topic Re: Discover card closed account in Credit Cards

Discover card closed account

IrishPM — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 15:46:37 GMT

Never happened to me before but got a letter in the mail from Discover informing me they've closed my account...no explanation given in the letter but I called and spoke to customer service and they said Discover will close an account for inactivity...it's been about 9 months since I've used the card so that makes sense...i've been opting to use my American Express Blue Cash Preferred card for the cash back...the CSR did tell me that "technically" my account isn't closed and I can still use it...told me that if I simply charge a little each month I won't get another letter...so I'll split between the Amex and Discover each month for gas, groceries, etc.

Re: Discover card closed account

creditguy — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 15:52:37 GMT

Nothing odd about closing a card for inactivity, but what's odd is the letter says it's closed but a CSR says it's not technically closed. Why didn't they just send a letter saying it will be closed for inactivity instead of saying it is closed? Well anyway you better go charge a pack of gum to that sucker before they "technically" change their minds.

Re: Discover card closed account

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 17:07:25 GMT

If the account is closed, you won't be able to use it. Unless the letter is an "intent to close for inactivity"... Have you tried to use the card since the letter? I highly doubt you will be able to use the card when the letter states the account has been closed.

Re: Discover card closed account

klarso11 — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 17:55:48 GMT

Not Discover but I closed (2) Credit One cards. They have reported them as closed to the bureaus but they continue to send emails to me encouraging me to come back. I guess that means they woule "reopen" them if I did? I tried that once with an old Capital One card and they said once closed, always closed.

Re: Discover card closed account

galahad15 — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 19:54:00 GMT

@klarso11 wrote:
Not Discover but I closed (2) Credit One cards. They have reported them as closed to the bureaus but they continue to send emails to me encouraging me to come back. I guess that means they woule "reopen" them if I did? I tried that once with an old Capital One card and they said once closed, always closed.

I was successfully able to re-open a closed Cap1 account approximately 3-4 months after it was closed; however, I had to go through EO to make it happen (they were also able to perma-waive my AF). I was very happy that they were able to help me with that, b/c if my Cap1 card had remained closed, I would have been very sad. If your Cap1 card account hasn't been closed too long already, recommend that you try e-mailing EO to see if they would be willing to re-open, for you.

Re: Discover card closed account

DaveInAZ — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 20:10:41 GMT

@IrishPM wrote:
Never happened to me before but got a letter in the mail from Discover informing me they've closed my account...no explanation given in the letter but I called and spoke to customer service and they said Discover will close an account for inactivity...it's been about 9 months since I've used the card so that makes sense...i've been opting to use my American Express Blue Cash Preferred card for the cash back...the CSR did tell me that "technically" my account isn't closed and I can still use it...told me that if I simply charge a little each month I won't get another letter...so I'll split between the Amex and Discover each month for gas, groceries, etc.

Gas & ground transportation is Discover's 5% category next quarter (Jan-Mar), so maybe charge a few small things on it to make sure it's still open, and hit it for gas in Jan.

Re: Discover card closed account

taxi818 — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 23:45:38 GMT

VEry known fact op. I would at least charge a burger once in a while or maybe even a smoothie. That would hit the spot. They would make about 5cents each month off of you . Me personally/ I luv my Discover.

Re: Discover card closed account

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 16:01:12 GMT

Sure, all issuers will close a card for inactivity. But my understanding was that most issuers allow a period of 18-24 months before they deem a card dormant. Personally, for any card I want to keep open, I put the card into rotation if it hasn't had a charge in 12 months. I've always figured that was safe. But if it's true that Discover will deem an account dormant after only nine months of non-use, then I may need to revise my assumptions. Then again, I don't think I let any of our Discover cards get unused for more than a month; too many good reasons to use them.

Chris.

Re: Discover card closed account

Ron1 — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 15:58:20 GMT

Sorry to hear!!! It was quick. I thought it's at leas two years.

Ron.

Re: Discover card closed account

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 16:07:57 GMT

Double Cash Back means it hasn't gone unused since I got it. I pretty much transferred all usage from Chase Freedom to this, and will likely do so until the Double Cash period is up next December. I keep a gym membership and some small purchases on Chase to keep them happy.

Re: Discover card closed account

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 17:15:42 GMT

Good information! Thanks for the post!

Re: Discover card closed account

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 20:09:09 GMT

Very useful! My Discover has the DC promo, but DW's does not, so all our spend goes on mine. I may need to buy something soon on hers, since it hasn't been used since last June.

