warning!!!

[ginger 69]

has anyone applied for a secured credit card through one of those websites offering them but you have to pay?  if you checkout a few websites the name of this credit card company will come up (not sure if i can put it down!) so my question is this How come companies can charge you just for information that is free elsewhere?

[stevie21]

It's not really a million miles away from an insurance broker shopping around to get you the best deal & saving you having to call around yourself, or the infamous loan company who don't actually lend you the money but instead get you a loan elsewhere (and save you shopping around).
Personally I wouldn't go near these credit card websites as I'd assume they were ripping you off at some level.

Then again, I am Scottish and rumour tells me that I have no choice but to conform to stereotype and be tight with my money.

You seem like a smart cookie - I don't think that they could do anything for you that you couldn't manage yourself.

[ginger 69]

thats the point of this question because there is only one official secured credit card and if you type 'bad credit credit cards' it will come up!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stevie21]

If you search for "bad credit, credit cards" you should, if there's any justice in the world, find Capital One. If they decline you then I'd just give in.
Remember, the more credit searches that are carried out in a short period of time, the less likely that a future one will be successful.
Obviously you're just looking for info at the moment rather than having lost of searches made but I'd bear this in mind - you're apparently already at a disadvantage with your chequered credit history.