I too support them and how they are actually pretty good, they certainly are better than Capone!!!! I have suggested to both my sisters and my niece that they get this card. While I don’t now need a secured card due to my credit score being good enough to qualify for other cards I don’t have the inclination to close the account. Since my account gets paid automatically each month I don’t have to worry about it. Even if I stop using it I will certainly not have to worry about paying it as it will just happen automatically! At some point I do wish they would upgrade my account. I think they should grow as their customers do. Overall I am pretty satisfied with them.
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By: Richard
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By: Richard
You may never get another credit limit increase from Capone again. At least Merrick gives them! Mine has tripled since having the card. My 2 Capone cards have not gotten anything in 2 years. Figure it out. If you are happy paying $39 for an annual fee and you want credit limit increases, don’t go with Capone. If you want a company that will reward you for good behavior, go with Merrick. Yes I am pro Merrick and con Capone, but Capone is just a con anyway.
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By: CardAddicted
Merrick bank has been a good credit card issuer so far based on my experience. Their customer service was very helpful, one time I misplaced my credit card in the house and reported the card lost, they suggested me to block the card for few days until I found my card. So I found my card in one of the books I was reading. They have increased my credit limit couple times, starting from 1250, and now 1850 ( on average it was every 4 month a cli, the first cli was given a year later ). They are not the highest credit limit I have so far with 21% apr. I still use it to re-establish my credit ( currently exp. 698, transunion 660, it was like experian 638 and transunion 630 at the time I applied for the card last year ). I fired several low limit credit card like HSBC, capital ones and orchard bank. I paid my credit card payment once the statement is generated and keep some balance on the card. They calculate the average daily balance for interest charge if you are keeping a balance. I sometimes PIF in some months.
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By: SheilaWS
Perfect explanation. 
I have a $700 credit limit and I was at the limit. Each month, I had been making my minimum monthly payment. This month, I was able to pay off the whole balance. I noticed that the $698 I paid cleared my account, but only half of the payment cleared my card. I called customer service, and they told me that half was made available for me to use, and the other half is being held for 7 days. The explanation was the same as yours. I made a huge payment after making so many little payments, and they’re holding it to make sure the money is there. I do understand that, but I also never had that happen to me with any other cards. I also just paid my whole balance with capone, and they gave me my whole limit back without holding half or all. It’s annoying, but not too big of a deal. I do have half I can use, and I didn’t plan on spending the whole $700 right now anyways. I can wait.
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By: SheilaWS
Hmmmmm, the woman I spoke with today sounded like she was from India, with a VERY heavy accent. I couldn’t understand her sometimes.
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By: SheilaWS
I agree with Bob. Even my own personal bank charges a fee for a lost or stolen debit and credit card. It’s standard.
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By: Fran A
My husband and I went through Chapter 7 bankruptcy April 2012 (unemployment, combined with medical bills, no health insurance). He got a Capitol One CC a month after and I received a Merrick Bank CC two months ago. I would never carry a balance on the Merrick CC due to high interest rates, but I use it for small purchases and then pay in full at the end of each week. We are only using credit cards to get our FICO up and in the event we have a work seminar to attend and have to do carry expenses for hotel/airfare until we get reimbursed from company a couple weeks later. As soon as our FICO is our high enough to get better cards with a lower interest rate, we will dump the Merrick credit card. I am grateful that Merrick issued me this card but wary about carrying a balance. If you read fine print on agreement you will see that this is not actually a real credit card and if you get your number stolen, you could be liable for fraudulent charges.
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By: Mad as hell
I was a Merrick Bank customer for over a year and I thought they were a little shady in the beginning but, they grew on me and I started to think very highly of them. I started out with a $700.00 credit limit and moved up to $1,400.00. I was paying faithfully and finally paid my balance in full. In the time that I had my Merrick Card I was working hard to rebuild my credit. I paid off and closed several low credit limit, high interest and high fee cards. So now, I have been accepted for 2 very good low APR % no fee cards and I think that I’m on the road to getting back to where I should be with my credit for my age. Well, out of the blue Merrick cancels my card with no notice. So, I get on the phone and call what is a poor excuse for customer service and get to try to speak to the most rude woman I’ve ever had the displeasure of being in contact with. Needless to say we resolved nothing. I never missed a payment and I was never late on a payment. Anyway,several days later they sent me a letter telling me that they cancelled my account because I applied for these other cards. I just don’t understand what they are thinking. Most people that I know carry several different credit cards.
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By: Mike
Merrick is a great card with regular credit limit increases and US-based customer service.
There are plenty of whiners on this board who didn’t pay their bill on time, went over their limit, paid with the wrong bank account, and those who don’t like the monthly fees or APR’s. I use this card regularly and pay in full or rarely carry a balance for more than 1 additional statement cut before paying in full.
It’s a great card to rebuild credit. I started with $1,000 when responded to a preapproved offer in the mail, and now am up to $2,600 credit limit. I pay this card using Merrick’s web site and pay electronically, always in advance of the due date. I have had ZERO problems with missing payments, the dog eating it, phoney finance charges, or anything else. It’s simple–I use my card responsibly, I pay my bill. I sometimes pay more than once per month.
