Ok, this is a long story, but, the highlights are:

Background:

• Several years ago I moved to the US with no credit history.
• I was able to get a Capital One card with no rewards and a $500 credit limit as my first CC (at least I did not have to go the secured route)
• I used the card for everything (paying it off several times per month due to the low limit)
• Eventually I got enough of a credit history to get better credit cards
• I stopped used the Cap 1 card. I have not used it in years.
• At some point they raised the credit limit to $750 (lol)
• I kept the card open because it is my oldest card and has no AF.
• I now have several credit cards with 10k-30k limits (including a different capital one card) and a credit score in the 750-800 range depending on who you ask (I think Cap 1 uses TU, which has me closer to 800 than 750)
• A few months ago they offered to upgrade my $750 card to a Quicksilver (1.5% CB). I upgraded but still do not use the card (they sent me a new card when I upgraded)

Then, yesterday, I thought I had lost several CCs. In a panic I started calling for replacements. When I got to the Cap 1 Quicksilver I called them and they said that the card was flagged to not have any new plastic sent out if it was ever lost, stolen, or expired. I could only close the account; they would not send me a new card. He said that he could not change this.

I asked if I could keep the account open while I looked for the card. They (surprisingly) agreed. Then this morning I found my supposedly lost cards on the floor of my bedroom (yeah, I am really disorganized).

Normally I would not care. This card does not have enough CL to be useful (and I have more credit than I could possibly use anyway; well into 6 figures). But, it's my first opened card, so I'd rather not close it. It certainly helps my credit length (still fairly short at around 8 years) and my AAoA. Does anyone know why it was flagged? I assume due to non-use (my last charge was probably 6+ years ago). The account is still open and the card does not expire for another couple of years. If I start using it a little (say, $50-$100 per month, every month) is there any chance that this flag will be lifted and they will let me keep the account open when the card expires? Or should I just give up?

Thats really strange. Have you tried to use the card since the phone call? I would try to buy a cup of coffee or something to see if it works. If it does I would just throw a charge on it every 6 months just to keep it active, since its your oldest line.

I, too, have a Cap1 QS card with a measly 1.25K limit. Like you its my oldest line and I don't use it for anything (probably about time to throw a cup of coffee on it).

Do you have any other Cap1 cards?

Yeah, I have the playstation card. I use it exclusively on PSN for the 10x pts.

I have not tried to use the card. I will. I'm totally willing to give them some spend if it will change the state of the card and keep it alive, but if not I won't bother. If I wanted CB I'd get the 2% card from Chase.

See if you can do this:

1. Use the card several time to see if you can get the status changed.

2. If you can, do a product change (if allowed) and move some of your Cap 1 line to the old card.

Cap1 is not known to combine or move limits. They will PC a QS1 to a QS and waive the annual fee, but you'll probably need to contact the EO for that. The EO is also the best way for a CLI, and they do so with a soft pull.

If you find some good uses in this card then you can try contacting the EO and see if they are able to increase the limit. There have been numerous success stories on this route. The normal CSRs sometimes are unwilling to figure out the truth, or just don't want to dig deep to help.

Otherwise, you can simply dump them and there is no need to keep it open. You still need to monitor it for fraud charges, so think about the hassle to login to an account you never use just for that. Closing the card will not affect AAoA immediately, as closed accounts are still factored into. Right at the closure only your available credit gets decreased, but that is not too much of a problem, since it's only $750. The closed account falls off from report after 10 years, which will lower AAoA, but by that time your AAoA should already be very strong.

Perhaps? Since you want to keep this card active, I recommend showing some activity 3 or 4 times a year for as long as you keep it. Does not need to be for much, just enough to show the bank that it is not a dormant account. I recommend doing this for all cards that you intend to keep long term, especially if you do not have other relationships with the bank e.g. checking, savings, investment accts.

capital one has the industry worst risk assessment team. Because of that they give very low credit limits to everyone including their high net worth customers. I too have a QS credit card, but only use it overseas because it has no foreign currency conversion fees. My QS card has a measly limit of $12.5K and it makes it of no practical use. A couple if years ago I had a six figure in my savings account with them. At that time they denied my request for a credit limit increase from $7.5k because they "did not have a mechanism for reviewing credit limit increase request initiated by customer". I promptly moved my funds to Barclays for a higher interest rate. A year later they increased my limit to $12.5k on their own. But it was too little too late. They lost a responsible customer with no mortgage nor installment loan. My other credit card limits range from $25k to $30k. $12.5K is a joke.

+1 That's why I never have an account with Cap 1.

I even close my ING Direct in light of the takeover.

I would love to close my Capital one checking and savings account too, but I am yet see a comparable set of products everywhere. The interface is very easy to use. I tried Amex, HSBC, and Barclays. None come close to ING/Capital one

Cap One doesn't like anyone.

My highest credit limit is about ten times my lowest. I use both cards every month, and I never bump up against the limit on either. A card with a $7,500 or $12,500 limit is perfectly useable, and using it is the best way to elicit an increased limit, if you really need one.

Thanks to the good folks at Cap1 taking care of the low end, my highest is 40x my lowest. ($30k vs $750)