Wells Fargo and Company (or just Wells Fargo for short) is a multinational financial services company and banking provider based in San Francisco. The institution has managerial offices throughout the United States, and its operational headquarters are in NYC.
The Financial Stability Board considers Wells Fargo a “systemically important financial institution.” Over 70 million people use the company’s services across 35+ countries globally.
Wells Fargo Bank NA is the fourth-largest bank in the United States when ranked by total assets. It’s also one of the largest for market capitalization and deposits. There are more than 8,000 branches and 13,000 ATMs within its network.
Most banks and credit unions provide online access to customer accounts today. A simple signup process is typically all that is needed to reach a personalized dashboard.
It can be a frustrating experience if you have a Wells Fargo credit card that doesn’t show up online.
Wells Fargo Credit Card Not Showing Up Online
The primary reason a Wells Fargo credit card does not appear online is that it needs to be added to the individual’s online account. The institution requires customers to select the financial products they wish to manage in this environment instead of automatically adding all qualifying products.
The fastest way to ensure your Wells Fargo credit card shows up online is to register it for this type of personal management.
You’ll need to log into your online account to get started. If you haven’t created one, that step will need to be handled first. Once you reach the account dashboard, you’ll select the credit card from the available dropdown list.
If you still don’t see your Wells Fargo credit card, an account issue could be blocking access to it. Call the bank at 1 (800) 956-4442 to determine the steps necessary to activate your account.
Outside of not accepting online management of the Wells Fargo credit card, the most common reason for not having access to it is due to the account closing. The institution sends letters to customers regarding why they’d take this action, but that correspondence doesn’t always reach every person.
Even if your account is closed, you’d be responsible for any outstanding debt remaining on the account.
Additional Reasons Why Your Credit Card Might Not Show Up Online
Most issues with a Wells Fargo credit card not being available through your online portal involve the time it takes between the application and the issuance of a credit line. Most people apply online for this account.
After the application is complete, Wells Fargo sends you an application identification and a phone number to call.
This information allows a customer service representative to check on your status if the credit line wasn’t instantly approved.
Wells Fargo mails a credit decision within five to seven business days for new accounts when the instant approval process initially declines issuance. Although a denial isn’t guaranteed in this circumstance, it happens more often than not.
If your application is approved, you’ll get a package in the mail with information to help you better know your line of credit.
This package includes info about understanding your credit report, a privacy notice, and an overview of the terms and features of the account.
When you’re not approved for a Wells Fargo credit card, it won’t show up on your dashboard. The institution can reverse a decision after reviewing the account, your credit score, and other data points manually.
Here are some other reasons outside of activation and cancelation that could cause your credit card to not show up after logging into your account.
- Not an Authorized User. If your spouse, partner, or fellow account holder hasn’t added you to a credit card account, the information won’t show up on your dashboard. The primary account holder will need to visit the Credit Card Service Center and choose “Add Authorized Users to Your Account” to rectify this situation. It can be found under “Account Management.”
- Reported Lost or Stolen. Wells Fargo issues a new card with an updated account number if your credit card is lost or stolen. It can take some time for the transition to occur. Call 1 (800) 642-4720 if you don’t know where your card is to ensure that no one else can access your line of credit.
- A Significant Dispute Is in Progress. Wells Fargo might suspend access to your current account during the investigation when you have a large chargeback initiated because of a possibly fraudulent or unauthorized purchase. The goal is to get the problem resolved as quickly as possible. If you filed a dispute and lost online access to your card, contact this division at 1 (800) 390-0533.
- Technical Problem. Your account access could be temporarily disabled because of a coding problem, technical issue, website upgrade, or similar activities. There should be a notice on the institution’s landing page that indicates it, but that information isn’t always available if the scope of the concern hasn’t been appropriately evaluated.
Why Did Wells Fargo Cancel My Credit Card?
Although credit card cancelations are rare, they typically happen when an account is delinquent on payments.
Credit card purchases are considered debts. By using this financial product, you agree to the terms and conditions of the account. That means you’ll need to pay the minimum amount due each month to keep it in good standing.
If credit card debt with Wells Fargo becomes 180 days delinquent, it means you’ve missed six months of payments. Most issuers close accounts once they fall this far behind.
Wells Fargo also closes credit card accounts when there is no activity. You can qualify for this status if you haven’t used your line of credit for at least six months.
Most customers receive an email or letter notifying them that the account will be closed if the credit isn’t used. It is possible for this notification to be filtered to the junk folder or get lost in the mail.