If you get an offer for this card, get it. Then use no more than 10-20% of your total credit line, especially in the first 6 months. You’ll be rewarded for it with regular credit line increases that range from $300-$600 every time.
‘Nuff said.
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By: Anthony
I have a merrick bank card and wish I didn’t. I have read the other comments and fully understand both the good and the bad. For those who are fortunate enough in this economy to stay in good standings with merrick or any other credit issuer is great! I try to practice a responsible relationship in concerns with my credit card providers as well. I did have an incident where I paid on the due date but after 5 p.m.(et). I live in a central time zone and missed Merricks posting by 30 minutes. I recieved a $35 dollar late fee. A little over a dollar per minute. I called Merrick and spoke with a very RUDE and aggressive representative! She was talking over me as if she was reading a script. The rep told me that after 5pm it becomes the next day..so if today is the 21st of November 4:59 pm..then at 5:01 pm it becomes the 22nd..I told her “I know the banks have a lot of power but I don’t think they can change the calendar!” I understand all creditors have a cutoff time, but it was her RUDE behavior that upset me. She made me feel like I was a homeless person begging for an extra helping of mash potatoes at the soup kitchen! I asked to speak to a supervisor and after telling me the supervisor will tell me the same thing, she put me in hold only to return reading even more about Merricks policies. I never spoke to that supervisor and after repeatedly arguing with her, I just said thank you for nothing and hung up! I never heard of Merrick before and I hope to NEVER hear from them AGAIN!!
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By: BamaMan
I’ve just received an offer for a Merrick Bank unsecured card, and my offer was for $1,250 limit with no annual fee, no setup fee, no additional-card fee, way better than what I’m seeing here. The interest rate is high, but what do you expect from a bank like this — the reason I and most everyone gets something from Merrick Bank is obvious — we have credit problems in our past. Mine are 4.5 years old & it was a CH-7 BK; however, I have restablished credit with a car loan, a mortgage, 4 other bank cards, 1 store card, and have had NO late pays or other issues/collections since – totally spotless, plus a perfect utility payment record & perfect rent record before I bought a home. I’m guessing I’m on the upper-end of their offers based on what I’m reading here, like a platinum offer, and it actually says “platinum” on the sample card they sent. My only concern would be if they charged me an annual fee without telling me in advance nor giving me the option to close the acct if I wanted or pay the fee & keep it, as that would be against the law — they have to give you a 45-day notice of any changes to the fees they charge & a chance to opt-out, i.e., close the acct, and also if they didn’t credit my payment within a reasonable amount of time or claimed I didn’t make it, but I make all my payments online, so I know they’ve gotten it, I pay it early & I watch my bank to see if the payment debits my account afterward. I’m guessing the people who are mad at Merrick Bank are those who ran afoul of the rules & feel that a small indiscretion shouldn’t have been answered so harshly, but that’s business — pay your bills on-time & mind your business matters closely.
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By: PhilipE14
It seems to me the criticisms are coming from people who did not adhere to the policies and/or do not understand how credit card companies operate. The thing that’s curious to me is that, for people rebuilding credit, and with a high interest rate, the apparent ease with which credit limits are increased would be an enticement to load more debt onto the card, which is how the credit card company makes its profit, so I don’t understand why people are excited about getting a credit limit increase – unless they are now in a better position to afford it and can pay off their balance due. Seems to me this is the kind of card to have as emergency back-up for unexpected high expenses.
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By: Allison P.
I have been all over the internet researching this Merrick company, I will not fall for this scam card, that is for sure!!!! This site obviously contains a bunch of FAKE good reviews to lesson the bad ones. People have been made false promises about No Fees ( annual, set- up) and suddenly with no notice of a change in terms been charged an annual fee. That is illegal. A credit company must give you a 45 day notice in any change of terms and give you the option of opting out by cancelling your account. Others have missed 1 payment and had their account sent to collections. It seem like anyone who has had to deal with Merrick’s customer service gets absolutely nowhere. Beware of this rip-off company. And beware of the many Fake positive reviews on this page.
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By: Dr Hook
It’s too bad one unfortunate incident, by one employee has cast the whole company into such a poor light. Every business will have employees that will step “out of line” on occasion. I usually opt for a well worded letter/email to a supervisior before condemning the company as a whole.
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By: Dr Hook
I would say the best of companies will have those who will claim to have horror stories.
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By: Dr Hook
So if you paid the bill on time, there would be no late fees . . .hmm, I’m sorry, I don’t see your complaint as being valid.
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By: Dr Hook
Spot on.
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By: Dr Hook
So they are suppose to supply another card (with the incurred costs) for free??
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By: jc07026
The Merrick Credit card is a real credit card. I have one and it’s helping me build my credit. They start you low then increase your limit in time. I started out with $300 and now I have a $1600 limit.
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By: James
I’ve had a Merrick card for about 6 years. I used it to rebuild my credit after a bankruptcy. My initial introductory APR was 16% for 18 months, then it went up to 23%. The cash advance APR is extremely high. I currently have a zero balance and a $3000 limit. I keep the account open because it helps my credit score which is now well over 700 (from a low of 565 !). If you use it wisely, it’s a good card for rebuilding credit. I only use it now for convenience and only when I can pay off the balance within the grace period.
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