Juniper Bank Consumer Reviews - Page 4

I have had my Juniper Mastercard and a Juniper Visa since 2007. I have a chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 2005, so obviously I had it when I got the Juniper cards. When I got the MC, the interest rate was 8.99 Then it was raised to 14.99, where it is now. The Visa was 11.99, and is now 17.99 I have never had a late payment on either of these cards, nor any other credit card, my mortgage or my car that I also purchased in 2007. I purchased my house in 2009.

I was already sick of credit card debt after Chase bought Wamu and jacked my rate up from 8.99 to 23%, and Target lowered my limit from $4500 eventually ending at $500, each time lowering it to just above my balance. If I wasn't paying over the minimum, I would have gone over limit. Anyhow, Chase closed my acct, and I closed the Target acct. On the 1st of June, I paid off the Juniper MC, and between the 1st and 8th, I paid 1k on the Juniper Visa. I paid 500 on the 4th, which Juniper did not apply until the 6th. I called them and they didn't have a reason, but did tell me that I was being offered a balance transfer option on the MC.

Imagine my surprise when on the 12th I receive notice regarding the MC saying they are adding an annual fee to my account of $49!! They said it was due to my high balance on my cards, and my Bankruptcy, you know, the one from 6 years ago that I had when I got the Juniper cards! I have never in my life heard of a company adding an annual fee after the fact. I'm actually scheduled to pay off the rest of the Juniper Visa next month, before the annual fee starts on the MC, and I will be paying them both off and closing the accounts.

I realize that may lower my Fico score, but better that than to pay an annual fee on a card I've had for 4 yrs with no annual fee! I'm just thanking God that one card is paid off and I can pay the other off, or I'd be over a barrel, and under Juniper's control. It almost makes me feel like they could see that I was paying the cards off, and they wouldn't be earning anymore interest from me, so they came up with the annual fee ploy. When I think of calling them to cancel the cards, I laugh hysterically. God is good, and Juniper/Barclays is EVIL!

I have perfect credit with a credit score of 745, no lates at all. I have 4 paid as agreed mortgages. I have had this Juniper card since 2007 with a credit line of $4500. I have several other credit cards with minimal balances outstanding except for 2. I recently (November 2010 and Dec 2010) paid my property taxes using my US Bank VISA accounts to take advantage of their 0% interest for 12 months instead of using my own cash (which I have). That brought my 2 US Bank VISA accounts close to the maximum credit line.

I have 5 other Mastercard and Visa accounts with close to a zero balance. I use the Juniper Bank account to pay recurring monthly expenses such as Home Security, Netflix, Home Warranty, etc. I let the balance get up to close to $3000. Last month I applied $1200 to my Juniper Bank account to reduce the balance. I planned on paying more with my tax refund on all accounts. I received a call from Juniper a few days after the $1200 posted telling me that I'm too close to my credit limit on OTHER accounts so they reduced my line of credit to $2500.

This was an insult! That left me with a few hundred dollars on my credit line which wouldn't have covered my recurring monthly bills linked to that account. I immediately moved all 8 of those recurring accounts to a different credit card. I have not, and will not use Juniper bank credit card again. I will pay that account off at the end of this month BUT I won't close it because closing it will hurt my credit score. Their representative treated me like a 3 year old child, reprimanding me for using 2 of my cards too much! You can't rely on this company to be there when you need them. AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE!

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE -- I was offered to acquire this master card for the low interest rate of 7% on a balance transfer promotion. So I transferred a balance from another card I had that was charging me 17%. I paid my bill on time and was never late. But then I began to notice that this interest rate was slowly being raised for no apparent reason. When I called them to complain, they indicated to me that since my fico score had lowered they considered me a higher risk and raised my interest rate!! I was absolutely appalled and expressed my anger when I indicated that I had always paid the card on time and that this was not a fair practice.

Their "consumer counselor" was very rude and stipulated that that was their practice at their discretion and that I when I agreed to acquire the card and signed their agreement form, I had no recourse. Pissed off as I was, I continued to pay my card. Well since then, due to this bad economy, our business suffered tremendously and we fell behind on our obligations. Juniper/barclays wasted no time and raised my interest rate to a staggering 30%!!

