3 Ways to Close a Rewards Account (2024)

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Co-authored bywikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 11, 2020

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   Navigate to the company homepage of your account. Open your web browser and go to the homepage of the company with which you have a rewards account. If you don't know the homepage address, do a keyword search for the name of the company, and then click on the company's homepage.

   • Frequently you can find the issuing company's web address on the rewards account card or with your awards account signup information.
   • If you find the the web address for the rewards account homepage on a rewards card or with the rewards account information, navigate to this, and then continue to deactivate the account.^[1]
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   Access your rewards account page. Depending on which rewards program you belong to, this process may vary. You may have to log into your account on the issuing company's website. If so, you can usually find the account cancellation page on your account's homepage. If not, you may need to:

   See Also

   Card Security | Fuel Rewards programMytimerewardswl.co.uk | Contact : 0800 731 9936Customer Care Help CenterCan You Still Use Your Bed Bath & Beyond Credit Card?

   • Navigate to a page on the website labeled "Rewards" or something similar. On this page, there may be directions or a login for your account. Login if necessary.
   • Find the rewards account FAQ on the company's site. These kinds of pages generally have a section answering the question "How do I cancel my rewards membership?"

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   Deactivate your account. There should be information on the rewards account homepage. Find the related section or link to account cancellation. Here you should find specific instructions to cancel the account (like "call phone number ### - ####" or "send an email to [email protected]" ) or an interface allowing you to cancel the account.^[2]

   • Some interfaces may require you to input your account information and confirm that you want the account deleted. After that, your account is generally deactivated.
   • Often, you will to need to reply to an email to confirm the cancellation of your account. Read incoming email related to closing the account to be sure you do not miss this and accidentally keep the account active.
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   Verify your rewards account has been canceled. You should receive some kind of confirmation that the account is no longer active. Usually this comes in the form of an email. In some situations, your browser may navigate to a page that informs you "your account has been canceled," or something similar.

   • If you have not received notification that your account has been canceled or closed, it may still be open. In this case, you may want to inquire by calling the issuing company's customer service line or visiting a brick and mortar store.
   • Save and print the cancellation confirmation email or the screen that indicates that your account has been canceled. This may be useful for future reference, like if you decide to reopen the account.

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   Go to the brick and mortar store where you have an account. Not all brick and mortar stores will have customer service representatives who can help you close your rewards account. To ensure you can be helped, prioritize brick and mortar stores that have a customer service department/center.

   • Smaller chains and mom-and-pop stores might not have a customer service department on-site. In this case, speak with a manager, or ask a manager who you should speak to about closing your awards account.
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   Talk to a customer service representative. A service representative will know the procedure for closing your account. When you approach one and inform them you want to close your rewards card, you may be asked the reason why you're canceling your account.

   • There's nothing wrong with answering a service rep's questions, but you don't have to feel obligated to answer. "I just want it closed, thank you," is a perfectly acceptable answer to the question, "Why do you want to close your account?"
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   Bypass negative pressure and upselling. Service representatives generally want you to keep your rewards account active. To accomplish this goal, they might offer you a small bonus or a "special" offer that makes your rewards account seem more worthwhile. They might also ask unnecessarily prying questions. Keep calm and inform the rep you want the account closed by saying things like,

   • "I'm sorry, I just want the card closed. Can you help me with that? And, if not, can you recommend me to someone who can?"
   • "I'd prefer not to talk about that right now. I'm in something of a hurry. Could you please cancel the account? Thank you."
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   Cancel your account. In most cases, once the service representative has accessed your account, it can be disabled right then and there. Some companies, however, might have policies that require a phone call or email for the account to be closed.

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   Check that your account is canceled. It should be relatively easy to check that your account is canceled. Call the customer service number and verify the closing of the account, or check the status of your account online. If the account no longer exists, your account has been successfully closed.

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   Search online for a walkthrough or guide. Some companies make it unnecessarily difficult to close your card. For example, though rare, some cases require a physical letter to be sent to cancel an account. In situations with special circ*mstances like this, an online walkthrough or guide is just the thing to help you close the account.

   • To find walkthroughs or guides, do an online keyword search for something like "how to cancel [Issuing Company]'s rewards."
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   Call customer service about canceling your account. Customer service is a powerful ally when difficulties arise with your account. In the majority of cases, a customer service line can assist you with cancelling your account. However, this kind of service may have a long wait time.

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   Allow the account to go inactive. Although not always the case, most companies deactivate accounts that haven't been used in a year. However, until the account is deactivated, you'll still receive updates associated with the account, like emails, snail mail, and so on.^[3]

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   Have attached credit cards reissued without the account. For rewards accounts that are connected to a credit card, you may need to cancel the card to cancel the rewards account and then have the card itself re-issued. But before you do, be sure to ask if there's a way to cancel the rewards account without cancelling and re-issuing the card. If you can, you won't have to update your credit card information.^[4]

   • If your card does need to be reissued, be sure to update your card information where necessary, especially for expenses that are deducted automatically from it.

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