What does a suspended credit card mean?
When a credit card is suspended, it means the credit card issuer has temporarily locked or frozen the account.
Find out why a credit card account might be suspended or restricted. And learn about potential fixes and impacts on credit scores.
What you’ll learn:
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Credit card charges might be declined if your credit card has been suspended.
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Your credit card might be suspended because a new card hasn’t been activated, there have been unusual transactions, payments have been late or you’ve exceeded your credit limit.
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You can contact your credit card issuer to learn why your card has been suspended.
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Credit card suspension may not affect your credit scores. But scores could be affected if the suspension is due to late payments.
Why was your credit card suspended?
If your card was suspended, it doesn’t mean the account is closed. It could just mean you’re temporarily unable to use the card. Here are a few things a suspension could be related to:
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Fraud: If there are suspicious transactions or fraud, your card could be suspended to help avoid charges you didn’t authorize.
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Late payments: If you have late payments, your card could be suspended. That’s one reason it’s helpful to try to make at least the minimum payment on time every month.
- Credit limit: Making a purchase that puts your credit card balance over your credit card limit might prevent you from using your card until you pay down your balance.
What should you do if your credit card has been suspended?
If your card’s been suspended, you can contact your credit card issuer. They should be able to tell you why it was suspended and what options you have.
These are actions you might be able to take in certain situations:
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Catch up on payments: If you’ve missed payments, you might need to pay the overdue amount or ask about other payment arrangements.
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Pay down your balance: If you’ve reached your credit limit, you may need to pay down your outstanding balance before you can use your card again.
Capital One cardholders can sign in to their account to check the status of their card.
Does credit card suspension affect your credit scores?
In some cases, credit card suspension could lead to the account being closed. That may affect multiple credit-scoring factors, including credit age, credit mix and credit utilization ratio.
Payment history is another credit-scoring factor. Late credit card payments can stay on your credit reports for up to seven years after they’re reported. And if you don’t catch up on payments, your account may become delinquent, which can also hurt your scores.
If your card is suspended due to fraudulent charges, it shouldn’t negatively impact your credit scores. But be sure to ask your lender whether you’re required to continue making payments while they investigate the dispute.
How can you avoid credit card suspension?
To avoid having a card suspended, here are some steps you can take:
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Make your payments on time: Late or missed payments can cause your card to be suspended. And missing payments for an extended period could lead to a permanent suspension of your account.
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Keep an eye on your spending: Paying close attention to your balance can help you avoid a credit card suspension related to exceeding your credit limit.
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Monitor your account: Depending on your issuer, you might be able to sign up for notifications about suspicious transactions, such as large or unusual purchases. Capital One provides alerts and other security tools to help spot unauthorized charges.
- Communicate with your issuer: If you’re planning to travel abroad or make an unusually large purchase, notifying your card issuer beforehand can help prevent your card from being flagged for suspicious activity or temporarily suspended. Capital One and some other issuers don’t require it. But it’s worth checking your issuer’s policies because it could help make sure there are no blocks on your account.
Suspended credit card FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about suspended credit cards:
How can I get my suspended credit card reinstated?
Whether a suspended credit card can be reinstated depends on the issuer’s policies and the circumstances of the suspension. Contact your issuer to learn why your card was suspended and what you can do to reactivate your account.
What is a delinquent credit card?
A credit card account could be considered delinquent when a payment is late. Depending on how late the payment is, the issuer might report the account to the credit bureaus. Eventually, the issuer could close the account and send the credit card debt to collections.
Key takeaways: Suspended credit cards
Credit card suspensions can happen for a variety of reasons, including expired cards, suspected fraud, late or missed payments, and exceeded credit limits.
If you want to dig deeper into your credit, you can request free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com. You can also sign up for CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free to all—even if you don’t have a Capital One credit card. It has tools to help you understand your credit score, keep up with changes to your credit report and monitor your personal information. And using CreditWise won’t affect your credit scores.