I ended up being 60 days late on most of our cards and we were able to negotiate with all of our other credit cards and they wonderfully lowered all the interest rates but Barclays will not negotiate, even when my husband and I offered to bring the account to current and do a recurring debit out of our checking account for a set amount to pay off the card!!

They said that they would only agree to maybe lower the rate if we paid the account current for 6 months to one year, but we would have to live with the 30% rate!! If this isn't usury to the nth degree, I don't know what is!! Consumers please be wary of this credit card company's usury practices!! I will not stop until this type of practice is stopped!! They are a rip-off bank and a big reason why people like myself and husband can't get back on our feet.

I am a customer who insist on making my payments online to avoid customer service reps who are most of the time disrespectful, rude, and insensitive. I closed an old payment account and added the new one to which I wanted my payments to be made from. I reviewed my account a few days later, only to see that I have been charged a $40 late, and return fee totaling $80. Why! When I deleted the old account the same day I added the new one. Payments should not be allowed to go through if an account has been deleted. I always manage to pay this card down to a zero balance, and has never been late with any payments.

The customer service reps and supervisors simply told me that because it was not their fault they could not help me. When I asked for an address to write in to complain, they gave me the wrong address. They also insisted in so many words that I should be more careful when making online payments. I was extremely insulted, and have never been spoken to in this manner by any of reps from other credit accounts I have. I was put on hold for long periods of time, and was told before getting a supervisor, that they had to call me back.

Please whoever this CEO is, please revisit the way your call centers handle your customers. You may not think that this will hurt your business, but eventually it will. In this day and time with all the new laws regarding credit card companies, your bank really should look to take care of YOUR customers. I will pay the money because I have no choice. It would have been so helpful if your customer service reps would have given me one instead of just saying no. Find ways to say yes first.

Apple.com refers you to the Barclays credit account as an 'easy and convenient way' to finance a purchase at the Apple Store (online or actual store) with a 12 month no interest option for purchases over $899 and 6 months for purchases over (I think) $299. I like to get no interest financing; I pay them off on time, every time. My credit rating literally could not be any better.

I applied for the card, selected an application range for the amount of the laptop I was buying, and clicked apply. All indications to me along the application process were that there was no problem with getting this amount financed.

I was approved, but for only half the amount. The Apple store people had no idea how to contact the bank, and when we finally found contact info, there was no representative available to talk to me about a credit increase. Not only that, but I was told that if I didn't use the approval barcode at the store right away, I would have to wait until I got the card in the mail in 2 to 3 days (it's been 4 and still nothing has come). I was pushed to put 1/2 of my purchase on any other credit card, and it seemed that the sales people were very familiar with this line. I left the store instead without buying anything.

So far, I have gotten downright rude replies to my email inquiries as to why someone with my super-prime credit rating and proven income cannot get enough of a credit line to buy a laptop; I just spoke with a snippy 'customer service rep.' who refused to do anything, not even escalate this to their manager. Nothing, except, get this, that I should "write a letter stating my complaint and send it by postal mail". I am awed by how dumb they think people are!

So where I stand now:
- I took a hit on a credit inquiry, which doesn't help your credit score.
- I didn't get the financial product I was actively led to believe I was.
- I hit a brick wall when I started asking questions, and at every turn it's not possible to get any resolution. Seems deliberately set up this way.
- I am not going to use this account. It's useless, because I no longer trust them. I wasted a credit inquiry hit, all for nothing. Very expensive mistake!

In my opinion, this is very carefully crafted fraud. I have read other places to urge people to be very weary of Barclays, and now I can endorse that warning as well. Caveat Emptor!

DELAWARE -- I had signed up for a Barclay's VISA through the Apple Store so I could purchase a new iMac. The card was sold to me as a 'one year/same as cash' deal that if I had the amount paid off one year from the time of purchase I would be charged no interest, no fees of any kind. So I started making payments that month. As of July of 2010 I was only $295 away from paying off the total amount, which was about $2,300.

The account supervisor kept insisting that my account was late because I had not timed my online payments to coincide with my cutoff date, despite the fact that I would make one payment and then another two weeks following, and then another three weeks following, etc.