Re: Discover card closed account

rockup55 — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 20:28:26 GMT

I have the AX Blue Cash Preferred Card and the AX Everyday Card. Prior to getting my Discover Card in March this year, I use to use my AX Blue Cash card pretty heavily. But to be honest, with the Discover double cash back promotion for the first year, Discover Deals, Discover 5% rotating cash back categories, refer a friend Discover cash back bonus and the 10% Applepay with Discover promotion until the end of the year, I find Discover to be a far superior cash back card to the AX Blue Cash Preferred Card at least for the first year I have Discover. After a year, I will re-evaluate whether I change my card spending preferences. The other thing I prefer about Discover is you get REAL cash for the cashback rewards delivered right to your checking account if you desire. You do not have to take it in the form of a statement credit and you don't have to wait until the balance reach some pre-determined level before you can redeem it. Right now I am on track to collect a total REAL cash back reward from Discover, including my one year Anniversary double bonus, that will exceed $2000. I honestly do not do any extra spending that I was not planning to do anyway but I do pay virtually all of my bills with Discover including some bills that I pay ahead several months to take maximum advantage of double cashback but i am going to pay these bills anyway and I will earn more this way then letting the money just sit in a low interest money market account. These are not funds I would ever plan to invest longterm anyway. I always pay my balances off each month in sufficient level to maintain an overall card utilization of about 2% so I never pay one penny of interest on any credit card, just don't use credit cards in that manner. Bottomline, I think using AX Bluue Cash Preferred instead of Discover for the first year is passing on a lot of potential opportunity.

Re: Discover card closed account

takeshi74 — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 21:13:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Sure, all issuers will close a card for inactivity. But my understanding was that most issuers allow a period of 18-24 months before they deem a card dormant.

Don't rely on such generalizations and confirm polcicies on closure due to inactivity with each of your creditors as they can and do vary.

@rockup55 wrote:
Bottomline, I think using AX Bluue Cash Preferred instead of Discover for the first year is passing on a lot of potential opportunity.

One always has to carefully consider the individual's specific situation, spend, etc. The BCP gets me 6% (minus AF) at my main grocery store. Discover is only 2% and that's with the double cash back promo.

Re: Discover card closed account

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 21:38:26 GMT

"I have the AX Blue Cash Preferred Card and the AX Everyday Card. Prior to getting my Discover Card in March this year, I use to use my AX Blue Cash card pretty heavily. But to be honest, with the Discover double cash back promotion for the first year, Discover Deals, Discover 5% rotating cash back categories, refer a friend Discover cash back bonus and the 10% Applepay with Discover promotion until the end of the year, I find Discover to be a far superior cash back card to the AX Blue Cash Preferred Card at least for the first year I have Discover. After a year, I will re-evaluate whether I change my card spending preferences. The other thing I prefer about Discover is you get REAL cash for the cashback rewards delivered right to your checking account if you desire. You do not have to take it in the form of a statement credit and you don't have to wait until the balance reach some pre-determined level before you can redeem it. Right now I am on track to collect a total REAL cash back reward from Discover, including my one year Anniversary double bonus, that will exceed $2000. I honestly do not do any extra spending that I was not planning to do anyway but I do pay virtually all of my bills with Discover including some bills that I pay ahead several months to take maximum advantage of double cashback but i am going to pay these bills anyway and I will earn more this way then letting the money just sit in a low interest money market account. These are not funds I would ever plan to invest longterm anyway. I always pay my balances off each month in sufficient level to maintain an overall card utilization of about 2% so I never pay one penny of interest on any credit card, just don't use credit cards in that manner. Bottomline, I think using AX Bluue Cash Preferred instead of Discover for the first year is passing on a lot of potential opportunity. "

Dang that sounds really good. Sounds like my kind of card.

Discover seems like the perfect card to pay bills with. But I noticed Apple Pay in app purchases are disabled with this card. I don't care though I'm gonna shop with it right now.

Re: Discover card closed account

rockup55 — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 23:37:51 GMT

I agree with you about the 6% for groceries if the majority of the spending I do with my card was for groceries. There is only so many groceries that I will buy in a given month and even AX cap your 6% spending. Much more of my spending with my Discover Card is focused on paying bills which all yield 2% with doubling, the 5% and Discover Deal categories on stuff I was planning to buy anyway, all of which yield at least 10% with doubling, the free $50 for each referred friend which all double in the first year for up to 10 friends and the 10% Applepay bonus on top of everything else when I can use it which can mean 22% to 30% for the doubling on some items.. The most I will ever spend on groceries for my personal situation is about $400/month so all I am giving up in the Discover 2% vs AX 6% is about $16/month in loss savings in groceries. I am never going to get a $2000+ cash bonus sent to my checking account in a year by trying to focus my efforts on utilizing the 6% AX spending category for the narrow category of spending on groceries.

Re: Discover card closed account

rockup55 — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 23:35:43 GMT

Also, there is no AF for the Discover It card that I use