when i read the term and condition. Everythig is fine untill you read to the fee section. There are the Setup fee, annual fee and bunch of other fee. Needless to say I have applied to that card by cutting all of the rushing offer and put them all into the provided envelop. Hope my application will arrive there soon.

It's a good option to have if you have bad credit.

This is the worst credit card I have tried. Their customer service is horrific- so bad that each time you call they give a different answer to your question. They screwed up my account so badly that it took the BBB and a S.D. banking commission inquiry to get them to comply and fix it. After they finally credited my card the money and closed the account, they sent me a letter stating I was still wrong and they were just 'being nice'. What a buncha losers.

I think it is great for anyone wanting to rebuild or establish credit.