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Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

My credit reports show an open credit card with a $300 limit through Citi CBNA opened in 2000. This is really helping because it puts my credit age at 20 years and boosts up my AAOA. The problem is, I don’t have this card. I am pretty sure I had an account and just forgot about it because that was my first credit life and after getting into some credit trouble I closed all of my accounts back then. I probably failed to close that account at the time and Citi got bored with me and moved on.

I did some research on my credit reports and it looks like the card was last reported in April 2010. Like I said, it still shows as open. I obviously want to keep it there because it is great for my score. I know positive accounts can stay on your report for up to 10 years, will this one be removed in April 2020 even though it was last reported as open? I thought about contacting them to see if they would just reinstate the card because I wouldn’t mind having it since it would guarantee I keep that credit age, but I have been worried if I contact them it would trigger something and they would report the account was closed and have it removed from my reports. I don’t even know what the account number is/was.

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!
Message 1 of 13
12 REPLIES 12
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

Don't poke the bear and ride the wave as long as you can.  Not sure why it still says open though.  Citi will absolutely shut down cards for non use and you would not make it 10 years without any activity.  It would be my guess that it will drop off your reports in 2020.

Message 2 of 13
Penjamin_Fedington
Valued Member

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

Could it have been a home depot or best buy card?


Message 3 of 13
VanderSnoot
Established Contributor

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report


@Anonymous wrote:

Don't poke the bear and ride the wave as long as you can.  Not sure why it still says open though.  Citi will absolutely shut down cards for non use and you would not make it 10 years without any activity.  It would be my guess that it will drop off your reports in 2020.


Agreed. Don't push your luck. I have a few cards that the lenders didn't report as closed for several years after closing, but eventually the lenders realized their mistakes. Enjoy the age bump while it lasts.

Message 4 of 13
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

I don’t think it was a store card. It’s so strange because it has a $300 limit but reports the highest balance was over $2,000 on Experian. I am trying to figure out how to post a screen shot from my phone.



Message 5 of 13
GApeachy
Super Contributor

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

Shhhhhhhhhhh, be very, very quiet.  I have one CBNA from 1998- closed 2005.  Last reported 2013.  It's a gift!Smiley Wink

My Take Home Pay Don't Take Me Home
Message 6 of 13
Trudy
Valued Contributor

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

When I started paying attention to my credit I noticed an open Comenity acct I totally forgot about, opened it in 2001.  Thought it was closed by lender long ago as I know there had been several lates.  But by the time I started the rebuild process those had obviously aged off.  It was a measly $100 limit (reduced from what it had been), last reported 2010 but still open and reporting.  But I had high UTL overall and left it alone as it was helping my age and minimally my UTL.  After I got my scores up and needed  a bit more UTL drop to get to the next threshold I called about it and asked that they re-issue a card because I lost it many years ago.  Unfortunately, they did a HP but increased the CL to $1000 and re-issued card.  For me that was great as I was working to decrease UTL by any means necessary and already received all the CLI I could.  

 

However, sounds like you're not sure it's your acct?  That I would question.

FICO - 8: 05/05/23
Message 7 of 13
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

It is probably my account. I just don’t remember because it was so long ago.

Will the credit bureaus delete the line because it is not being updated even if the last report was that the account was open?
Message 8 of 13
Trudy
Valued Contributor

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

Mine continued to be reported with a last update of 4/2010.  I think as long as it's still open the CB's won't delete. I had the card re-issued in 2018 to protect me just in case in order to keep the age. Used the card maybe twice to re-establish reporting.

 

Or you can have it closed and should still be included in age up to 10yrs after close date. That will cause it to report as closed which may re-establish additional reporting for a while.

FICO - 8: 05/05/23
Message 9 of 13
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Ghost Credit Card on Credit Report

What is Citi CBNA as well? When you called to have it reestablished did they have it closed or still open on their end?
Message 10 of 13
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