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Clear all the dues before canceling your credit card. Never try to close your credit card account if you have not cleared the outstanding dues or are in the process of clearing the outstanding amount. Make sure you have paid the credit card company all the balance accrued by you. Once you have paid the balance in full, you are ready to get rid of your credit card account.

Intimate the credit card company. Call the customer service number of the credit card company and confirm that you have zero balance. Next, let them know that you plan to close the account. Finding the customer care number is simple. You will find it on the credit card statements, or behind the credit card, or you can find it from the Internet. The customer care executive with help you cancel your credit card account.Please note: on calling the credit card company, some companies might just allow you to cancel your card via the IVR, without the assistance of the customer support executive, while some companies might direct you to a special department that convinces you not to cancel your account with them.

Write to the credit card company. It is important for you to write a cancellation letter to the credit card company informing them of the cancellation of your account. Be sure to include your name, contact details and your conversation with the customer service executive in the cancellation letter. Also, in the letter mention that you want your credit report to reflect, "Closed on customer's request".

Follow up with the credit card company. Closing the account takes some time. Be patient. Once you have had the telephonic conversation and sent a mail to the credit card company, let 30 days pass before you follow up. When you receive a copy of your credit card report, be sure it has all the details you asked for. Confirm if the report mentions, "Closed on customer's request" and not any other reason.

If the report has any mistakes, follow up with the credit card company over the phone and they will guide you further. If every thing looks good, and the credit card company confirms that your account has been cancelled, go ahead and chop your credit card destroying the black magnetic strip at the back of your credit card.