I paid off a credit card account about five months ago. It was a zero balance, and I didn't close the account, but I have not made any purchases either (I cut it up). I was looking at my online account for that credit card for the heck of it and saw that last month they charged me a member fee of $39.00, and the payment is now overdue (by about 2 weeks) because I didn't know about this! I have been spending the past two years trying to up my credit score to get a good rate on a new home. If I called them to waive this fee (it's Capital One), will they? And also, will they clear any late payment mark on my credit report that may be there as a result of this member fee not being paid?

Call them and ask! They will probably waive the late fee but you might still have to pay them member fee, then I would cancel it if they are charging a 'member fee'!

Yes, they'll probably refund it once, but you're probably better off canceling that card, since they'll keep charging you, and apply for a fee free credit card. I'm sure you get lots of offers in the mail (I know I do) just keep looking for one without an annual or member's fee.

More than likely they will not waive it because it's in your contract that you signed when you got the card. A lot of credit cards charge an annual fee and there's usually nothing you can do about it, besides find one that doesn't. If you pay it soon, then it won't affect your credit report. It won't go to collections for another month or two. If you don't pay it then it will effect your credit negatively. You can call them and see if there's anything they can do, but they're not usually too understanding and you will have to pay it anyway.

call them. they are trying to make $ off of you. it probably said that when you aplied for the card and you missed it, but i would still call and tell them you don't want to pay that and you will continue to be a customer if they take it off. if not you will put the card in the drawer and not use it.

A. When they can and can't report you to the bureaus
If you are overdue for 2-weeks only THEY can't report you to the credit bureaus. They can only report you if you are 30-days past due. For example, if your payment was due on Sept 1st but you paid it on Sept 15th...yes you would still be late but they can't report you to the credit bureaus. They can access a late fee. But once Nov 1st comes THEN they can report you.

B. Annual Fee

I had a personal experience with a card. They charged me an annual fee for an Orchard Credit Card (for people with bad or no credit). I had no credit when I got this card 2 years ago. But five months ago I called them to cancel this card and they told me that they wanted my business blah blah blah. They told me that they will waive the annual fee. But they didn't I called again...and they TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN CLOSE THE ACCOUNT AND WAIVE THE ANNUAL FEE IF I HAD NO BALANCE.

IN YOUR CASE...YOU HAD NO BALANCE THEREFORE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WAIVE ALL FEES!!!!!

Call them...it's a little weird now that you have a late-fee on an annual fee you don't want. Most likely they will cancel the account and waive it. But if they don't just PAY THE FEE TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE THAT WAY THEY CAN'T REPORT YOU TO THE CREDIT BUREAUS.

Then you can contest it.

hope this helps