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Express is a clothing store that features the latest fashions for great prices. Steep discounts are regularly featured for their members in addition to their cardholders. Taking advantage of using your Express credit card can provide you with the best possible deals, discounts, and rewards points available if you’re a regular shopper.
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If your shopping trends shift, or you decide you’d rather apply purchases toward a better rewards credit card instead, you might want to cancel your Express credit card. If that’s your situation, or you need to cancel an Express card from a deceased loved one, keep reading for everything you need to know.
Note: This article is about canceling your Express credit card, not your American Express credit card.
How to Cancel Your Own Express Credit Card
The Express credit card is ideal to use if you shop a lot at Express. Not only do you get better discounts on your purchases, but you can wrack up reward points which translate into cash to use for future purchases, you get birthday shopping money, exclusive offers, and free shipping and returns. If you’re ready for a change, however, take the following steps.
Step 1: Use up rewards
The Express card provides its users with a reward system that turns points into cash value. You might want to check your reward points and see how close you are to the next redemption value. You gain $5 for every 1,250 points you earn, so if you’re close or you have an unredeemed reward, use it up before you start the cancellation process.
Note: Rewards will be irrevocably lost after closing your account. Redeem them prior to account closure if you don’t want to lose them.
Step 2: Pay off any remaining balance
In addition to using up rewards points, you’ll need to pay off any balance that is currently on your card. Cards cannot be closed with a pending balance, so if there are pending transactions such as returns or refunds, you’ll need to wait until these post before proceeding with the next steps.
Payments typically take around two to three business days to post to your account. Plan on waiting a minimum of 48 hours after you’ve submitted a payment for it to clear. Once the payment has cleared and there’s a zero balance on your card, you can continue with the cancellation process.
If you’ve received a refund and your account shows a balance where you are owed money, you can begin the cancellation process and you’ll be sent a check for the money you are owed.
Step 3: Collect account details
When contacting customer service, you’ll need to give them specific details about your account. This information helps them look up your account and verify that you are the account holder. Have the following information on hand for your phone call:
- Your credit card number
- The billing address on file
- The email address on file
- Answers to your security questions
You’ll only need to provide the last four numbers of your credit card in addition to some identifying information. Having this info available before you start chatting with a representative will help your call to go as smoothly and quickly as possible.
Step 4: Contact the customer service department
To cancel your card, you’ll need to place a call to the customer service department at 1-800-201-4955. The department is available for calls Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 9 pm eastern time.
Once you’ve been directed through to the cancellations department, you’ll be asked to provide account and identifying information. The customer service representative will verify that there is a zero balance on your card or if you will be mailed a check for any amount you are owed.
They will also ask for a reason for the account closure. There is no right or wrong answer, and you can simply say that you no longer want to use the card. Your answer won’t impact the account closure process in any way.
Step 5: Record cancellation confirmation
Once the representative has canceled your card, they will provide you with a confirmation number. They will also email you confirmation of your credit card cancellation. Keep this information in case any fraudulent charges appear later on or you need to deal with any charge disputes.
Step 6: Shred cards and update records
Cards that are no longer in use should always be shredded before they are thrown away. Shredding a card ensures that your personal information contained on the card can’t get into the wrong hands.
Finally, if you’d recorded information for your Express card in a password manager, be sure to delete the entry.
How to Cancel a Deceased Loved One’s Express Credit Card
If you need to cancel a deceased loved one’s credit cards, let us first express how sorry we are for your loss. We know this is a difficult time, and we’re here to help you navigate the process of dealing with your loved one’s estate.
Canceling credit cards doesn’t need to be at the very top of your list, but it is an important task to take care of eventually. Thankfully, Express makes this process straightforward and it shouldn’t take much of your time.
Step 1: Gather Express account information
In order for the Express customer service representative to locate your loved one’s credit card account, you’ll need to provide information linked with their account. This includes info like:
- The last four of their credit card
- A billing address associated with the account
- A phone number associated with the account
- An email address associated with the account
You don’t necessarily need all of this information, but they will need one or two items from the list to identify the correct account.
Step 2: Collect documents
You’ll also need to provide them with documentation regarding your loved one’s death and your right to close the account. For this, you’ll need to get a death certificate and a copy of their will or letters of testamentary that provides proof that you are carrying out executor duties.
There are several things to do when someone dies and many of them require documentation of their death. For this reason, if you’re the executor, you should acquire several copies of their death certificate and proof of your executorship early on. You’ll need to provide these documents to financial institutions and for legal proceedings.
Step 3: Contact Express customer service
Once you’ve collected the above information and documents, call the Express credit card customer service department at 1-800-201-4955. The customer service department is available from Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 9 pm eastern time.
Explain that you need to cancel a deceased loved one’s credit card and you’ll be directed to the correct department. You’ll then need to provide their account information. You’ll also be asked to fax or email a copy of their death certificate.
The representative will then determine whether there is any remaining balance on their account. If there is an owed amount, the estate is responsible for paying it. As an executor, you can pay the amount from your loved one’s estate, but you never have to pay for it out of your own pocket.
As long as there is a zero balance on your loved one’s card, the representative will complete the cancellation process.
Step 4: Note the confirmation of cancellation
Once the account has been canceled, the representative will provide you with a confirmation number. They should also email you with the confirmation record. If they don’t offer it, request an emailed confirmation for your records.
Keep confirmation records with your loved one’s documents in case any fraudulent activity occurs at a later time.
Step 5: Update records and shred cards
Once the card has been canceled, be sure to update records by removing password information and billing details from places like password managers. Finally, shred the card to make sure your loved one’s personal information can’t fall into the wrong hands.
Canceling Unused Cards Is Always a Good Idea
Whether you have an unused card of your own or a card for a deceased loved one, it’s always a good idea to cancel them. Simply shredding the card won’t cancel the account. Unused cards of the deceased are often targets for fraudulent activity. Canceling cards is the best way to protect your financial standing and the financial legacy of your loved one.
Source:
- “Express Credit Card.” Express Card, Comenity, 2021. Comenity.net