Capital One - multiple cards

[gheedorah]

So, for a while now I've lurked the myFico forums, and have seen countless iterations of my same story- advised to open a second card (by a customer service agent) and then combine the balances. After opening the second line of credit, I was told they cannot be combined.

So now that Orchard Bank was bought by Capital One, I have 3 Capital One cards, all with low limits (2x 500, 1x 400), and there's not really much I can do with them besides buying dinner or getting drinks, just to keep the card active. (As I noted in an tangentally-related thread yesterday, these are all carrying balances, but I will be zero'ing down all three of them over the next two pay periods).

I've asked in vain (vane? vein?) repeatedly if there is any consideration that could be given, but low-level customer service agents don't have much admin power, and I imagine supervisors do not either.

Either I cannot get these cards combined, or there's someone with enough power to actually do it manually and I just have to find that person and convince them.

If the cards cannot be combined, should I close the youngest card? I have 4 credit cards (2x 500 CL, 2x 400 CL) and 2 store cards (Target/Walmart). I know length of account is important, but technically, my AAoA would improve by closing the youngest card, at least marginally. I've read that too many cards with low limits can actually hurt FICO or credit score.

Any suggestions here? Anyone know if there's any chance whatsoever of convincing a manager-level account person of combining two or all three of these cards, and/or, anyone have any advice on closing the newest card or whether I should just sock-drawer all three of them and wait to be able to open a higher limit card? I can live off cash easily, if necessary.

Thanks for any responses!

[sarkell]

Do you have any other cc? And what do you scores look like if these are the only cards you have contact eo office. For a cli it's a sp for the c1 s but the orchard bank it's a hp. I think it has to do with orchard being originally owned HSBC so never officially doing a hp with c1. If you don't have other cards with higher limits I'd ask for 1500-3000 depending on length of time. You can add cash rewards easily to these cards I did via eo no problem. Here's how it goes google CEO capital one email him pm me if you can't find it saying you d like a bigger cl etc someone will call you within 2-3 days don't give sensitive info in email other than your name they'll find it no problem. Hope this helps. Also before contacting them make sure your overall utility is low etc best chance for highest cli

[MovingForward_2012]

I think you may want to consider waiting until the transition is complete before making any moves. The trials they are conducting right now in the Executive Office might be foreshadowing a change to the CLI rules and practices. I also have 3 Cap1 cards: Orchard ($1100), Cash Rewards ($2500), and Best Buy ($2500). I know Best Buy will be Citi soon but I am very curious of what type of replacement card they are going to send for the Orchard. Will it be their Platinum card or a new category of card? Will they begin processing CLIs more vastly or will it be the same old stuff? No one knows until we get there. Cap1 is sending little clues here and there in terms of what to expect but the big questions remain unanswered. So I am in the process of SD the Orchard card since I got the Chase Freedom to replace it until the big news breaks.

[Wolf3]

Your AAoA is based on all reporting accounts (closed or open).   Closing a card does not change it.

Suggest you keep using them for now, and wait to see how the transisition goes.