. >> bergman: that would be true for this man, don bollinger. >> i've always paid my bills, but i was running very, very lean and knew that if anything big happened, that i'd be in serious trouble. and eventually, it did. >> it really started when i found out i had tonsil cancer. >> bergman: bollinger won his battle with cancer, but then he lost his job. >> it was just a train wreck. because of a delinquent payment on a totally unrelated debt that i had, one of the credit card companies told me that they were going to increase my rate from, like, 8.9% up to 19%. when i heard that, i immediately made a phone call and attempted to protest it. yes, sir. i didn't understand at all. i didn't understand how something not related to their loan, the money i owed them, would cause them to increase my rates. >> bergman: soon after, don bollinger's other credit card bank also raised his interest rate. that made even his minimum payments unaffordable and started a downward spiral of missed payments and fees. >> it's not fair. it's deceptive. >> bergman: but credit card companies say the practice