Cancel Your Credit Card - Comments

You might want to be sure that your credit report indicates that the account was cancelled at your request and that "Randy" hasn't put any negative information about your account in your credit report. You'll probably have to wait a month or so to order one of the free annual credit reports since the credit bureaus only update once a month.

The humorous thing is, how could he possibly know that the 'recording' threat was a ruse? Why he didn't want to skip down to the bottom of his script is beyond me, they must dock workers for letting too many people cancel their accounts. Thanks for the tip.

Dear Bob,
I ALWAYS do this sort of task when I have plenty of free time and am in good spirits. Then I try to turn the books on them. I slowly and methodically answer their questions with nonsense and counter-productive (false) information. I figure the longer I tie that guy up, the less time he has to hassle other unsuspecting callers. If he has not met his daily quota of calls because I wasted his time, he's going to manage the next request a lot faster. I employ the same practice with unsolicited telemarketers and surveyors. It can be fun waiting to see how long it takes these "sharpies" to realize they're being had!

Bob,
Great post. I do believe that cancelling a card is not in one's best financial interest, as the credit scoring agencies take that into account when looking at FICO scores, it lowers your debt ratios etc. I try to have low or no fee cards and get the banks to lower the rates. It's just a matter of asking. Anyway, keep up the great work, I'm a big fan.

EDITOR'S NOTE: They also frown upon "too many accounts" so it may be a toss up.

Well there you go... just another example of corporate greed from Amazon.com Visa card. Stand up... fix America! Do what's right!

I had recently applied for a WA WA credit card which was actually a CHASE credit card. I thought it would be nice to have becasue it paid back some credits on purchases. I immediatley got the card upon application on the Internet. Then the PHONE CALLS started. They would call and ask us to verify our credit card number and other information. I told them right out I would not verify anything on the phone for a credit card and hung up. In spite of this the calls continued and I continued to hang up. I finally had it with them and called their offices and explained my discomfort with these repeated calls (they even asked for our SS #). They said they would take us off the "call" list. I said fine - yet the calls continued. I then called them back and told them I was cancelling my credit card. I got little resistence but when I sent in my balance due and cut up both cards and included them in the envelope with the billing (wanted to make it clear wanted nothing more to do with them) I find I still have an account with them. What to do? What to do?

EDITOR'S NOTE:There is a HUGE fine for not honoring the Do Not Call list. Call your state attorney general's office.

Great idea! I always say i can't afford it or i'm going on a strict budget.

Sure would check your credit report after that call! :)

You've touched a nerve! When my mother died I had to send AOL a death certificate and they sent her a "welcome to AOL" letter! Next time around they sent ME a letter saying I had "indicated interest in maintianing the account of your loved one" and instructions on how to "expedite the transfer of the account to your name".

MCI was even better. After I notified them of her death they sent HER a letter with "You recently contacted MCI to discontinue your long distance service. At your request, and because you verified that you had already switched to a new carrier, we have processed your cancellation... We strongly recommend that you cntact your long distance carrier of choice today to ensure that you receive their services"

Hmmmm - I wish I knew which service she is using; I would love to talk to her again.

I've found it's a lot easier to cancel something if you do it by mail or fax. I cancelled two AOL accounts via the fax option they outlined on the "how to cancel service" page and both went through in two days time.