GEMB has lost their **bleep** mind!

[Anonymous]

I have a Lowe's card through GEMB that I got 3 years ago and haven't used in 3 years and so far I haven't had any AA.

[score_building]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I have a Lowe's card through GEMB that I got 3 years ago and haven't used in 3 years and so far I haven't had any AA.

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the card does not help build good history unless you use it.  it is hard to predict when they will close for non use so if you want to keep it and/or allow it to help build good history you may want to use it occasionally.

[haulingthescoreup]

As long as it keeps reporting to the CRA's every month, it's building good history. Some banks will keep updating comatose cards; others won't.

The main thing to worry about, as you point out, is them closing the card for lack of use. A four-pack of 60-watt bulbs every 2-3 months ought to do the trick.

[score_building]

presumably it stopped reporting if it hasn't been used for 3 years.  reporting is supposedly based on account activity.  so yes if it is somehow still reporting after 3 years of no activity it's building history.  i'm not sure which banks would still report activity after 3 years of non use, although i have heard of accounts left open by lenders after protracted non use.

[haulingthescoreup]

It does happen, although it's awfully rare. It's more likely to happen with store cards, but you sometimes see it on bank cards as well.

I just wanted to point out that it's not an absolute that a card must be used in order to build history.

[dallasjetfan]

I called yesterday for a CLI on my Care Credit and they gave me $2000 CLI.  They recently declined me for a Sony card though.

[Anonymous]

Just checking CR... see that GEMB has CLD me again.  This time decreased Chevron account from $300.00 to $100.00.  I have not used the card since getting it a few months ago.  Turns out there are no Chevrons around.  Well I guess I have answered my own question re: balance affecting decreases.  It does not matter.  I just hope that Firestone actually report my credit limit.  I need it for utilization.  At this point, I do not care what GEMB does with some of my other cards.  I just hope they do not tamper with Walmart, Lowes, and Amazon.com.    I guess I better find something to buy wth Lowes.  I was really looking to GEMB to HELP me rebuild, but...  This explains why my Cr score did not move this month.  I made about $600.00 in payments, but my CL decreased by $410.00 too.

Message Edited by Changingmantra on 11-15-2008 08:30 PM

[Anonymous]

I just recieved a letter in the mail from GEMB stating that they cancelled my Video Only store card due to inactivity. My husband and I just got the card in January, paid off our TV we purchased (at 0% interest) in April. We were planning to use it after we hopefully buy a house next April, so we could upgrade our other TV. I guess it's their loss. I didn't think 7 months inactivity would make them close the account.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I do not know how to treat these GEMB cards.  I was going to pay off my Paypal, which is currently at $215 or so, but at this point.. as I am paying like $1.50 in interest every month, I am not going to put any big bux into the card.  I will pay them $35.00 or so a month until the thing is paid off, put higher payments on my other cards, and when the Paypal gets to 0, just use it to make small purchases that I can PIF every month.  I guess now, I should go ahead and put some gifts on my Amazon card so that they can see that I am actually using the card.. and perhaps they will not CLD it.  There isn't a darn thing I want/need from Lowes.  Maybe I will just go buy some plants. .and a few frames for some posters I have.

[Anonymous]

I just PIF my  PayPal buyer credit and as soon as I did, they lowered my limit from 250 to 180!   I'm afraid they are going to lower my Walmart card, too, since I just paid that one off as well.