Chase CC opened without consent

[Anonymous]

Okay heres the story:

My mom recently got a new Chase CC sent in the mail and was outraged considering she never applied for it.  She already has a Chase CC with a zero balance on it.  She did recently open a new Chase checking account and thought that perhaps the personal banker was trying to pull a fast one and gain some sales by app'ing for a new CC, however, around the same time she also called into the Chase phone bank to request a replacement card for her existing CC, and perhaps there was a mis-understanding in the phone conversation.  Either way, an inquiry was made by Chase, and ultimately a new line of credit was extended without consent.  This likely had a negative impact on her credit score/report, but she doesnt monitor it that often enough to know if damage was done. I am going to have her call Chase and find out how/who opened the new card. My question is can chase remove the inquiry? Close the card without a negative impact to her report? I'm just afraid chase will close the card and it will remain on her file for a few years with a negative impact.  Essentially, I want Chase to remove the card as if it never existed as well as the inquiry.  I am thinking the best way to go about this is in writing to Chase, as well as a BBB complaint.

Thanks for the tips in advance.

[smc733]

Yes, they can certainly close the account AND remove it from the report.

Are you positive it is not a debit card?  Though I guess so being there was an inquiry.

[voidman]

Chase has pulled an inquiry when the bank account was opened, some banks use the same inquiry to approve for a card too. So if your mom has got the card without "additional" inquiry then I would keep the card.

[Wolf3]

Inquires are not really negatives on your report.   Too many can be a problem, so unless your mother has a lot of recent inqueries, I don't see the problem.

Anyway, why not keep the card, it can have a long term positive effect.

[Breakthecycle2]

One inquiry will not do much at all. Chase does do a hard pull for a new checking / savings account.

[Lel]

Maybe she was given this card as a method of overdraft protection.  That's what B of A did about 10 years ago when I opened a checking/savings account with them.

Anyways, as mentioned the inquiry was probably going to happen just from the opening of the bank account.  So this is kind of like a "two-fer" - two account for the price of one inquiry.

While the inquiry itself is going to have a minimal impact on her score, and will gradual diminish in effect over the next year, the new account and its effect on average age of accounts is going to have a more lasting impact, especially if she doesn't have a lot of other older accounts to dilute its effect.

And again, is she certain that she didn't receive an ATM/debit card?  My debit cards look very much like credit cards.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies, and yes it is a credit card. On her online she sees her perious cc with them with a $5k limit and now the new one with a $6k limit, there's really no point in having both cards, she doesnt even use the old one. The banker should have linked her existing card as o/d protection if hes the one who opened it. Her average account age is very good with a long history, so I'm thinking this new card shouldn't hurt too much. 

[Lel]

If she doesn't use the new card at all, Chase will eventually close it for her.  Whether your mother closes it or Chase closes it does not affect her FICO score.

The new card might actually help her in the long run, particularly if her credit file is pretty thin.  If she were to apply for a new mortgage, for example, with only one or two tradelines on her credit report, that could hinder her chances for approval.