Before the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Discolsure Act, credit card providers could raise their interest rates whenever they wanted and the new higher interest could even be applied to past purchases, that you made before the rate hike!

card taking away cash

Thanks to the Credit CARD Act, there are limits to when and how much companies can raise rates. You have to have had the card for at least 12 months before they can hike the rates. They must give 41 days warning prior to the increase, and it cannot apply to past purchases.

Sources:

sources

https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/credit-card-accountability-responsibility-disclosure-act-2009-credit-card-act

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/what-is-the-card-act-of-2009/