Barclays Sends Out Letter – Use Your Credit Card Or Lose It

Barclays has sent out a letter to some cardholders stating that they have 30 days to use their card otherwise the card would be closed for inactivity. Barclays doesn’t seem to be the only ones to be ramping up card closures due to inactivity, but it is nice they are sending out letters before closing the card. It’s always a good idea to put a purchase or two on a card every now and then to prevent it from getting closed due to inactivity and I suspect this will become even more important due to COVID-19 as card issuers try to limit their exposure on cards that aren’t generating any revenue.

Hat tip to reader JBW

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

78 Comments
newest
oldest most voted

Thylane Blondeau
Thylane Blondeau (@guest_992997)
June 5, 2020 07:51

and today TD Bank just closed my credit card with them.. TD Cash? I didn’t use it for 9 months because it’s a piece of crap card with no reason to use it.. but surprised.. I’ve had 20 cards.. and this is the first one I’ve ever had closed.. so TD Bank can go screw off

Leonard Wittman
Leonard Wittman (@guest_989608)
May 31, 2020 08:30

If your not using it. Close it. Stop gaming the system. I have only one card and a 840 FICO you just why the need to impress anyone with a hand full of cards you dont use.

Andrew
Andrew (@guest_989897)
May 31, 2020 19:44

Read the room, Leonard.

Gadget - Bank Bonus Geek
Gadget - Bank Bonus Geek (@guest_989913)
May 31, 2020 20:44

LOL – Leonard thinks DoC readers only have a handful of cards.

Thylane Blondeau
Thylane Blondeau (@guest_989966)
May 31, 2020 22:52

I LOL’d

Rob B
Rob B (@guest_990278)
June 1, 2020 12:40

Leonard, the past few years I have not paid for one airline ticket. That includes trips to Asia, Europe and South America. Plus I am strategic with my use of cards to garner maximum points/miles. Chase and American Express have some great cards that pay off in spades.

kirby145
kirby145 (@guest_990560)
June 1, 2020 19:18

Or the card issuer can offer better cashback/points percentage so their card actually gets used over others.

The issue with FICO is not number of cards it’s average credit age, which number of cards x years prevents the age from being impacted by new opened cards.

Vic
Vic (@guest_992961)
June 5, 2020 04:01

you forgot the /s

Jack - NJ
Jack - NJ (@guest_989543)
May 31, 2020 01:49

Got the same letter from TD for my Cash card

Dan
Dan (@guest_989403)
May 30, 2020 18:04

Here’s what we do to avoid closures due to inactivity. On every card that we’re not going to use we put a $5 monthly contribution to a charity, then activate autopay on the cards. So some charities get $5 a month from us and the cards don’t get closed. Win-win.

tobago_88
tobago_88 (@guest_989386)
May 30, 2020 17:15

Has anyone PC’d their Uber card? I haven’t closed it and don’t see anything worthy to PC it to and I’m not sure if it can even be PC’d. I used that card so much sucks that they nerfed it to oblivion 🙁

Simon
Simon (@guest_989380)
May 30, 2020 16:47

They closed my dormant Priceline card two years ago without any warning. A warning would be nice.

Wing Wong
Wing Wong (@guest_989323)
May 30, 2020 13:54

Lotta sockdrawered Uber Visas bout to get the axe

MERJ
MERJ (@guest_989314)
May 30, 2020 13:29

Just got an email from Discover this week! whoa… had no idea this was trending. they said make a purchase by July, so I did. no activity since 2016

Egloria
Egloria (@guest_989293)
May 30, 2020 12:37

Is the current balance forgiven If Barclays closes the account to inactivity

John
John (@guest_989665)
May 31, 2020 10:55

Lol why would they forgive your debt

mary w
mary w (@guest_989291)
May 30, 2020 12:32

Opened my letter from Barclays just before reading this article. They cancelled my AAdvantage Aviator World Elite MC for inactivity plus info from FICO. My FICO is over 800 although “time since most recent account opening too short”. No great loss. I product changed to this no-fee card 6 months ago in order to maintain credit history from previous AA card. Admittedly I haven’t used since.