1. Make sure it's ok to close the card.
Don't close any credit cards with balances, your only credit card with available credit, your oldest credit card, or the credit card with the best terms. (You also should not close your only credit card, but that doesn't apply in this case).2. Call the credit card company to get the account number.
Usually, your credit report conatains the contact number for the company listing the account.
No phone number listed on the credit report? Try using a search engine like Google or Yahoo! to find the company's website. Look for a "Contact Us" link on the site to find a contact number.
Try looking through your old documents to locate a credit card statement from that creditor.
When you have a number, call the card company. Let them know you have an account with them, but no longer have the credit card or the credit card number. The customer service representative will ask for some identifying information to look up your account.
For privacy reasons, the company might have a policy against giving out credit card numbers over the phone.3. Close the account by phone.
If the representative can give your account number over the phone, write it down for future reference, and then request to have the credit card closed.
If you cannot get your credit card number over the phone, don't close the credit card and request to have a new credit card sent to you. When you receive the credit card in the mail, then call to have the credit card closed.4. Follow up in writing.
You must have the credit card number to follow up with the creditor in writing.
After closing your credit card by phone, send a certified letter with return receipt requested to the creditor. In the letter include your name, address, and account number. State that you requested to have your credit card account closed on such-and-such date and that you want your credit record to reflect that the account was closed at your request.
