Getting rid of a Credit Card

Walker34

Hi,
I have had the same credit card since the mid 80s and never really used it until 1997 when I got dial-up and an internet connection. After that time I used it more and more frequently to buy stuff on ebay,amazon,and anywhere else I could use it. Last year in the face of gathering clouds of impending recession I decided to scrap it and reduce my outgoings significantly in the process.

I rang my Bank (Ulster Bank) with whom I had my mortgage way back, and asked to have it canceled. This was back when you could talk to Bank staff on the phone and not be patched through to Calcutta or Belfast and a call center. I was surprised and annoyed to discover that I cannot have my card canceled or removed. UB in their version of customer service suggested that I just refrain from using it, but that the card is perpetual and cannot be removed.

I have since started watching a program on More 4 called "The Real Hustle" which is about con artists and hustlers and I can see a certain commonality in their methodology. I have also switched Credit card to Halifax.

Can I force the bank to remove my credit card and erase my details, legally.? I have recently discovered that to get anything done it is essential to write rather than phone as a letter still carries far more weight than a conversation.
What do you guys think?
TIA<
John

Toots

Whoever told you that you can't cancel the card gave you complete misinformation! You need to submit a written instruction to the bank and advise them that you wish to have the card closed immediately. You may have to pay the gov duty on the card before they close it, but it's definitely possible.

kaiser sauze

Toots85 wrote: »

Whoever told you that you can't cancel the card gave you complete misinformation! You need to submit a written instruction to the bank and advise them that you wish to have the card closed immediately. You may have to pay the gov duty on the card before they close it, but it's definitely possible.

Spot on, it never ceases to amaze me how bank staff are either badly trained, ignorant, stupid or even a combination of all three.

rarnes1 wrote: »

Very helpful.

If OP followed your advice they would still have the annual government duty.

Why is trolling like this allowed?

JJ

rarnes1 is just making a joke, it's hardly trolling. I've cancelled a credit card before but I did need to put it in writing. I'd go into an UB branch if I were you OP and get the exact details on where to send the request in writing.

rameire

think its
ulster bank
donegal square
belfast

half the poeple in that building are absolute idiots, and havent a clue on what they are doing.
theyed even tell you they dont deal with something and transfer you onto a hunt line and theyed get you again without them knowing it and theyed deal with your query.

unclebill98

I dont know how you where told that information, buts its wrong.

Write you branch a detailed letter cancelling the card. Simple. The address above is incorrect, just mail your branch. Credit Cards for UB are dealt with in the UK.

Walker34

Thanks for all the supportive/constructive replies folks.....your consensus is what I would have expected to be the case,but I rang their customer support number and the person on the end of the line told me on 2 separate occasions that its really not possible to delete my information or card from their system and to...." just not use it."

Now here`s the real kicker.....I subscribed to a news server in January which a friend recommended. In the process of signing up I put in my card details with a lot of trepidation,and clicked "next", the screen said I would get a validation serial number on the next screen, but when I clicked "next" the PC froze, and for the first time I can recall on this new PC I had to give it the big finger and reset.

Long-story-short...I rang UB credit cards with my concern and their solution was to wait for the next statement and see if I was charged, and if so they would initiate a refund procedure. That statement arrived today and lo and behold I was charged the monthly sum of 15 euro.I rang UB Credit Card and they canceled the card immediately at my request. I cannot log into the site to cancel the subscription myself as the transaction did not complete properly(no serial,user name or password), yet they were charging me.

In the course of rapping up the conversation the C.S. person warned me to cancel any other subscription I might have had on that card
"as the charges might find their way onto the new card which they were going to issue me with"
This struck me as strange at the time but in hind sight I should have demanded clarification. Whats the point in getting a new card if the charges are just dumped from the old card onto the new one. And there I was congratulating myself on having gotten rid of this card....so much for the service end of CS.

I have used this card extensively on the net since 1997.....and to be honest I cannot even start to remember how many times I have entered the details into websites. I have never been scammed as far as I know but part of this whole exercise was to have a re-boot/fresh start....just to clear the decks.

So I hope my experience will be of some use to others reading this....I will write to the bank now and demand they cancel the card......its time I took a break anyway.
John

kaiser sauze

Walker34 wrote: »

Thanks for all the supportive/constructive replies folks.....your consensus is what I would have expected to be the case,but I rang their customer support number and the person on the end of the line told me on 2 separate occasions that its really not possible to delete my information or card from their system and to...." just not use it."

Hi

I think I may know now why the person in CS is getting confused.

You seem to be asking them to remove all data, trace and record of you ever having the card you want to cancel. The banks need to keep a record of the card, both for regulatory purposes and for reporting to the Irish Credit Bureau. The cynics will say for market research, and there is an element of truth in that.

delete my information or card from their system and to...." just not use it."

This is a strange statement indeed, and seems to contradict what I'm guessing above, but I can assure you that if you write to them, tell them you wish to cancel the card (may be a 30 day notice period needed) you will shortly thereafter lose the use of that account.

The bank will still have a record of it though, but the account will be deactivated.

BuffyBot

Indeed, if you're asking them to "delete" the card and your data, this would seem the likely cause of your problems..

Walker34

Hi Folks,
I never actually asked or indeed expected to have all records of my transactions removed or deleted......that would be a highly irregular if not downright suspicious request. No, Im a simpler beast really,....Im the guy who gets a credit card statement expecting it to be 0, and discovers that the transaction shown date back 3 months. Like the statement I got 2 days ago had transactions from Christmas on it....and it was very painful. No I felt on a few occasions that it might be best to remove the temptation totally and to loose the card, and Im sure the first time I made the request was such an occasion. I have kicked the smokes 10 years now, that was easy compared to eBay.
I can understand some concern at the mention of "newsgroups", I always only used the alt.comp.windows XP .... or some such to resolve a pressing technical problem. I had heard of them being used for downloading movies (hence the subscription) and yes I was curious, but I have learned my lesson. Part of my problem is that I have used this card soooo much that I know the number by heart and I cant seem to forget it. I let it go for a few weeks and go back an its still there.......the freaking thing rhymes.

Treat your credit card like Medusa and never look at it for too or it will worm its way into your memory and then there never is a good reason to deprive yourself one more minuet and forgo that new mobile or gizmo.
Cheers,
checking into eBay rehab,
John