MOST POPULAR: Video, stories and more
SIGN-UP: Get breaking news sent to you from ABC7 News
More credit card fees are targeting stable, conservative spenders. Bank of America confirmed on Tuesday, that some customers who don't even carry a balance and who have never paid late, will be charged an annual fee.
"Good consumers will be hit by fees," says Marco Pagani, Ph.D., a San Jose State University assistant professor of finance.
Pagani isn't surprised by the bank's decision. He says it is directly related to the feds crack down on the industry's ability to raise interest rates.
"Since they have less flexibility on the rate they can charge you, they're going to try new structures for fees and pricing," says Pagani.
More and more credit card companies are charging annual fees. At the beginning of this year, 27 percent of companies were doing so -- that's a quarter of them; whereas last year at the same time, only 18 percent were.
Citigroup is hitting customers who don't charge more than $2,400 a year with a new fee and some banks are imposing inactivity fees on those who simply don't use their cards very often.
"They are pushing you to spend the way they want you to spend," says Maria Enomoto from Surepath Financial Solutions.
Enomoto, a credit counselor, says creditors are backing responsible consumers into a corner. She suggests either paying the annual fee or closing the account.
"There is a negative side to that, if I close the account I'm closing how many years of history on my credit report," says Enomoto.
That could impact your credit score. Still, most consumers are willing to take the risk.
"There's too many other possibilities and competitors out there, you go somewhere else," says Jack Cade from Scotts Valley.
"It's almost like they're gouging," says Marilyn Cahill from Fremont.
However, it is the ones who least expected it who are hurting the most.
Today's latest headlines | ABC7 News on your phone
Follow us on Twitter | Fan us on Facebook | Get our free widget
