written by star2018 on 12/11/2017
I used to had this card in year 2006 thru 2010, to rebuild my credit. They only gave me $300.00 credit limit plus they have yearly annual fee. I waited a year or so to get credit limit increase, but I got turned down few times. Customer service is not very good at all. But, I am glad my card has been taken over by Capital One 4 or 5 years ago. I am a lot happier with Capital One than Orchard Bank. I finally got a credit line increase from Capital One. I'm very glad I don't have Orchard bank credit card anymore.
written by Queenking72 on 24/04/2013
I have had my Orchard Card for 18 months now. I have paid my card off consistently for months and on time. I have no other outstanding debt on my credit. I have called for months trying to get a credit increase as they advertised as helping to build credit. However, each time I have been shot down. I have told they were in a credit increase freeze in the past now today, I am told yes they can see that I a great payment history but that perhaps due to business reasons they still cannot offer me a credit increase. WHY !!!! How can I increase my credit if I can't get it.
written by on 11/10/2012
I have had this card for a few years now and I haven't had a problem with it, except for the fact that haven't raised my credit limit. On August 7th of this year we noticed several small charges on my account that came to $62.23. All done on the same day and all in a different state. Georgia. I live on Ohio. I also opened my store that day was working till late that night. I called the next day to report this problem to them, and they told me they must wait till the charges were done pending, but will issue me a new card. I said that would be fine. It is now October, 11th and I still have the charge of $62.23 on my account! I had my card on me and they told me that the card was present at the time of transaction. Told them it wasn't possible and I didn't do any spending on that day or any other. Now they keep telling me that it is still under investigation and they are looking into it. I am to the point where I will just pay off the charges and close my account. Not worth it anymore. I have other credit cards that I have no issue with whatsoever!
written by SheikJabouti on 09/10/2012
I told HBSC in June 2012 to close my account and use the secured savings as payment. To date they haven't, and they turned my account over to collections despite my numerous attempts to get them to release the funds as final payment. This company has no idea what they are doing!! Seems Capital One bought them, and the situation is even worse now??
written by mrstaylor2011 on 19/09/2012
This card is a scam to get fragile consumers that are looking to rebuild their credit score interested and damage them even further. I am so sorry that I ever did any business with them, I opened this card in hopes of rebuilding my score after several medical issues and I wanted to buy a home. I used $300 of my own money to open an account and only made 1 puchase for less than $15 in total, I set up automatic payments over 6 months to show a consistant payment history. To my surprise I received a notification that I had a 30 day delinquent reporting when I called to investigate I learned that there is $25 minimum monthly payment and that my payments were not sufficient, I received no notifications via e-mail or by mail. Ultimately Orchard refused to reverse the reporting and I suffered -80+ points and I am farther than ever from my dream home. STAY AWAY from this card they are fee obsessed preying on innocent consumers. I have not even had this card for 6 months, I am devistated by this.
written by Mwaters0 on 09/09/2012
I looked to this savings account credit card because I was an irresponsible young adult and ruined my credit from the get-go. My husband had quite a good relationship with this company so I gave them a go. I didn't read the fine print enough to realize that there was a $35 annual fee and only came to the knowledge after 4 years of membership (Obviously my mistake for not doing my due diligence). It was upsetting that it costs me $35 a year to help pay their company bills when they already had $200 of my money to let me use their company to build credit. I feel used and taken advantage of. The biggest push of my emotions came because I was preapproved for an actual credit card for 10x the amount of the credit limit I was given by Orchard. How can a company I have no standing with offer me such a large amount of money when the company that's had my business for 4 years with no issues/late payments/account discrepencies hasn't even tried or offered to bump my credit limit? And then, while I'm closing my account, I instruct the Orchard account specialist to rectify my account balance and send me the remaining money so that I would no longer need to hassle with this card. But, in true "I'm not paying attention and don't give a crud enough to make this easy on you" attitude, I receive a check for the entire amount of my original deposit when setting up my account. Now I have to take extra steps and trips to my bank and Orchards website to rectify my account so they don't urinate all over the credit score I turned to them to help me with! I am furious beyond communication!!!!!!!!!!
