Article: Credit card companies raise late fees, group reports.

By Will Buss, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jul. 12--A Web-based consultant group that tracks the credit card industry says penalties for late payments are costing tardy consumers more.

Cardweb.com Inc. reports that late fees increased by 33.4 percent of total credit card revenue in 2003. That is up from 27.9 percent in 2000 and 16.1 percent in 1996.

The group also found that the credit card industry collected $11.7 billion from penalty fees last year, a 9 percent jump from the $10.7 billion recorded in 2002.

A metro-east financial analyst said the credit card industry is gradually increasing ...

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