By Stacy Johnson

Passing the "Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act" was a huge step forward in protecting consumers against high bank fees.

Battle won? Definitely. But the war continues. Need proof? Just look at the back of your credit card statement at that teeny tiny little type.

Back here are the terms and conditions that explain what they can and cannot do. And when something changes and you start saying, "Can they do that?" the answer might just be, "Yes!"

Regardless of what seems fair, credit card companies can still change the rules when they feel like it. For example, can they change my fixed rate to a variable? Yep. Even if a fixed rate was in the original offer.

Can you be foreced to accept a higher rate? No. The card act does force issuers to give you a 45-day notice before raising your rates. That gives you the opportunity to close your account at the current rate.

Can my credit card company close my account? Yes. Unlike rate increases, companies can still close your account.

Can my fees keep going up? They can. Bank of America, for example, increased their balance transfer fee from 3% to 4%. Chase upped theirs to 5%.

Bottom line? Card companies are still focused on their bottom line. So you really can't stop reading the fine print. There is one way you can always avoid paying a lot of interest and fees: pay off your balance every month.