House Antitrust Task Force To Tackle Credit Card Companies Thursday

By: KevsinVA
Published On: 7/16/2007 7:52:46 PM

On Thursday, the Antitrust Task Force of the House Judiciary Committee is going to have a hearing on Credit Card Interchange Fees - Rep. Boucher, Rep.  Goodlatte, and Rep. Forbes are all members.  The hearing is important because of the ridiculous amount of profits the credit card companies are making off of their hidden fees - and now not just credit cards, but debit cards now too.  Americans really need to learn more about how this because so little is known about it and the effect it has on anyone who uses credit or debit cards.  Please read on after the jump.
A major industry here in the US that is continuing to greedily grow without any accountability for its actions, and often driving many of us into debt in the process, is the credit card industry.  With the source of their profits shifting from mostly interest to hidden fees and rates that change without notice, it has become a major problem that is seriously in need of greater attention and transparency. 

Thursday, the Antitrust Task Force of the House Judiciary Committee is going hold hearings to examine these unfair and hidden fees like the interchange fee which is also hurting small business and not just consumers.

There has been some coverage of this issue in the media, but much more attention is necessary.  CBS has recently covered hidden fees on credit cards here:  http://www.cbsnews.c...
and hidden fees on debit cards here: http://www.cbsnews.c...
Both articles are worth checking out, I've done some work with www.unfaircreditcardfees.com and the profits these unethical business practices are raking in are only growing.

It is hard enough for the average American to understand all of the fees and rates associated with credit cards without the large credit card companies purposefully creating hidden fees and making rates that can change with little or no notice.  Its hard enough for small businesses to make a profit without credit card companies charging increasing fees on their transactions - especially on small gas station owners who have to deal with the high prices and increase popularity of credit card purchases already.  Rarely is there an issue that hurts both the individual consumer and the small business at the same time but this is clearly an issue where change and more light are needed. 

Hopefully the media will pay more attention to this issue because clearly credit cards are an issue that affects all of us.  Please check out the House's Antitrust Task Fore website here: http://judiciary.hou...


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