remembering why MBNA sucks

About 8 years ago, I had an MBNA-issued credit card, and I cancelled it a few years later. I should've written down why I cancelled the card, because I just cancelled another of their cards and vowed (again!) to never go back. It's a shame, because this was one of those cards tied to AAA which had a 5% rebate on fuel purchases, but those savings evaporated quickly when I was 3 days late with a payment.

MBNA's payment website is kinda-sorta integrated into my banking program, but it requires a separate login and a separate download and was never convenient. Also, it's the only card I carried which didn't automatically draft my checking account, to prevent those late charges. Perhaps they have a bank draft program, but it's so hidden that I could never figure out how to enroll.

I was a loyal MBNA customer for several years, although they probably hated me because I always paid my full balance every month. This time, I let their recent bill slip into The Pile Of No Return, and I didn't find it until 3 days after it was due. The balance wasn't huge (maybe $200) but they socked me with a $39 late charge and refused to budge an inch when I called to complain. They don't call it "interest" because then they'd be subject to usury laws, but if my math is correct, that $39 charge is equivalent to nearly 240% interest! Actually, it's far more than that because I was 3 days late, and not an entire billing cycle (30 days or so).

So, I cancelled the card and vowed (again) never to do business with them. When nosing around the web for complaints against MBNA, I found several mentions of their political support of the CFRP (including the The Bush Regime) so that gives me an even bigger reason to cast them aside.