If you haven’t missed a payment and your credit card access is suddenly gone, call the customer service toll-free number to find out what happened.
Some credit cards are canceled because the issuer believes the account holder represents too much of a risk.
If you’ve fallen behind on other obligations, lower your credit score through collections activities, or open multiple new accounts simultaneously, the decision could be made to limit access to your Wells Fargo card.
Can I Reopen a Closed or Canceled Wells Fargo Credit Card?
Wells Fargo might be one of the biggest names in consumer banking, but that doesn’t mean they set the financial rules for everyone. If you or the issuer decides to cancel or close a credit card, it is not usually possible to reopen the account.
Your best option in this scenario is to apply for a new credit card through Wells Fargo.
If you believe your account was closed in error or done without your permission, it helps to get in touch with one of the institution’s customer service representatives to see if you have any options.
Does Closing or Canceling a Credit Card Affect My Credit Score?
A closed account can have a slightly negative effect on a person’s overall credit score. This issue occurs because the closure can increase your overall utilization ratio since your limit is now lower.
Another issue that adversely impacts your credit score after closure or cancelation involves the age of your account.
If your Wells Fargo card is the oldest line of credit on your profile, the change could be enough to create a 20+ point drop.
Closing or having a Wells Fargo credit card canceled can also change your mix of credit accounts, leading to more points coming off the credit score.
What Are My Options If I Don’t Want to Close My Account?
When your Wells Fargo credit card doesn’t appear online, it can be a frustrating experience. If this issue occurs because of inactivity, there are some steps you can follow to keep it active.
The easiest way to maintain an open account is to use your Wells Fargo credit card for a monthly purchase. Since you have a grace period available to pay charges without interest, you won’t lose any money with this behavior.
It is a best practice to allow one charge to generate interest by rolling it over to the next month to ensure your activities reach your credit report.
Keeping an old credit card account open helps your credit because it improves your utilization ratio and increases the mix and age of the accounts. Keep the card in a safe place to ensure it isn’t used. You can set up alerts to stay on top of things and avoid fraudulent purchases.
Wells Fargo offers several credit card options to consider. If you’re not satisfied with your current account, you can request product upgrades or downgrades.
When you upgrade or downgrade your account with Wells Fargo, you’re switching to another of their seven different credit card types. The best way to take this step is to speak with a customer service representative.
It should be noted that Wells Fargo takes a conservative approach to allowing credit card switches. Most requests are not approved unless there is a direct financial benefit to the institutions.
Could the Wells Fargo Fake Account Scandal Be Responsible for a Missing Credit Card?
The account fraud scandal from Wells Fargo became widely known in 2016. This issue caused more than $2.7 billion in civil and criminal litigation liabilities by the end of 2017. It is still a significant concern for many customers because accounts were opened without permission.
Customers started noticing unexpected fees on their accounts. Some people received unanticipated debit cards, credit cards, or lines of credit.
The initial reports blamed local managers and branch workers, but the blame eventually shifted to the top-down management pressure to open as many new accounts as possible.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) fined Wells Fargo $185 million for its illegal activities.
If your account was opened without permission, it could be canceled as part of the financial overhaul.
That activity would cause it to disappear from your online dashboard. Even if you were using the account successfully, the orders from the different litigation efforts could require it to be stopped.
You will need to apply for a new account with Wells Fargo if you think this issue has affected account access.
What Can I Do If My Wells Fargo Credit Card Doesn’t Show Up?
Most account access issues involve an activation problem. If a Wells Fargo credit card cannot be activated online, a representative can assist over the phone. Contact a customer service representative at 1 (800) 956-4442 to determine what steps are needed to gain access to the card’s online tools.
The easiest way to activate a new Wells Fargo credit card is to follow the online prompts from the institution’s Confirm Card landing page. You’ll be asked to enter the full account number on your card to continue.
Once you’ve entered the card number and confirmed it, you’ll need to answer the other questions Wells Fargo asks to complete the activation process.
It can take up to 24 business hours for your new account to show up through your online portal. If you don’t see it appear after this time, contact customer service to see if there is an activation problem to resolve.
I’ve found the customer service process to be helpful when resolving these issues. I’ve had my credit card disappear from my online dashboard a few times over the years. It has always been due to a technical glitch that doesn’t get resolved as expected.
Although a couple of times have required more than a week to regain access, I’ve still been able to use my card for purchases.
If you can’t make a purchase with your Wells Fargo card and don’t have online access, the account could be suspended or closed. That’s when you’ll want to speak with someone immediately about your situation.