written by Famous511 on 09/05/2012
I should have saw all this coming when their idea of apply for a credit card including printing out an application online,photocopying my id, and mailing the application in. A month later I received a letter stating that I was denied because I needed to open an account with them. I understood this when I filled out the application and that is was I was under the impression I was filling out. The letter gave me a number to call, so I called it. The automated system would not let me pass because I didnt have an account number(which I was never given). After many #'s I reach the operator. They told me I had the wrong department and told they would reconnect me. I went through the same problems with the automated system again. When I finally got connected the guy on the other end was muffled so bad I had to ask him to repeat himself so many times that I was laughing. I dont know was he said but something along the line of calling another number. I had to hang up and call this number. This number sent me to the credit company that has my credit score. I was like are you serious, I know I have bad credit that was why I was applying for a secured card which doesnt go by my credit. Hahaha. Bunch of morons!!
written by on 21/04/2012
Well, maybe given the proliferance of SPAN, it would be a sound investment. But a Bank that floods the SPAMways, forget it. I have unsubscribed many times. The Bank ignores them all.
written by on 09/04/2012
The orchard bank secured card is good for building credit- until you need to cancel it. They promise you will get your deposit back within 30 days of canceling the card, but it took over 3 months and MANY angry phone calls to get them to send my money! I had about 10 customer service representatives promise me that they were absolutely positive that my check had been mailed out. Not sure if the customer service reps are told to lie or just not knowledgeable at all. The whole process of trying to get my money back really ruined the entire experience with this company for me.
written by on 05/04/2012
When my credit was Bad this card came in helpful, since then I have received better cards from Cap one and Citi bank that have no annual fees so I canceled my Orchard bank card to avoid another $59 fee. When I called to cancel of course I got routed to India and then back to someone in the states after 10 minutes on hold.
written by on 17/03/2012
Credit card is fine for re-establishing good credit, or any credit if you are recovering - complaint was filed with Attorney General's office with State of California due to them refusing to change my due date from the 14th of the month - everyone is fixed on that due date - so if your on a fixed income, like me, and sometimes you dont get paid by social security until the 14th of the month, boom - late fee. This is their way of collecting extra late fees by disallowing movement of due dates. They are the only, of the three Capital One, and Credit One, that refused me a change of due date. Could not address adequately why they wouldn't - just that they had made a recent decision to "suspend" doing that and their system wouldnt allow it. Funny thing, my internal system of right-wrong won't allow me to stay with them as a customer. All my extra funds wherever possible is being put into the account to pay off, and good bye forever to Orchard/HSBC bank. Good thing I hosed you all for 13k in my last bankruptcy, so at least I got you back many times over for your terrible and corrupt business practices. Oh, by the way, the Attorney General's office just closed the complain and sided with HSBC on having "adequately addressed" my complaint without any corrective or resolute action on their part whatsoever. By HSBC, nice doing bus with you.
written by on 05/03/2012
This review is actually stupid. Orchard has been VERY bad, although I pay immediately my balance, they hold my payment and don't make the money available, but only after 2 weeks. They hope that I will charge more and more and perhaps be able to charge me interest. Very greedy people and very bad company. Customer care is non existent too.
written by hamza1259 on 13/01/2012
i applied for this card 2 months ago i paid every months on time in full they closed my account i called asking why they said i have too many accounts open i told them i have only 2 accounts they said we dont know thats the informtion we have and they revios to reopen the account and revios to refund the anull fee $59 and procesing fee $39 i had baid theme just 2 months ago
written by justfun1989 on 12/12/2011
Avoid this bank by all means!!!!! I've been trying to get the secured credit card for 3 months, emailing them papers back and forth. They kept requesting information little by little for three MONTHS!!!!!! and after I receive the card they closed my account!!!!! saying we are sorry we had to close it for security purpose and they will send me my deposit back ! After waiting all this time I get this... I haven't even used it, WASTE OF TIME!!!!!!!!!
