What a credit card checkup is
A credit card checkup is a short, repeatable review of every card you hold. You match each charge on your statement, confirm the rate and fees still make sense, check that rewards are not expiring, and update your security settings. Run it once a quarter, then again after a large purchase, a trip, or a move.
The point is to catch three things: fraud, billing errors, and costs you no longer need to pay.
Before you start
- Your last two statements for each card
- Login access to each issuer account
- Your free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com
- About 20 minutes per card
Step-by-step checkup
- Write down every card you hold, including store cards and cards you have not used in a year.
- Open the issuer app or website and pull the current statement for the first card.
- Read each line and confirm you recognize the merchant, the date, and the amount.
- Mark any charge you do not recognize.
- Compare the statement total to your own records or budget app for that month.
- Find the purchase interest rate printed on the statement or in the account details.
- Locate the annual fee and its next charge date.
- Check your rewards balance and the expiration date on any points or miles.
- Note your credit limit and how much of it you used last month.
- Open the autopay settings and confirm the linked bank account and payment amount.
- Turn on transaction alerts for charges above a dollar amount you choose.
- Repeat steps 2 through 11 for each remaining card.
When a charge is not yours
- Call the number on the back of the card and report the charge as unauthorized.
- Ask the issuer to close the account and mail a replacement card.
- Submit the dispute in writing through the issuer's secure message center so you have a record.
- File a report at IdentityTheft.gov if the charge came with other signs of identity theft.
- Place a free credit freeze with each of the three credit bureaus.
Fees worth a phone call
Annual fees, foreign transaction fees, and balance transfer fees are often negotiable or avoidable. Ask the issuer for a product change to a no-fee card, or ask what retention offer is on the account. If the card no longer earns more than it costs, close it or stop using it.
Red flags to write down
Small recurring charges you cannot place, a balance that grows while your spending stays flat, a limit that dropped with no notice, or a statement that never arrives. Any of these deserves a call to the issuer the same week.
How often to run it
Quarterly works for most people. Add an extra pass after travel, after a data breach notice, and after you add a new card to your wallet. A checkup costs you a few minutes per card and is the cheapest way to spot a problem before it grows.