Wednesday, November 9, 2011

What Effect Does a Frozen Credit Card Have on My Credit Score?

What Effect Does a Frozen Credit Card Have on My Credit Score?

Credit cards may raise or lower a person's credit score depending on a variety of factors. A frozen credit card account may be one of those factors, but usually it will only affect a person's credit score in a minor way.

Credit Card Freeze

    A credit card freeze is different than a credit freeze. You can freeze your credit cards if you contact the card company and tell them to freeze the card. You won't be able to use the card after that.

Credit Freeze

    A credit freeze involves a consumer freezing their credit report from being accessed by anyone, including themselves. This prevents creditors from inspecting their report, and therefore prevents any further credit cards from being issued. Freezing a credit score is not the same as freezing a credit card, though, as the card can still be used.

Credit Score Factors

    Credit card freezes can affect your credit score for a number of reasons. Credit scores are based on a number of factors: payment habits, amount owed, length of credit history, new credit and types of credit used.

Increases

    If the credit card freeze prevents you from using your card and buying more, you may be able to increase your score, if that is accompanied by continued payments. If you freeze credit and pay the balance down to below 30 percent of the limit, you can increase your score.

Decreases

    A credit card freeze that is accompanied by late payments or continued spending without repaying will lower a score. Opening more cards or taking out new loans to pay off a card may increase or decrease your credit score, depending on how much credit you owe and how many accounts you already have open.

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