Many banks will close down credit cards that haven’t been used in several years. That’s why it’s a good idea to use inactive cards that you want to keep open for small purchases like Amazon Balance reload, though sadly the minimum reload has increased from $0.50 to $5.
However, it’s rare for banks to require that of additional or authorized user cards.
I have dozens of AMEX authorized user cards from the good old days of Small Business Saturday and easy AMEX Offer registration for each card. They mostly gather dust today, but AMEX let me know that if I don’t use them, they will be closed.
If you have authorized user cards on consumer cards, their closure may affect the credit of your authorized users.
I guess I’ll let most of mine close, will you try to keep yours active?
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16 Comments On "AMEX: Use Your Additional User Cards Or Lose Them"
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The closed down additional users will have their credit score impacted?
If it’s on a consumer card, it may.
In my experience it does not have the same negative impact as a regular closure. However you just lose all the benefits of having an open card, length of credit history, avail. credit etc.
I added my kids to Amex card many years ago for bonus points and to build their credit history. If Amex closes them will it ruin their credit?
Best to keep those active if they’re on consumer cards.
If they close it will it be considered as the account is closed will it be removed from their credit report?
Will it just close the additional cards or the whole account?
@Dan TY for the post –
“I guess I’ll let most of mine close, will you try to keep yours active?”
1. What if the Small Business Saturday or easy AMEX Offer registration return? Or if there is a new perk that would be of use to u if u have AU?
2. You sure it won’t look bad from AmEx’s standpoint if you’ve had dozens of AU cards closed due to inactivity in one shot? I feel like that may not be a great look for one or two SSNs in the future
Why don’t u just swipe each one for a dollar or two?
Judging from the way dan generally writes, he probably has more than two or three, probably more like a few hundred. Too much of a hassle at this point to keep them open with all the rules
If they close the additional cards, will it free up room to get more additional cards?
A couple years ago, they offered 20k bonus points for every additional card we added and spent 4k within months. (We currently have the offer for 5k). They allowed to add up to 99 additional cards, each with the primary cardholders name, and each one got the bonus.
If they close all the additionals, can we start over?
I’ve tried that in the past and it hasn’t worked. I closed all the addt’l users. When I tried a while later to add new ones, they still saw the closed cards on the account and didn’t allow any more to be added.
why would you let them close if you can click add offer to your account for each additional authorized user?
Can no longer double dip on offers among cards anyway, so really only helps for the occasional instance where you’ll get a better offer on the AU card.
Is the additional green card (the one without the fee) considered a consumer card?
I would assume the offers per card are worth the hassle of swiping them. Go to a local store with self checkout & swipe a different card for each item (can/bottle soda or candy/chocolate) at abt $1
I personally gained from having a user since I’m 23 and my history shows 31 years of credit.