Con Artists

I'm sure none of my readers will be surprised at this description of a bank in this day and age.

I just received a letter from my credit card provider, which is also my bank, to say they are raising my "personal" interest rate to almost 16%. This is at a time when the base rate is just 0.5%. This is because the "status of my credit file has changed".

I am supposed to check the credit reference agency my bank uses to see if there is inaccurate information in my file. This appears to be free, but you have to sign up to £14.99 a month once the free 30 days are up, with no indication of quite how you cancel.

Since my bank, and my bank alone, would have provided all the information to the agency, my details would only have changed if they had changed them.

Am I wrong to assume that the bank and the credit agency are in cahoots to steal my money any way they can? 'Cos with a house I paid £12,000 for that is now worth a third of a million, a tiny mortgage, no recent credit purchases, and a reducing credit card debt, my credit profile should stellar.