Knowing When to Contact the Credit Card Company

Today, it may seem as though you never have to actually contact your credit card company. A lot of things associated with your credit card account can be done through a smartphone app or your banking app. You can view your available credit, your account balance, check the payment status, or make a payment. You can even use these apps to request that the credit card company increases your credit limit.

While accessing this important information using apps and online is convenient, there are instances in which you should still pick up the phone and speak to a customer service representative. Actually speaking to a customer service representative can help you get the answers you need to your questions in real-time. When speaking to the representative in any of the important situations outlined below, it is important to call the number on the back of your card, or on the website of the credit card issuer.

You Lost Your Credit Card

Any time you lose your credit card, it is critical that you speak to your credit card issuer as soon as possible. If you do not and someone obtains your card and uses it, you will likely be held responsible for those purchases. When you report a lost card right away, on the other hand, you will likely not be responsible for purchases made after the time you reported it.

Although you cannot look at the back of your card when it is lost, head over to the credit card issuer’s website to obtain their phone number. The representative will ask you to verify the last purchases you made with your card and then they will deactivate your card before sending you a replacement card.

Your Credit Card Was Declined Unexpectedly

Having a credit card declined is upsetting, and it is natural to wonder why a transaction did not go through. However, there are a number of reasons a credit card may be declined. It is true that sometimes, you may simply not have enough available credit for a certain transaction. Other times, though, it may be a simple matter of a retailer’s credit card system not working. Any time your credit card is declined, it is critical that you call the issuer right away to determine why your card was declined.

You Do Not Recognize Certain Charges on Your Statement

Most credit card issuers will work with you to prevent identity theft and other types of fraud. The majority of credit cards today come with zero fraud liability. This means that when there are fraudulent charges on the account, you are not generally responsible for paying for them. Zero fraud liability also protects you in the event that someone uses your credit card number even when they are not in physical possession of your card.

You should review your credit card statement every month to verify that you are the only one using it to make purchases. When you do not recognize certain charges on the statement, do not hesitate to contact your credit card issuer. Again, they may issue you a new card so no additional fraudulent charges are posted to the account.

You Are Traveling Internationally

Credit card issuers become very suspicious when charges are made to your credit card from another country. To ensure that you can use your credit card while traveling internationally, always call your credit card issuer to alert them to the fact that you are traveling outside of the country. If you do not, the credit card company may mark a transaction as fraudulent, even when it is not.

Waiting to contact the credit card issuer until you are already out of the country comes with risks, as you never know what kind of cell phone reception you will have while traveling. When speaking to the customer representative, also make sure that your credit card will work in the area you are traveling to.

You Do Not See a Payment You Made to the Account

Again, you should be reviewing your credit card statement every month. This is to ensure that no one is making fraudulent charges, but also to make sure that your payments are being credited to your account. If you do not see a payment you made on your statement, but it has already cleared your bank account, call your credit card issuer to make them aware of the payment.

This is of particular importance if the credit card issuer has applied a late fee to the account because they have not yet received your payment. At this point, the credit card company should investigate the situation, apply the payment to your account, and waive any interest or late fees associated with the misapplied payment.

You Are in Financial Hardship

When you cannot pay your bills, it is natural to want to hide from them. Unfortunately, ignoring them will not make them go away and, in fact, could even make the situation worse. Any time you are struggling to pay your credit card bill, call the company that issued the card and explain your situation. You may be surprised at how willing they are to work with you.

You Want to Close the Card

There may come a time when you just want to close your credit card account. Maybe you cannot afford it, or maybe you have found a better card. In these instances, it is important to call your credit card issuer and inform them that you are closing your account. The credit card company can advise you of the remaining balance you need to pay, and they may even offer advice on how it will impact your credit score with reporting bureaus such as TransUnion.

Call Our Credit Card Defense Lawyers in Florida if a Creditor Has Taken Action

Although there are many times you should call your credit card issuer, you should also call a credit card defense lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL if a company has threatened to take legal action against you. At Loan Lawyers, our skilled debt defense lawyer can advise on the defense strategies to use in your case and give you the best chance of a successful outcome. Call us today at 954-807-1361 or contact us online to schedule a free case review.

Loan Lawyers has helped over 5,000 South Florida homeowners and consumers with their debt problems, we have saved over 2,000 homes from foreclosure, eliminated more than $100,000,000 in mortgage principal and consumer debt, and have recovered over $10,000,000 on behalf of our clients due to bank, loan servicer, and debt collector violations.

See more: Can I sue my bank for their mistake?

Contact us for a free legal consultation and find out more about our money-back guarantee on credit card debt buyer lawsuits, and how we may be able to help you.