I’ve had a credit card with the same company for years. It was my first card and only has a $300 limit. As I got older and my expenses got larger, it became apparent that $300 wasn’t a lot of room to work with.
I received a letter in the mail from CC company saying “you’re pre-approved… credit increase… etc.”
I went into the local branch and spoke with the teller, asking for an increase of my credit limit. When speaking with them, I was very clear that I didn’t want any hard inquiries on my credit report; to which they assured me I wouldn’t receive any hard inquiries (I didn’t want a hard inquiry hit on my credit report because too many of them look bad to creditors and can lower your score).
Under the assumption I’d have no negative side effects (silly me), I asked for a credit increase.
2 days later I get a letter saying more or less that I’ve been denied. I check my credit score and what do you know? I’ve got a hard inquiry.
The revenge:
First, I paid off my card so there was no balance, thereby cutting any profit they’re making off of me in the form of interest.
Second, I took all of my money out of checking, left $1 in savings (so they can’t completely close my account), and moved it to a competing bank.
Third, and ongoing revenge: Every three months, I’ll charge something on the card, and then overpay; leaving my account with a small balance of – $0.39. If you leave a negative balance for too long, eventually the CC company must mail you a check for whatever amount you overpaid.
It warms my heart getting a check for $0.39 every couple of months, knowing it cost the CC company more than that to process the refund and mail me a check for that amount.
I pay off the balance right away so that CC company doesn’t get to charge me interest (since there’s no balance).
The CC company in question is U.S. Bank.
I know this doesn’t hurt the company in the slightest, but it makes me feel good and isn’t that what life is all about?
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