written by on 13/07/2011
First off, if youre trying to rebuild your credit then understand that you're already over the barrel, so to speak. That being said, expect to receive a credit limit of between 300 and 500 dollars when you are finally approved. I've had my card since August of 2010 and have had no unexpected problems. But, I have also paid my bill in full every month and paid it well before the due date. The biggest issue with this card is the customer service, payment posting time frames and credit limit increase freeze. First, the customer service is outsourced. So if you have a question expect to get a scripted response. If you're like me and want more than this you will find this method of operation extremely frustrating. For example, I first received my card in august, but was unable to use it for nearly a month while the payment holds were processed. When I tried to get more than a scri Ted response somebody named Pradeep stonewalled me. Which brings me to the other issues. I've been overly diligent in paying my card. In fact I've posted payments within two weeks of each other as I find myself using the small credit limit on my card to purchase gas. It's happened on a few occasions now that they have taken the payment from my bank account, but then "held" it for two weeks so that I could not use my card but also did not have access to the money from my bank account. My guess is this done to reduce their costs for processing multiple payments from people. If you get this card be sure that you pay once per month and on time! Finally, they have refused to approve credit limit increases, for EVERYONE! As I said, I've had the card since august of 2010 and have not missed a single payment. In fact I've paid my card off in full, early, every month. But the website has a blanket statement that they are not taking requests for credit limit increases at this time. This message has bee on there for at least 3 months. The point of the card is to rebuild your credit, and the fact that they report to all three credit bureaus means you will at least have 1 good mark on your record. But, recognize that your credit limit will be low, which can also count against you. As long as HSBC begins accepting credit limit increases again the card will help you even more. So all in all, poor customer service, long payment holds and no credit limit increases currently. However, you've got to start somewhere.
written by on 23/05/2011
So I applied for the credit card because we had a bk discharge last year and I wanted to rebuild my credit. They gave me a $300 credit limit, which is virtually not doing much for rebuilding my credit. I have always made my payments on time and in full every month. So I thought they would increase my credit limit. I called them and requested a credit increase and they stated that at this time Orchard Bank has made a corporate decision to not increase anyone's credit limit. Hmmmmm?????? Is this company going out of business? Which is better to close out the account or to keep a very low limit credit card in which the company may go out of business? Has anyone else heard of this?
Written on: 26/05/2011
Who ever told you that was wrong because they raised mine to 520 without asking. It took about 7 months of paying in full every every month and not using it some months then it was raised
Written on: 13/07/2011
I've had the same issue with the credit limit increase requests. Made payments in full, on time for almost a year and get a generic " no requests are being considered at this time"
written by on 18/05/2011
Don't get this card!!! They do not reverse fraudulent charges even when proof is provided that the charges were made in Florida while I was in California. Horrible customer service and pat answers as to why they can't help!!! The worst I have ever experienced in my 25 years as a credit consumer. I only give this card one star because you can't leave a comment with zero stars.
written by on 05/05/2011
Horrible customer service. The phone monkeys in the call center simply read their script and don't offer any help or support at all. It took 3 months for them to make a credit decision, in the meantime they cashed the secured cheque I sent in then refuse to release the funds for another 2 months after they finally declinded the secured card.
written by on 28/04/2011
I would not recommend this credit card to any one. Customer service is very poor and every answer is thank you BUT and why they can't help you. My payments have been higher than required and ahead of time and still very poor poor service. I have also got not 1 but 2 cards thru Capital One and there service I would say is a 9 out of 10 which is excellent. Payments get posted on time and when I call they speak English to me - think I will be saying good by to Orchard Credit card-poor company.
written by on 25/04/2011
No legitimate company operates this way. Go with another card.
I applied for the card online & was approved late February. Mid-March I called because I hadn't received a card yet & was told it could take up to 30 days. In April I still had no card but received a bill for $86.
When I called customer service they said they were sorry, they'd send a new card, and I needed to make a payment since my account was now past due. It took 20 minutes of explaining why I would not make a payment on a card I'd never received before they agreed to waive the $25 late fee. When the card came the following the week I called to activate it & was told there was a hold on it until I'd paid my late charges. I spent 20 minutes on the phone again explaining I'd never received the card and the fee had been waived. The rep said there was a record of my previous conversation but that since the account was opened in February I was past due for the activation fee & they would not authorize the card until I paid the past due balance. He also refused to transfer me to a supervisor.
I'm going to cancel the card & rebuild my credit with another company. You should too.
Do you have a question about this product or company? Simply type it in the box below and one of our community will give you an answer
Once we've checked over your question we will put it live on the site and our strong community of experts will hopefully give you some great answers that you find useful.
We will email you when the question is on the site
As rated by our community of reviewers
Guest's Comment
Written on: 03/02/2012
The reason for the freeze from what I have been told is that HSBC This announcement was about mid 2011 and it has still not been finalized. I hope (more like praying) that this is a good thing. I defaulted on a capital one card and I am still paying it back. I hope this can answer at least one of your questions. You probably have the best review on here.