Credit card issue

[spallanzani]

What is the name of your state? KS

I have an issue with a Tires Plus card that I opened in 2006. I put one large charge on the card at the time, paid it off, then charged minor items on the card and paid them back immediately.

In June 07 I was getting ready to move and there wasn't a Tires Plus within 20 miles of my new home, so I called customer service and cancelled the card. My balance was $0 at the time. Mistake 1 -- I didn't get the name or extension of the person I talked to. Mistake 2 -- Since my account was at zero and I just cancelled the card, I didn't change my address or phone # with them.

Earlier this month, I checked my credit report and the entry for this credit card showed late payments from July 07 onward. I called customer service, they verified that I was at a $0 balance as of 6/30/07 but said that the card was never cancelled, and that after that, the only charges were the annual fee, finance charges, and late fees when I didn't pay the finance charges. After I didn't pay these bills, they cancelled the card in February 08.

I talked to a manager with Credit First NA this morning (the issuers of the card) and they said that they had been sending me bills (to my old address) and trying to call me (at my old number) and since I did not have any proof I requested the card cancelled in June 07, there is nothing they can do about this bill. It has NOT gone to collections at this time.

I'm not trying to figure out how to get out of this bill or sue anybody. If I have to, I'll pay the whole thing. I'm just hoping to somehow minimize the damage to my credit report.

Do you have any suggestions at all for how to negotiate with them or even what to request? I can't imagine after a full year of nonpayment they will reinstate the card, but would it be possible for them just to remove the closed card notation from my credit report somehow?

Any suggestions (legal or otherwise) are appreciated. You can make fun of me if you want to, I've been doing it all day.....

[efflandt]

Just as a future note, you should always cancel credit cards in writing. Likewise if you ever dispute anything. You cannot rely on a phone call (especially if that goes to customer service in some foreign country).

[spallanzani]

Thanks, I'm learning that the hard way....