My utilization was high 70% (thanks covid) but this month finally making some big payments. I have no missed payments and no negative marks on my credit. For instance Paid in over 3200 to my citi that had a balance of 8200 with 9500 limit. Next day my credit line was lowered 3200!!! My other big payments to other cards havent registered yet . So how can one start to make big payments to pay their balances down when all the credit card companies do is lie in wait and just lower your limit and now your utilization has gone higher and your big payment was just wasted! It seems that if you do the right thing you just get penalized.
I had over 24K limit on chase sapphire that I barely used, made a payment got a 20K credit limit reduction 
@Anonymous wrote:My utilization was high 70% (thanks covid) but this month finally making some big payments. I have no missed payments and no negative marks on my credit. For instance Paid in over 3200 to my citi that had a balance of 8200 with 9500 limit. Next day my credit line was lowered 3200!!! My other big payments to other cards havent registered yet . So how can one start to make big payments to pay their balances down when all the credit card companies do is lie in wait and just lower your limit and now your utilization has gone higher and your big payment was just wasted! It seems that if you do the right thing you just get penalized.
I had over 24K limit on chase sapphire that I barely used, made a payment got a 20K credit limit reduction
First off, I am very sorry they took AA against you. That is no fun, and feels like a punch in the gut. I've been there. Sorry to hear it.
That being said....
They are taking precautions. You probably looked very risky to them right then...Call them, you might get your limits reinstated.
Might not... but just remember, they have to protect their assets, too. And they're pretty sure they're about to take a massive haircut. Maybe even worse than a haircut - maybe a total rout. It isn't personal.
Edit: I LOVE your screen name, by the way. Its mine and the DW's FAVORITE sci-fi show. We re-watch it every few years.
Both Citi and Chase, along with BofA, did significant balance chasing when I had high balances. It is a normal response when they see someone with high utilization, and the economy does not look so good.
An important thing to realize is that none of these banks have any idea what your intentions are, so they have to use standardized methods to reduce their risk.
At some point when you get the balances under control, the AA will stop. Then you can expect CL to be able to increase a bit. But it is generally a good idea to not raise utilization.
Welcome to the forums. Balance chasing is never pleasant, some of us were there in late 00s, and some are there now. With the cards still having very utilization, the lenders are nervous. Have you tried calling them to let them know you have a payment strategy and to ask for your lines to be restored?
Worst case, keep paying them down. The balance chasing will stop, your profile will improve and you can ask them to increase back to where you were.
Babylon5 is definitely among my favorites too 
Yes know where they are coming from.
All they have done is guarantee that for now on I will keep the current high balances. Since this keeps happening I've decided I'm just going to do minimal payments for now on. There's no point wasting big payments now if all they are going to do is reduce my credit line. Unfortunately have already made a few others hopefully I wont be getting bad news for them as well, so far chase, citi, amex, discover have all reduced me. Finally have learned that at the present time there is no way to get utilization down with big payments.
I have had it with them since they started all this AA, used to take every card I had to the limit with access checks (few and far between anymore for these too) and never ever recd AA, this is just the ones who have suppressing those who dont.....
@Anonymous wrote:My utilization was high 70% (thanks covid) but this month finally making some big payments. I have no missed payments and no negative marks on my credit. For instance Paid in over 3200 to my citi that had a balance of 8200 with 9500 limit. Next day my credit line was lowered 3200!!! My other big payments to other cards havent registered yet . So how can one start to make big payments to pay their balances down when all the credit card companies do is lie in wait and just lower your limit and now your utilization has gone higher and your big payment was just wasted! It seems that if you do the right thing you just get penalized.
I had over 24K limit on chase sapphire that I barely used, made a payment got a 20K credit limit reduction
Is there such thing a $4,000 CL on a Sapphire card?