Straight-up unapologetic thievery.

Did anybody see the "Frontline" program on PBS last month entitled "Poverty, Inc."? This card is what these shameless exploiters of the poor cheerfully call a "fee-gathering" credit card. "Fee-pigging" or "fee-hogging" would be a more appropriate term for the card these porcine criminal predators issue...

There is the $200 "processing fee," the $50 "annual" fee, the $12 monthly "maintenance" fee and perhaps most infuriating of all, the $4 "internet payment" fee or $10 "pay-by-phone" fee. You pay $4 for the privilege of paying your bill instantly and doing their work for them.

What is the only way you can pay your bill without charge? By sending them a check in the mail. That's right - the slowest, least reliable method, the one that has the highest probability of being late or lost, the one they can hold for up to SEVEN days after receipt - that's the one that's free. Because that's the method most likely to "gather" their usurious, larcenous "Late Payment Fee" ($35) or "Over Limit" Fee ($35).

Don't believe their laughable nonsense about "helping consumers rebuild their credit." They are doing you NO FAVORS. What else do you call paying $435 a year for being able to charge $180 in goods and services? You can't even use this card to "pay at the pump" because all debit cards have to be approved for $300 BEFORE you pump. If you pay your bill online and on time every month your credit limit will ALWAYS be $296 because of the "internet payment fee."

Last but not least, there is the "every six month $100 credit increase" if you pay your bill on time every month. This so-called "consumer benefit" is automatic - you have the option to "opt out" of this and I would very much advise that you do so. Why? You guessed it - every time, your "$100" credit increase is just $75 - after their $25 "credit line increase" fee.

Yes, at other banks a credit line increase is something you can earn by doing the responsible thing and demonstrating your trustworthiness over time. With the greedy jackals at Continental Finance, it's just yet another way of sucking you dry and making you more likely to become one of their "Golden" 24.75% interest rate "Penalty Pricing" chumps - er, "customers."

Make no mistake, folks - the only thing "Gold" about this card is the amount of it these robber-barons make off the backs of the working poor who are unfortunate enough to have both bad credit and bad judgement.

If you are trying to repair your credit history and don't mind being raped by one outrageous fee after another in order to carry a worthless card with a laughable, useless credit limit, then this is the card for you.

Otherwise, stay the hell away.

Most Attractive Feature: There isn't one.
Least Attractive Feature: Can't do that in 15 words or less.

Continnetal Finance Fee city and no Customer Service

I got this card due to my less than perfect credit score mind you it's 740 which is not bad but it was not good enough for a rel credit card. First off I knew the amount of fees that would be charged up front but what I didn't know was the following:

1)There is no way to pay on the card without incurring charges, There is a fee to pay online of $3 and a fee to pay by phone of $8, if you pay through your Online banking as I do they hold the payment for a week before applying it top the balance. Their reason? They claim you could cancel payment even if it's a ACH as my bank allows.

2)If you give them your email address they will email you every month whether you like it or not to remind you to pay them even if you pay early as I always do.

3)The fees are way to high $12 per month for account maintenance.

4)You will not be able to buy Gas at the pump they make you go in to the store and pay in advance so if you go to a gas station late at night with no attendant you will not be able to buy gas. I found this out the hard way and almost ran out of gas.

5)The Customer service personnel is very rude almost every time I call.

6)The customer service is only available Monday through Friday 9-5 you cannot get a live person on the phone after these hours no matter what.

7)The web site is very limited and there is no way to email customer service.

8)The promise you regular credit line increases after 6 months, After 1 year I have had an increase of $25 despite my perfect payment history and low balance.

I urge you not to get involved with this outfit. I have 2 First Premier cards that are much much better and they credit all payments to you account the day received. If you have no other choice get a secured Visa through a real bank these guys are a two bit operation.

Most Attractive Feature: You can get it if you have bad credit
Least Attractive Feature: Customer Non service way too many fees and loopholes

Poor Service

I never received my card in the mail. Tried calling customer service, but can never get to a real person. The better business needs to shut these people down.

Most Attractive Feature: Did not receive in the mail.
Least Attractive Feature: Automated customer service

Good if you have the income to sustain it.

let me explain that title.

Continental Finance is not a card for some kid fresh out of high school working at McDonalds who needs to build credit. I know they pitch it that way, but trust me - it's not what it's for. No, this card is for someone who makes good income but maybe didn't before, and has bad credit. Like me. I make good income for what I do, but my credit is still in its healing stages.

Anyway, yes this card has a lot of fees. So what? Your credit isn't good, they're charging the fees to ensure they get some sort of income out of you before extending you any credit. I think that's reasonable, quite frankly. There are two negatives to this card:

1: Their minimum required payment. $50 is ridiculous for a $300 card, I'm sorry but it is. I know why they do it - it's to encourage you to pay off the balance sooner, and I appreciate it. What I don't appreciate is having it be a requirement that I do so. I think I should have the flexibility to pay $20 and choose to pay more if I want. It's not a big deal for me, just annoying is all.

2: Their payment hold policy. They hold everything. Doesn't matter if it's a check, money order, cashier's check, etc. They're going to hold it for 10-15 days. That's really irritating, especially since they take your money right away. In my case I always send a cashier's check directly from my bank, so they know it's good, yet they still persist on holding it. The only way they won't hold it is if you pay them via Western Union or MoneyGram - both services of course charge you an outrageous fee for that service, too. Nuh uh.

The good thing about CF is that they honor their credit line increase policy to the T. I haven't had my card a year yet and I've already gotten two line increases without having to ask for either. Their Go for the Gold program is also nice I suppose, but you're subject to that stupid minimum payment. I'm in the process of closing my cards and Continental will definitely be on that list if the Gold card doesn't have a lower minimum monthly. It's not that I can't pay it - but I dont' want to be forced into paying it.

Most Attractive Feature: They do what they say they will do.
Least Attractive Feature: Minimum required monthly payment is rather steep.

Get one now if you have bad credit!

My credit was screwed up, and since getting this card, I have had two limit increases, and have a good base on which to get better deals from other lenders, and basically rebuild my shattered credit score.

Don't listen to the other people on here. Just pay your bill every month and this card will do you a world of good.

Most Attractive Feature: Helps your credit score!
Least Attractive Feature: Fees...

The worst experience ever!

I applied for and was approved for this card. I never recevied the card itself. An email told me I needed to activate the card ASAP so I called to report it lost/stolen and to request a new one. Less than a week later I received a bill, stating that the account had been closed at my request. The bill also had an incomplete address with no stree name. I called customer service, which required me to call a number not on the back of the card. I explained to customer service what had happened. The customore service agent, reading from a script, explained that since I had not activated it in time, the account had been closed. I tried to explain that I never received the card in the first place, so how could I activate it. A frustrating catch-22: she stated that since I had not activated it in 7-10 days, the account had been closed. I persistently tried to explain that I never received the card and had reported that.

Quite a sorry deal, that a credit card company can not even send the card to the correct address. I realize after reading the other posts, that in the long run, it is my good fortune. I am not entangled with this company.

Pretty shabby customer service, from having to dial a separate number, the nearly half an hour wait on hold, a customer service agent at a foreign call center who repeatedly put me on hold and who was not at all helpful. Go with Aspire, Orchard Bank, or Premiere. Those three are much better companies.

Run from Continental Fianance MC.

Most Attractive Feature: None
Least Attractive Feature: The card in general; customer service

Don't get one!

They claim they help your credit but they only end up causing you problems. They are a rip off. If your fixing your credit do not get one ot these it will only set you back.

Most Attractive Feature: none
Least Attractive Feature: it a rip off