DISQUS

Bob Caswell: Canceling Credit Cards: Why Not Online?

  • tom4cam · 1 year ago
    I 100% agree! If someone wants to get rid of a credit card, why should it take the better part of an hour, not to mention that it dings your credit? We just end up putting our unwanted cards in a drawer. It's easier.
  • Bob Caswell · 1 year ago
    That's funny, Tom, because we do the cards-in-a-drawer thing too! But every couple of years I figure it's time to make the divorce official. The weird thing is that even though it can only waste my time and hurt my credit score, it still feels satisfying...
  • bkalb · 1 year ago
    Hey Bob. I like the new website so far, and just registered. I actually cancelled a Circuit City credit card last month (Can't remember which company's card is was though). Cancelling was actually pretty simple. A lot of times with the automated phone systems if you hit "0" enough times you'll go straight to a person. From there I just had to say "no thank you" sternly a couple of times and it was done with. I have in the past though had more difficult experiences. One other thing I'd really like to hear about from someone is the American Express platinum card. I just signed up for one after years of being a gold card holder and tossing the platinum offers in the shredder. What caught my attention was the claim that you can get free companion airfare on some of the major airlines and complementary room upgrades at hotels. I was skepitcal and never did it because of the atrocious annual fee ($450) but called and talked them into cutting it in half for the first year. Figured I'll give it a shot and if I can save $450 in airfare and hotel rooms over the next year I'll keep it, and if not, I'll get rid of it. If anyone has any experience with this card I'd like to hear about it. There is a lot of blog-talk out there which seems to be split 50/50 on the card.
  • Bob Caswell · 1 year ago
    Hi Brady, good to hear from you. You're canceling experiences sound much
    nicer than mine. Even when I was able to get straight to a person, it
    was rarely the right person (the "retention" department has to help,
    apparently). Anyway, about the AMEX Platinum card... haven't tried it,
    but I do have an AMEX Hilton card, which has no annual fee. I run my
    whole life through the thing and get a few free nights a year at
    whatever Hilton I want. For no annual fee I can't complain.
  • kalll · 11 months ago
    You have an interesting way of seeing things, I won't deny that you are mostly right but everything you experience here is pure marketing and it's not meant to annoy you. As an option you could tell them what bothers you, they should know how to listen.
    http://comparecc.com/Capital-One-Card.php
  • Web Design · 8 months ago
    I gave the same suggestion to one of my friends, who works with a bank, card dept. My question was why it is so easy to get a card, and similarly difficult enough to get it cancel. Why cant I just do this all online and this will even save your resource cost. I mean even if the want feed back they can put a simple form with 5, 7 or so question with bullets to answer.
  • Bob Caswell · 8 months ago
    My thoughts exactly...