Citi Sears Cardmember Services Sears Cardmember Services We paid our Sears cards off in full 3 months after received. 2 yrs later they cancelled us. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
We bought all new large kitchen appliances at a Sears store. We were urged to open 2 credit cards in order to receive an additional % off our purchases. We did. In a few months we paid off these cards in full.
Did not use again. We were then notified that Sears cancelled our cards and reported us to Equifax for any one or all of the following reasons:
1. serious deliquency and public record or collection filed
2. insufficient length of credit history
3. deliquency date too recent or unknown
4. Ratio of revolving balances to credit limits too high
All untrue. After each card in credit report it states "pays as agreed". Then "closed by credit grantor".
This, of course, lowered our good gredit score. I am furious and I am near 70 yo.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
MattB
Creal Springs,Illinois,
United States of America
Please Clarify
#2Consumer Comment
Sun, July 15, 2012
From reading your report, it seems to me that what you are calling a ripoff is actually just standard credit reporting. I am not sure what your actual complaint is.
All credit companies that you have credit with will "report" to the three major credit agencies, including Equifax. This has nothing to do with you having either good or poor credit.
Your credit score will increase if you have more revolving accounts (such as cards), and it will also increase if your ratio of debt to available credit is smaller.
As your credit cards likely expired, and you were not using them, Citibank would then have cancelled your accounts due to inactivity. This is their right as per terms of your credit agreement.
So, if you had 5 accounts with a $1,000 limit each, and you owed $500, your % of debt would be 10%. If 2 of your accounts were then cancelled, you would now have just 3 revolving accounts, and your % of debt would increase to 17%. Both factors would then result in a decrease in your credit score.
This is not Citibank "reporting" you for any negligence, but merely the company updating your credit history according to industry standards. The reasons listed in your Equifax report are standard reasons listed on all or most credit reports.
Bottom line: You signed up for 2 new credit cards to receive a discount. You received the discount and paid your balance, intending never to use your cards again. Citibank exercised their right to cancel your accounts. If you do not want to lower your credit score, it would be wise not to sign up for more credit cards just to get a discount.