We've all seen the Capital One ads where the pirates emerge from the streets to attack the poor, unsuspecting guy as he is about to use his credit card. This high-priced adventure comedy spot grabs our attention. The reality is that picking a fight with a credit card company makes their band of percentage-rate pirates look like child's play. How do they make their attack?

Picture this: It's Wednesday morning and you spot the Blue Lagoon DVD that was supposed to be returned last Thursday. You return it to movie store A and pay the over-priced late fees, vowing never to let that happen again. The next night you get a hankering to see more drama in paradise and head out to movie store B to rent The Return to Blue Lagoon.

You've been a loyal customer at movie store B for years and have never returned a movie late, so you are shocked to learn that because of your behavior at movie store A you are considered a risk to movie store B. They will be charging you a higher late fee and limiting the number of movies you can rent. Sound ridiculous? Well it happens more often then you think - with your credit cards.

It is not uncommon for credit card companies to regularly check your credit report; some even check it monthly. If they see any behavior that they define as risky, such as a late payment on another card, they will respond by raising your interest rates and lowering your credit line. What if this happens to you?

The best way to deal with this type of situation is to prevent it in the first place. If you find yourself starting to get overwhelmed with your credit card bills, cut back on unnecessary spending. Do you really need cable TV, a second car or that morning coffee?

Another option is to ask a relative for a loan to pay some of your debts and get back on track. Be sure that the conditions of the loan are clearly outlined to prevent family tension.

If you feel lost and don't know what to do, contact the local office of the Consumer Credit Counseling Services for advice. Experts have mixed feelings about the benefits of using these services so don't look to them as a first resort. As always, it is wise to check them out by contacting your state Attorney General's office to see if any complaints have been made about them. However, no matter how desperate you get, stay away from the debt consolidation agencies and their promises of a "quickfix." These companies promise to consolidate your debts (hence the name) and get you a lower interest rate. You can do that yourself.

If you want a lower interest rate, call and ask for one. Don't believe us? A national survey conducted in 2002 by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group had fifty consumers of all credit backgrounds call and ask for lower rates. Fifty-six percent of them scored lower rates; the APR's dropped from an average of 16% to 10.47%.

Be persistent. If a sales representative isn't being cooperative, ask to speak with a supervisor. If it still doesn't work, call back the next day and hope to talk with someone more understanding. One trick is to say you are considering a switch and need your interest rate to compare cards. This can send your creditor scrambling to offer a lower rate. Remember, the credit card industry is a competitive one and they will work hard to keep your business.

Creditors might suggest that they can't offer you a lower interest rate unless you buy more on the card. If that's what it takes, charge what you would normally buy in cash, such as groceries, on your card instead. Then use the cash to pay off the balance. Contact your creditor again after a few months to see if your increased spending has helped to sway them.

You can also call your creditors and negotiate paying off your debt. Play up your sob story to get as much sympathy as possible. Make your situation sound desperate and emphasize that you are unable to pay everything back. You have something they want, money. If they fear they may not get anything back, they'll be willing to accept less than the original amount. A good place to start is by getting them to drop all penalties and late fees. Keep in mind that you have the upper hand. If they aren't giving you what you want, get off the phone and call back later.

Be prepared. Negotiating with creditors can be a long and frustrating process. One of the most important things to remember is making a good paper trail. Never believe anything the creditor tells you over the phone. Make them give you everything in writing and keep a log of whom you talked to and when. The most important thing to arm yourself with in any negotiating process is knowledge. Don't let the creditors catch you by surprise

Editor's Note: Our typical section titled "MULTIPLYING IT" covers topics on how to multiply your money. This issue it's titled "UNMULTIPLYING IT" to help Jackie, and anyone else in the same boat, keep credit problems from multiplying.