{"id":33841,"date":"2019-03-15T12:12:41","date_gmt":"2019-03-15T16:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.andysowards.com\/blog\/?p=33841"},"modified":"2019-03-20T07:19:12","modified_gmt":"2019-03-20T11:19:12","slug":"credit-card-activation-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andysowards.com\/blog\/2019\/credit-card-activation-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Credit Card Activation Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re under the impression that having a credit card, but never activating it is like not having the card at all, it\u2019s time to adjust that perception. Activation is primarily a security measure. So, even if you applied for a card, decided against using it and never activated it, having it can still impact your life. <\/p>\n

So, does credit card activation matter? Yes \u2014 and no.<\/p>\n

Applying Changed Your Credit Score<\/h3>\n

More precisely, your score changed when the credit card company pulled your report to determine your eligibility. Any review of it by a creditor is considered a \u201chard inquiry\u201d. These occur when a potential lender is evaluating your history because you’ve applied. <\/p>\n

Credit checks<\/a> that come in when you’ve requested an auto loan, student loan, mortgage or credit card all count as a single inquiry. That is, except when you\u2019re shopping for a mortgage, car\u2013 or student loan with several lenders. Multiple inquiries of those types occurring within a single 45-day period only count as one. Other than that, having numerous inquiries reflected on your report will reduce your score. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s an Upside to That Though<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re approved for a card with a substantial limit and never use it, your credit availability to utilization ratio will increase. Creditors want to see you have credit, but they don\u2019t really want to see you using a lot of it. <\/p>\n

If your outstanding debt is high in comparison to your limit, you\u2019re considered to be more of a risk. After all, if you\u2019re out too far on that ledge, one slip could render you insolvent. <\/p>\n

In fact, if your cards are maxed out and you\u2019re having trouble making the minimum payments, you should consider hiring a respected company like Freedom Debt Relief.<\/a> They could help you explore strategies by which you can get your credit card bills back under control through debt settlement and other services.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, even if you\u2019re in good shape financially, closing the account might actually lower your credit score. Doing so will reduce your available credit, which in turn will make your availability to utilization ratio lower. <\/p>\n

But Activation Doesn\u2019t Always Matter<\/h3>\n

In some cases, you can use a card to make purchases, even if you haven\u2019t activated it. Issuers will sometimes permit charges without formal activation, if you can verify your identity at the point of purchase. <\/p>\n

With this in mind, if a week or so has gone by and you\u2019ve yet to receive a card for which you\u2019ve been approved, you should call the issuer to see if it has been used. Thieves are good at recognizing those \u201cplain\u201d envelopes in the mail. You should also keep an eye on your credit report to make sure others haven\u2019t hijacked your good credit to nefarious ends. <\/p>\n

The best way to do this is request your free copy of your credit report each year. The government has mandated we be granted access to our credit reports each year. AnnualCreditReport.com<\/a> has been authorized to provide them from all three of the major credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). <\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never done this, right now is a good time to do it. <\/p>\n

So, does credit card activation matter? Yes and no. <\/p>\n

The moment your application was processed, the card affected your credit score, even before it was activated. Further, some cards can be used even if you haven\u2019t called their 800 numbers or visited their websites to acknowledge receipt. However, activation is one of the security layers put in place to protect you against fraud. Even if you don\u2019t plan to use the card, you should activate it if you\u2019re going to keep it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re under the impression that having a credit card, but never activating it is like not having the card at all, it\u2019s time to adjust that perception. 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