Thread: Providian is refunding annual fees

Yes boys and girls, the providian retention line is still alive and well and the reps can and will refund and/or waive annual fees again. I ask for the San Antonio office (they tend to give out more than the other offices).. don't ask me why.

I was truly going to purge myself once and for all of the last of my "rebuilder" cards.. but they changed my terms on my visa and removed the annual fee (refunded the one that had just charged) and on the mastercard they waived it in advance... so I'll let the trade lines age for free another year.

So if you've just paid or are about to owe a fee, call and get it back.

1-800-215-7318

Marie,

Thanks for the post and the number.

i say of course they can afford to refund annual fees when they charge 24% interest.

pay the card off every month and you don't get charged any interest! Doesn't matter what they want if you don't pay it.

I wouldn't get a Providian if you have choices.. but for some of us we have a lot of aging on those cards and keeping the trade lines alive for free is a smart move.

To Marie and others,

How does one ask for a annual fee reversal?

I just paid my entire account off and that included the annual fee that billed two weeks ago.

When I asked for a annual fee refund last year I was asked by the rep if I was closing my account.

I was honest and said "no." She refused the fee refund and said there were no other offers on the table, like a interest rate reduction.

So how do you ask without losing your account?

Call this number 1-800-215-7318 ask for the San Antonio office.. when you get that office, tell them you'd spoken to Pamela Hill and she'd talked you into keeping the account a while back but you just can't seem to see the value anymore (after all, they just got all that interest from you)... she's no longer there. so you don't have to worry about her remembering you.. but you'll then be in the better office (don't ask me why, but that office just seems to be nicer).

Tell them you are thinking of closing your account because you just paid it off and you can no longer stand paying that fee after you'd just paid interest.

If you close your account within 30 days of paying that fee you will get it refunded when the account closes (so they'll lose the fee anyway)...

They'll give you b.s. about how you get your trade line reported to all 3 bureaus.. etc etc.. be polite.. say that you understand that but still think it's just too expensive to keep the card. then be quiet... they'll look on the computer and see if they can do it for you.

See if they bite... you can always say you'll think about it one more night if they offer you nothing... but why would they refund you the annual fee if you aren't going to close the account??? You've got to play the game.

some reps are really funny (as though you're taking money out of their paycheck to refund your fee).. be persistent.

One time I called every week for 3 weeks, on the third week I got it refunded.

If the rep says no... ask for a supervisor. Tell them you'd consider keeping the account with no annual fee and you don't understand why you can't get yours refunded when you know of 2 friends who got theirs refunded...

seems like a game of chicken doesn't it.. the one who first blinks loses. Ultimately, it's up to you if they won't bite and refund it.. keep it and pay their fees or close the account and get your annual fee refunded in full.

USE THIS REASON---->THERE ARE MANY OTHER CARDS WITH NO FEE AND LOWER INTEREST RATES!!!

An annual FEE is not necessary to have a credit card...even if I accept the interest rate...