Welcome to Ask Clark, a column designed to answer your financial questions by money expert Clark Howard.
They Changed the Rewards on This New Credit Card I Just Got. Should I Activate It or Not?
Melissa from North Carolina asks: “I researched different credit cards and found what seemed like the best one for me. I applied and was approved. When I got the card in the mail, the list of rewards was different from what was listed on their website at the time of my approval.
“I have not yet activated the card so I want to know, what happens if I don’t activate it? Can I send it back to them? And in either of these situations — sending it back or just not activating it — what does it do to my credit score?”
Clark’s Take on Whether to Activate a New Credit Card When the Rewards Have Changed
Clark says: “What I would do first is, I would call them and see if maybe they sent you the wrong card for the offer that you had applied for.”
“If the card has no annual fee, keep it because you’ve already had the inquiry — it will actually over time raise your score by having more available credit — and use it occasionally just so you keep it active in your credit mix.”
“It is really underhanded to make an offer to somebody with a series of benefits, then by the time you get the card, say ‘Oh no, we don’t offer any of those things.’ That’s why I’d make the phone call to see if maybe they made a mistake on their end instead of just trying to bait and switch you.”
Learn more about Clark’s credit card tips here.
To hear Clark’s full take on this question and many more, listen to the full episode here:
Do you have a question for Clark? Use this form to ask him! And remember that you can listen to the Clark Howard Podcast at any time here.
If you have a question but you don’t want to go on-air, contact Clark’s Consumer Action Center for free money help.
More Resources From Clark.com:
How Many Credit Cards Should I Have? - Are you worried that the number of credit cards you have could have a negative impact on your financial life? Is there a “right” number of credit cards for one person to have in 2024? The answer is a little… 
Best Credit Card Sign-up Bonuses for 2024 - Team Clark spent hours reviewing the market for credit card sign-up bonuses and evaluated them according to the guidelines for usage set by money expert Clark Howard. Clark believes credit cards with exorbitant annual fees are a bad idea for most… 
