Do you have to wait at least 6 months to close a credit card?

Question by KitKat: Do you have to wait at least 6 months to close a credit card?
Ok. I’m easily pushed into things because I’m a quiet, good person.

I recently went to Chase and opened a new checking account to get a $ 125 incentive for opening it. I felt extremely uncomfortable when she kept asking too personal stuff. Like how much exactly I make each paycheck and exactly how much I have in my other bank accounts. There is NO reason why they need to know how much is in my bank accounts. So I refused to tell her, but got tricked into saying my paychecks, which isn’t a huge deal. She said she just wanted to know because of my rates. But she should just have asked for my rates, not my specific amount. Then she insulted me with saying my credit card from my bank is, lowest, 13% interest. When it is actually 8.99% interest. I would have to be dumb to get a card with anything above 9% interest charges.

She was being really rude and insulting. Saying that since I’m 19 my parents must pay for everything and my cell phone. That is the most insulting thing anyone could ever say to me. They haven’t even paid for my school lunches since before high school. Ever since I started baby sitting at about 13, I have paid for everything myself. And she would just keep talking and lying about my life.

Then she goes and says that I need overdraft protection. I’m not irresponsible. I NEVER use money I don’t have. So I don’t need it. And if I was a stupid retard who overdrafts, then I deserve to pay the fee! But she said “I have people come in here all the time saying it would never happen to them, but then it does. So I’ll get you signed up for it.” I told her clearly that I did NOT want that. She said it was free on the account. I said I didn’t need it. She walked away and came back and said “Ok, you are approved and will be getting your card in the mail in a few days.” I’m like “What are you talking about?” She was like “The overdraft protection is a credit card and if you go over the balance it will draft it over in increments of $ 50 to help protect you from the fees.” And I was like “But I said I didn’t want it. It will show up on my credit report as another card and I told you I didn’t want it. And it will hurt my credit score.” And she’s like “Oh, you’ll need it. And it won’t show up on your credit report.”

So I did NOT give her permission to open this credit card. I specifically told her no! And then she insults me continuously! And someone told me that if you close a credit card within 6 months of getting it, it hurts your credit score. I am trying to buy a car right now. I have a good credit score. But not “excellent” in this economy. And this will be the 3rd credit card on my report! And if you have 3 or more cards it hurts your score (or it’s more than 3, idk). My ex’s overdraft protection was that if he withdrew too much out of his checking, the amount would roll over from his savings. So that is what I thought it was and the way she explained it. But I just opened a checking, no savings. And after I told the banker NO to the overdraft, she still went ahead and opened it without my permission!!!

A- Will it hurt my credit score to close it within 6 months of opening it?
B- What can I do to get this lady in trouble for this? Write a letter to the head of the bank? I bet she just did it because she gets bonuses for opening new cards. That’s why I said no, and she still went ahead and opened it. I’m furious.
She had me sign a paper saying that I opened the Checking account and she said it was for my signature for the checking account file. Do you think she used this as the credit card she opened without my permission???

Best answer:

Answer by stephenweinstein

A. Closing a credit card within 6 months of opening it does NOT necessarily hurt your score, ESPECIALLY if you already have older credit card accounts. Closing a newer account and leaving an older one open can actually HELP your score.

Having 3 cards is not too many.

B. Yes, you can write a letter. No, I do not think that she will get in trouble, especially if you leave the account open, which is what they want. If you really want to hurt them and demonstrate to them that her actions are hurting them, then wait until you receive the $ 125 incentive and THEN close BOTH the credit card account AND the checking account, and send them a letter telling them that you closed both accounts because of what she did.

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