Discover Card

I have a Discover Card and about four other major bank credit cards. Because of high balances compared to income (a healthy income but reduced somewhat since 2005) the banks started to increase my interest rates even though I have never been late. This card started out at a low 6.99 interest rate and ended up at 13.99. (I closed it after they threatened to make my interest rate at around 20 percent early this year. They said if I closed it they would drop the approximately 20 percent rate. Again, I have never been late. Ever. Struggling to pay down my debt at 13.99 percent, I called Discover today to request a lower interest rate and they told me I have the best rate they offer. I don't believe them. They said no bank would reduce the rate on a closed account. Wrong. In the past two months, I have successfully personally negotiated down a 19 percent interest rate on a Bank of America card (closed account now set a 5.25 percent) a 16 percent interest rate Citibank card (now 7.99 percent). The ladies on the phone at Discover were not at all helpful. Discover is the only bank that has been unwilling to negotiate in any way on the interest rate they are charging. It is as if they want to see their customers fail. Why are they not motivated to negotiate when everyone else is willing to do so? Do they make out better if you declare bankruptcy? With overnight bank-to-bank lending rates at virtually zero, where is the protection for the consumer who always pays on time? Discover markets itself as a friendly, user-friendly and accessible company. In my experience, however, I would take Bank of America or Citibank (believe it or not!) any time over Discover. I believe the consumers need to know what they dealing with when they get a Discover card. If you get into a situation where you are trying to reach a reasonable accommodation with them on interest rates, they shut you down. They are the only bank I have dealt with of the cards that I have that takes a hard-line, even with cardholders who have always paid on time. I want Discover to reduce my interest rate reduced to under 8 percent. I want Discover card to resist the temptation to punitively increase my interest rate because I have posted this message online today.