the reason they don't tell people is that they want to close those cards down because they aren't profitable. If they told people, most would probably run out and charge a pack of gum, just to put a recent transaction on their card. Then they would put it back in the drawer.

It is a big game, you see. Once you understand the rules, you can play it better. Unfortunately, you lost this round. What credit experts recommend is periodically (preventatively) charging something, so as to make the account look active.

The credit card bank isn't going to call the customer up and warn them. That would be the courteous thing to do, but you have to understand this is the business of *money*, and the clause "we can close the account at any time" is a very important one from the bank's perspective.