!@#$%^&* Citi Closed $15,000 Card Due to Inactivity

[changingmantra2]

I am so **bleep** heated right now.  Last week I got a notice that Citi closed my Simplicity Card due to inactivity.  I did not use the card much - but - I did use it for Easy Deals magazine subscriptions - gift cards - and discounts on some products.   For MONTHS they kept saying they were sending me a new card in the mail - and I kept telling them that I had never received the card.  Always it was, "It will be sent out later."  NEVER got it.. and there was never usage on the account, so I know it was not stolen.  I had actually cut up the old card for other reasons - and just waited for the new one.  How am I supposed to use  a card I never received.  They have me on record as far back as last November calling in and letting them know that I still did not have that card!

Now - I lost $15,000 in credit line - AND my rewards since I was told that they cannot reopen the account because it was a Visa, and now they only have that in MC.  "At least you still have your Double-Cash!"  REALLY?  I would have to reapply if I want the Simplicity.  I want the credit line and the rewards points I lost.  I wonder if this was some bull to get me to apply for their AA card, which they keep sending me aps for.  

In addition to all of this, I was not feeling how all of a sudden they were asking me about my US citizenship.  WTH is THAT about all of a sudden?

[Anonymous]

Argggghh.  That bites.  Really sorry to hear that.

I collect case studies of account closure due to inactivity.  Can you tell me when the last time it was that a transaction occurred on it?  (OK if you can't be certain, but a reasonable guess would be helpful.)  A commonly reported number is 15 months of continuous nonuse  -- often much more.)  And in advance, I totally hear what you are saying, which is that you kept reaching out to Citi saying that you wanted to use it; so no question that whatever period of inactivity might have occured isn't your doing.

[CreditInspired]

But IMHO, if you only spent let's say ~$200-300/mo on a $15K card, it's possible that Chase felt you didn't need such a big CL. Now, it was definitely BS to give you the run around about card being mailed. But if I had been due a card back in November, I would have been calling every single week and escalating it to a higher level. They would have been sick and tired of me! I think CC companies are beginning to crack down on high CL on their cards where they see sparse use.

[AverageJoesCredit]

Creditinspired, op was refering to Citi ,lol, in this case. But if i were putting 2-3 hundred a monrh even on a 15k cwrd, id consider that usage , for me anyway. But we just have to see actually how long the op wasnt able to use the card. I know ive had a few Citi backed cards say card is in mail and i just hope them come but good point on keeping up with them on getting the card. Could be op is right naybe Citi was looking for away to cut out this card from op.Sorry op, i know this sucks. At leastit still should show positive on credit report for next 10 years. Not a consilation but something.

[Anonymous]

I have no issue with CCCs initiating CLDs for infrequent use or not enough use of a current limit.  Closing a card though (outside of NO use for a length of time) to me is a bit over aggressive on their part.

[Anonymous]

Again, this seems to me to reinforce the point that one should give some thought to just how large they want the credit lines on their cards to actually be, and just how much of it they're going to regularly use (and pay off). Receiving big five-figure credit lines and then never really using them, as we've seen in this and many other cases, is asking for trouble. All that being said, however, +1 that the correct, and justifiable, action for the issuer to take should have been a CLD to what they deemed to be a more appropriate amount, taking into account the customer's usage history, instead of just taking an ax to the account and closing it entirely.

[CreditInspired]

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@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
Creditinspired, op was refering to Citi ,lol, in this case. But if i were putting 2-3 hundred a monrh even on a 15k cwrd, id consider that usage , for me anyway. But we just have to see actually how long the op wasnt able to use the card. I know ive had a few Citi backed cards say card is in mail and i just hope them come but good point on keeping up with them on getting the card. Could be op is right naybe Citi was looking for away to cut out this card from op.Sorry op, i know this sucks. At leastit still should show positive on credit report for next 10 years. Not a consilation but something.

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Thanks AJC -- Citi it is :

I don't know though. I put more than $200-300/month on my "little" $5K card and definitely a lot more on my NFCU Siggy, at least 9% of the CLs. IMHO, if people don't use their "humongous" (okay I'm being silly here) big CLs, then release them so that the CC companies can increase my CLs to $15K 

I agree RE showing positive on credit report for next 10 years.

[CreditInspired]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have no issue with CCCs initiating CLDs for infrequent use or not enough use of a current limit.  Closing a card though (outside of NO use for a length of time) to me is a bit over aggressive on their part.

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Okay, I have to agree here. Maybe I'm being too harsh. A CLD would have been more appropriate. But, wouldn't OP be mad either way. Suppose it was sliced from $15K to $1K as I have seen posted lately from other MyFICOers

[SouthJamaica]

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@changingmantra2 wrote:

I am so **bleep** heated right now.  Last week I got a notice that Citi closed my Simplicity Card due to inactivity.  I did not use the card much - but - I did use it for Easy Deals magazine subscriptions - gift cards - and discounts on some products.   For MONTHS they kept saying they were sending me a new card in the mail - and I kept telling them that I had never received the card.  Always it was, "It will be sent out later."  NEVER got it.. and there was never usage on the account, so I know it was not stolen.  I had actually cut up the old card for other reasons - and just waited for the new one.  How am I supposed to use  a card I never received.  They have me on record as far back as last November calling in and letting them know that I still did not have that card!

Now - I lost $15,000 in credit line - AND my rewards since I was told that they cannot reopen the account because it was a Visa, and now they only have that in MC.  "At least you still have your Double-Cash!"  REALLY?  I would have to reapply if I want the Simplicity.  I want the credit line and the rewards points I lost.  I wonder if this was some bull to get me to apply for their AA card, which they keep sending me aps for.  

In addition to all of this, I was not feeling how all of a sudden they were asking me about my US citizenship.  WTH is THAT about all of a sudden?

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Bummer

[yfan]

Ha. I always thought Citi Easy Deals were seen as worthless 'round these parts!

But on the actual topic, were there other changes to your credit reports? New lines, inquires, higher than usual balances posting, etc? Banks will sometimes say non use and mean relative non use compared to other cards you have.