We’re wondering if anyone in the Community has problems cancelling a credit card.Were you forced to go into the branch, write a letter or cut the card a particular way? CHOICE wants to hear about your experience.
Tell us in the comments below.
only had one CC and it was with Citibank. After many years of use I decided to go without altogether and called to cancel it. They offered me several incentives to get me to stay and were very reluctant to close the account but I stood my ground and it was done there and then. They did, however, kept the account ‘on standby’ for three months in case I changed my mind, and kept sending statements each month but it incurred no charges.
1 Like
Cancelled one with NAB a year or so ago - cancelled my last account with them recently too - cancelling accounts is the one thing NAB have done flawlessly for me in recent years, my guess based on my experience with them is it’s one of the things they do a lot so they’ve become fairly good at it 
Had an American Express card some years ago - it was one of those corporate cards that employers say you have to get in order to expense corporate travel, yet you get the bill and you personally are responsible for the bill - I think this in itself - a company forcing you into a credit arrangement with a third party to essentially provide credit to the company at your risk, is unconscionable. I decided to cancel it and they told me bluntly I couldn’t do it because I needed company authorisation … I wrote a letter stating that as of that time I took no further responsibility for the account, any items purchased on it or any future balance payable, that I considered the account closed and attached the card in about 30 pieces, mailed it registered post with proof of delivery … never heard another thing from them …
3 Likes
I honestly do not know if this is applicable to our new negative report credit system, but worth reading to see some of the diabolical aspects of the US system. Since we follow the worst of the USA, here it is -
http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/help/cancel-credit-card-6000.php
1 Like
Husband’s CBA card had a $49/yr charge as he used it only 3 times a year. Went in and spoke to the bank - unfortunately there was no lower fee card available. Came in to the bank with him and cancelled it and got him a Debit card. They also tried pushing other products, but it was easy enough to say “not interested”. The whole process was painless, they took his card, the replacement turned up in the mail a week or so later and we activated it on-line. Don’t know if it had any affect on his credit rating, which should be excellent as he pays everything on time.
1 Like
I cancelled my Commonwealth Visa card in February 2016 and now rely solely on a debit card with a different bank. I’d changed my mobile phone number to replace an older number which no longer exists. Telstra pulled the plug on that number after I didn’t use it for three months. When I tried to change my mobile number listing through NetBank it insisted on sending a NetCode message to the defunct number to prove my bona fides! Doh! I stormed into my local branch (Bathurst) of “CAN” and asked to close the account. Local staff gave me a phone which connected to a call centre. Call centre asked me why I was cancelling. I explained in no uncertain terms. No special instructions about how I should cut the card up. Cancelling was much more easier than using the thing.
1 Like
Slight but relevant hijack - It amazes how banks have branches and tout them, but the staff at those offices are often not empowered to do anything beyond teller services and trying to sell loans, insurance, super, and term deposits. Need anything and the best a branch staff can do is ring their call centre for you most of the time. The branches apparently have their own call centres to explain to them what they can and cannot do themselves and what needs “The Call Centre” when they try to help but get the equivalent of an “access denied” error.
1 Like
Yeah, have recently closed an account that was for a Mastercard with the NAB. We went to the branch and and a teller said all taken care of. The card still came up in accounts when banking online. Went to the branch and had them cut it up. Then got a statement in the mail reading they owed me $19.99. To the branch again and got the “Yes, its all fixed.” scenario. Am waiting for a note from the bank with the six lucky numbers on it now.
1 Like