So not only was my account now in collections, I was being slapped with a $39 late fee, and they were raising the interest rate (which I guess was moot since I was not supposed to be paying any interest if the amount were paid off by a year from date of purchase). She kept insisting that it was a 'legitimate' charge and that I needed to be a 'better consumer.' Holy cow that made me angry. I would not let up. I insisted they take the fee off ("I can't do that" "Yes you can. If you can't, get me someone who can" "I'll see what I can do ...") She finally agreed - implying heavily that she was doing me a huge favor and would probably get into trouble - to remove the late fee.

While on the phone I paid off the balance and then canceled the card. While I was on the phone waiting for her to check my account status and figure out how she could possibly remove the late fee I put 'Barclay complaint' into Google. I was astonished at the number of hits. It seems no one has had a good experience with this outfit that seems to run much more like a mob than a business. From the reports I read, and from my own experience, they do not give a tinker's damn about their customers, and will do anything to extract any extra money they can.

After the amount was paid off (still on the phone) I informed the account manager that I was canceling my account. 'Are you sure?' she asked, and sounded genuinely surprised. 'Yes. I am sure. Cancel my card, and you can be sure I will never sign on for another Barclay or Juniper product ever again. Furthermore, I am going to register as many complaints against your unethical and unscrupulous tactics as I can.'

I have gotten several addresses already (Better Business Bureau in Delaware, where Barclay's Bank operates in the US; Apple HQ, who signed me up for the card). I will trumpet from as many hilltops as I can find: Barclay's Bank is bad business. Stay away from this abusive, unscrupulous organization.

WILLMINTON, DELAWARE -- IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS CREDIT CARD BEWARE!! I have this card about 4 years with perfect pay and no overcharge - it started at 9.99% fixed, no intro, the real thing. First they jumped the interest to 14.99% fixed. I got my bill a few days before the notice there it was. 2 days later I get notice. This was before Congress change the rules about notice. Now Aug. 28th 2009 I get another saying that it is changing again to a flex rate. Boy was I upset.

I worked late that day so I called late at night. I got a lady in the Philippines. In the background was a baby crying!!! Another child saying mommy!!! This woman had all my private info including my SS#. Was this in her personal home??? With identity theft running a muck along with American unemployment, this enraged me!!!

Here is a company sucking me dry with fees and interest, a USA company, paying another country to take care of our customer service. Then I have to ask is this one of the banks that got the bailout? I canceled or opted out right then and there!!! But I have called again today and tried to talk to someone about this why my info was where children where. All they could say was that they do have a office in the Philippines.

I contracted 9.99% and I want my card contract back. I wanted to speak to a COE and they refused to allow me to speak to them, snail mail only. Requested that my file and report be taken to such person who could help and contact me direct. This too was denied. The comments I got to all was this is a company policy decided by COEs. No talking to COE!!!

Still fighting, requested to speak to someone who could solve this situation and explain why my info was where children were in a different country. NO GO. I ask then if we were to keep this private "who would I need to call?" No number given, her choice was "we can do this public or private". She would not choose, so I did!!! PUBLIC!!! PUBLIC!! PUBLIC!!!! Now let them explain it publicly.

I have had a credit card from Juniper for many years. It started with a credit line of $5000 and an 8.99% interest rate. I utilize their online payment option so I have never had the problem of them not posting my payment on time. I also pay my balance in full every month. Last fall they raised my credit limit to $6000 (I never charge more than I can afford to pay off in full). Earlier this year they sent me notification that they were raising my interest rate to 14.99%. It was not a big deal since I pay off the balance every month, but it did irritate me as I felt I was a good customer. They just raised my credit limit!

Last week I received another notification that they were changing my APR to a variable rate -- prime plus 11.74%!!! At this time I was unsure as to whether I wanted to keep this card or not. I just went through a nasty divorce and my ex-, who, with his new wife, are trying to ruin my credit by not removing my name from a vehicle and credit account and then stopped paying for them. His vehicle was repossessed and it is on my credit report. I was thinking of keeping the Juniper card as I am facing legal bills to take my ex- to court for contempt and need the additional credit line just in case.

