What began as a simple attempt to delete an account quickly spiraled into a frustrating marathon of chatbots, customer service loops, and outdated systems—plus a few takeaways that can help you avoid the same headache.
Last weekend, I tried to close a hotel rewards account I opened back in 2008. I assumed it would be simple. After all, I still had access to the email I used to sign up, my membership number was easy to find, and I’d logged into the account recently. It felt like the perfect moment for some quick digital decluttering. Instead, I hit a wall almost immediately.
Closing online accounts can be surprisingly difficult—and in many cases, that friction is intentional. We saw this play out recently when former New York Times readers won a settlement over unpaid refunds after cancellations. That’s why it’s worth understanding not only why you should close accounts you no longer use, but also why you should check how easy it is to cancel an account before you sign up in the first place.Why You Should Care About Forgotten Accounts
Think of your old accounts as if they’re a bunch of abandoned rooms in your online home. Sure, now they’re locked, but if your password gets posted to the dark web after a data breach, the hacker will have the key to your room. Once they get in, criminals can use all the personal information in your forgotten corner of the internet to identify you and access your current, important accounts, like your bank account or social media accounts. If you’re a fan of reusing passwords, when an old site gets breached, hackers can take your password and get into any new accounts you have. One exposed password could be the key that opens your entire castle to the outside world.
Anecdotally, hospitality rewards programs, newsletter subscriptions, and media publication subscriptions are the hardest services to cancel.
Old accounts can lead to online annoyances, too. For example, unused accounts and reward memberships may appear on call, email, and text message lists used by scammers and telemarketers. Closing these accounts could remove you from those lists, which may reduce spam and scam attempts in your inbox or on your phone.
Keeping track of fewer accounts reduces your digital footprint, so you have more control over your data. Keeping your data to yourself can reduce the number of scam and spam phone calls and text messages you receive, and can even prevent junk mailers from sending fake checks or political missives to your mailbox. If you know which apps and websites have your data, when one gets breached, you can contain the problem quickly, without worrying about future fallout.The Agonizing Art of Digital Decluttering
So let’s talk about my terrible experience with digital decluttering. As mentioned above, when I tried to close a longtime account with a popular hotel brand, it was far more difficult than I expected.
After a few minutes of clicking around the hotel’s website, I found the Frequently Asked Questions section, which provided the following options: Cancel my account by phone (absolutely not) or via the hotel website’s live chat window. I opened the chatbox window and typed, «I need to cancel my account.»
A friendly chatbot appeared and asked me for my name, phone number, and account email address. I provided that information. The chatbot then asked what I wanted to do.
«I would like to cancel my account», I typed, hoping a form or a button would appear in the chat window to let me remove my data from the hotelier’s virtual clutches. The chatbot told me I’d need to speak to a live person, and asked me to wait a moment.
The easiest way to save yourself a headache when closing an account is to know what you’re getting into before you sign up.
After a couple of minutes, «Sandy» joined the chat. They asked me, again, for an email address, name, and phone number to verify my identity. I provided the information. Sandy asked, «What can I help you with today?» Again, I typed, «I would like to cancel my account.