Well, on Friday I paid my balance in full online, and it was credited to my account. On Saturday morning I reconciled my account and went out to run errands, using the Juniper card. I woke up this morning to an email from Juniper stating that I was approaching my limit. What??? At first I thought there was fraudulent activity. How could I be approaching my $6000 limit? I went online to check out the activity on my account. Then I noticed the games that Juniper is playing -- they lowered my limit from $6000 to $850 overnight.

When I was on their site yesterday my limit was $6000. Today it is $850 and I am $6 away from being over my new limit!!! I pay in full every month. They should have notified me. I realized that if I hadn't used the coupons at the grocery store I would have been over my limit, even though I thought I had a $5000+ buffer. This is a shame. I tried to call this morning but the phone number online no longer works. I will pay off this card and then cancel it. It seems that others have had issues when they canceled the card first. I will pay if off first and then cancel. Be careful with Juniper! I never imagined that they could do what they just did to me.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE -- Juniper Bank sends out low fixed interest rates to consumers and then does not provide any flexibility if accidental charges cause a one time overage, even when the account is immediately returned to well under the limit within a matter of 3 days - as soon as the consumer realized the account had gone over. I did make the mistake and allow a travel charge to be put on this card thinking there was just enough room instead of paying the charge out of pocket. When I realized the problem, I paid a large amount and brought the card down immediately.

The company provides no "one time forgiveness" for such events even if you have been a trustworthy customer and they switch your rate to a high APR. Furthermore, I have had to wait on hold for over 20 minutes each time I've had to connect with what they call a "relationship manager". Furthermore, if you call to apply for a card, you get right through. It says something that not many people are waiting in line to apply for these cards and/or they have enough staff to handle applications for their card; however, tons of people are calling to address issues with their cards once they have them and/or they have few staff to manage the call volume.

Either way, this company does not inspire confidence in the consumer that they care about their customers. This is a perfect example of how the credit companies are largely responsible for our current economic crisis. Shame, shame on you! How do the CEOs of these large corporations which provide no wiggle-room for the middle- and working- class (the majority of the population) sleep at night?

Last, if there is one thing I can stress in this review - DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON ACCOUNT PROTECTOR UNLESS YOU PLAN TO KEEP IT! They offer it free because they know you'll forget to cancel for at least a month or two of billing. I am a very organized and somewhat obsessive/compulsive person and I usually never forget these kinds of things, and even I forgot!

I have had a Juniper account for quite some time. This past February, I made my payment a day late. I was charged a $39 late fee. OK, fine, my fault for being late. That $39 charge put me over my credit limit, so BAM, another $39 charge for being "over limit." Grr. Even though the $39 late fee charge was the ONLY transaction during that statement period, so obviously was the cause of me being over limit (like $12 or something silly). My next statement told me to pay $36 or whatever, but knowing my account was over limit, I paid $70 prior to the due date.

Long story short, every month since February, I have paid $65-70 on the account (again, being told to pay a minimum of $36) and am still over my limit, though I have not used the card AT ALL. I am over because each and every month, they are charging me $39 for being "over limit" But here's the catch: If you are over limit at any time during the statement period, you get charged the $39 on your next statement.

Example: My balance was $1030 (limit $1000). I paid $70 on the due date. Balance should have been $960 + interest, which I think is typically $25. So that brings us to $985 for the next statement, providing no charges are made. WRONG. If your payment is due the 10th, and the "statement period" went from say the 2nd of last month to the 2nd of this month, well, they penalize you for being OVER LIMIT from the 3rd to the 10th when you made your payment.

Sorry, I think this is super shady. The one time I spoke to a rep, they said I needed to pay something like $150 to make sure I didn't get charged an over the limit fee again. Huh? My balance was $1060, why should I have to pay down to $910 when interest charges are NEVER over $30???

But what really, truly, pisses me off is this: These idiots call me 3, 4, 5, 6 up to 8 times a day before my payment is due. I have not paid late since February, and as mentioned, have paid double my minimum payment required for March, April, May, and June. I'm still over limit, but for the love of God, DO NOT CALL ME MULTIPLE TIMES a day when my payment date has not even arrived.

It is beyond aggravating, and the last representative that called me last month got more than an earful. I hate THIS COMPANY. I have other credit cards, none over the limit, as I do not make a practice of paying them late, or over charging. This will be the first card I pay off when work picks up and I get some extra money.