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Most banks, including Chase and AMEX, pull from Experian in NY and NJ when you apply for a card. If they see too many pulls, they are more likely to decline your application. The goal is to have the bank look at a different credit report that doesn’t have as many pulls. This is basically done by putting a security block, or “freeze” your Experian (or other hard hit reports) account. That way, banks are blocked from seeing it.

That can be done here:
Equifax
Experian
TransUnion

Obviously, you will not get instant approval and will have to call recon and ask them nicely to pull from a different bureau. Some banks will decline to do so and will require you to give them the pin# you set up when you froze the credit report so they can pull it. When you do call up, make sure you have a good reason for having your report frozen. Tell them there is some incorrect info on your experian credit report and that you don't want to unfreeze it until it gets corrected. DO NOT say that there was a fraud alert so you froze it!!!! This will cause them to freeze your application.

CHASE:
Personal- many have reported success in freezing experian and having apps approved. There are recent reports of this not working anymore and customer service requiring the pin to unlock your report so this may require lots of HUCA. One DDFer reports 15 HUCAs (3/19/14) and no luck. It may be dead  :(
If you plan on doing a chase 2BM, you might want to call and get both approved in the same call as to avoid multiple pulls. Alternatively, you can just unfreeze it before a 2/3BM.
AsherO reports that he had them pull equifax and they pulled transunion 2 days later as well. The best way to avoid a double-pull, is to freeze both Experian + another bureau and have them pull the third.

Business- There is limited reported success getting chase business reps to pull anything other than experian. Only one DDFer reports success and even he admits it was a real pain and lot and lots of HUCA-ing.

AMEX:
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work at all for AMEX. They will require your pin so they can pull Experian.

CITI:
In NY, Citi pulls from either Equifax or Experian or both. So by freezing experian, you can get them to pull just equifax thus preventing the dreaded double pull. (Many Ddfers have reported that Citi will no longer pull from another report once the original pull has been made).

A few side notes:
Freezing your report will automatically opt you out from pre-approved offers. Churners like those so you might want to opt back in.
If you have accounts with a bank they can still do a soft pull on your frozen credit report.
If you open a new account, it will get reported to the frozen credit report. The report just won’t show a hard pull.       

« Last edited by Yehuda25 on March 25, 2014, 10:01:00 PM »

Author Topic: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score  (Read 155322 times)

Online AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #40 on: May 16, 2011, 10:52:37 AM »
I don't think so, especially because it's doubtful they'll approve my 100k BA app.

Fellows, I think I have some good news here. After freezing my credit report, Chase pulled my Equifax and TU reports (my Experian has like 14 inquiries in 2 years), but when I called to get my BA approved they told me I had to wait until 30 days from my recent Hyatt approval (not 30 days from application). Today was 32 days, so I called  (888-270-2127) hoping to get approved for the BA, I told the analyst I was told I'd be approved after 30 days, and she approved me within two minutes with a $13k credit line. I decided to push my luck and get another app approved, so I asked about a denied United app from almost two months ago, a few minutes later that one too was approved with $5k credit line. My BA app is with a different address and new BA account (also different address), so I hope I fly under the radar (I already got the 100k bonus last year).

I don't know if this success is attributed to my luck getting this specific analyst, or freezing my Experian, but I wasn't about to ask the analyst that...

All I can say is BH, and that one should never give up.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2011, 10:59:57 AM by AsherO »
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Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #41 on: May 16, 2011, 10:57:41 AM »
Mazal Tov!
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline yaakov s

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #42 on: May 16, 2011, 10:58:02 AM »
Great news , you froze it before the UA app , before the BA app or after both.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2011, 11:03:07 AM by yaakov y »

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #43 on: May 16, 2011, 11:00:40 AM »
Mazal Tov!

Lets hope I don't get another UA denial letter, that's what happened last time they said I'm approved.

Did you get all three cards from your trifecta?

Great news , you froze it before the UA app , before the BA app or after both. $5 credit they give such low ones?

I froze it after UA, but before BA. My take is she didn't look at the old Experian report (with 12 or so inquiries at the time), only at the current reports pulled. My EQ and TU reports have (IIRC) 7 inquiries or less over the past two years.

$13k CL on the BA
$5k CL on the UA $5 was a typo...)
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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #44 on: May 16, 2011, 11:04:01 AM »
Did you get all three cards from your trifecta?
Yup!
(Side note: just realized that if I quote you it quotes your new edited post even I only see the original unedited post-pretty cool!)
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #45 on: May 16, 2011, 11:04:53 AM »
Fellows, I think I have some good news here. After freezing my credit report, Chase pulled my Equifax and TU reports (my Experian has like 14 inquiries in 2 years), but when I called to get my BA approved they told me I had to wait until 30 days from my recent Hyatt approval (not 30 days from application). Today was 32 days, so I called  (888-270-2127) hoping to get approved for the BA, I told the analyst I was told I'd be approved after 30 days, and she approved me within two minutes with a $13k credit line. I decided to push my luck and get another app approved, so I asked about a denied United app from almost two months ago, a few minutes later that one too was approved with $5k credit line. My BA app is with a different address and new BA account (also different address), so I hope I fly under the radar (I already got the 100k bonus last year).

I don't know if this success is attributed to my luck getting this specific analyst, or freezing my Experian, but I wasn't about to ask the analyst that...

All I can say is BH, and that one should never give up.
is ur old BA card closed ?

Online AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #46 on: May 16, 2011, 11:06:40 AM »
!
(Side note: just realized that if I quote you it quotes your new edited post even I only see the original unedited post-pretty cool!)

Indeed. It's good because I often have to edit out my typos...

is ur old BA card closed ?

Yes, I recently closed it to avoid paying the steep annual fee.
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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #47 on: May 16, 2011, 11:58:24 AM »
Fellows, I think I have some good news here. After freezing my credit report, Chase pulled my Equifax and TU reports (my Experian has like 14 inquiries in 2 years), but when I called to get my BA approved they told me I had to wait until 30 days from my recent Hyatt approval (not 30 days from application). Today was 32 days, so I called  (888-270-2127) hoping to get approved for the BA, I told the analyst I was told I'd be approved after 30 days, and she approved me within two minutes with a $13k credit line. I decided to push my luck and get another app approved, so I asked about a denied United app from almost two months ago, a few minutes later that one too was approved with $5k credit line. My BA app is with a different address and new BA account (also different address), so I hope I fly under the radar (I already got the 100k bonus last year).

I don't know if this success is attributed to my luck getting this specific analyst, or freezing my Experian, but I wasn't about to ask the analyst that...

All I can say is BH, and that one should never give up.
I applied for the BA and United Simultaneously a month after getting the CO card. got the BA approved true the recon department. i tried multiple times to get the  United  card approved they came back with the same "we have a 30 day policy" and since you got the CO recently plus the BA a couple of days ago  theres No way we can approve this.
So After reading this, i decided why not try one more time. after moving around some Credit lines they approved it
Thanks Asher

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #48 on: May 16, 2011, 12:07:32 PM »
I applied for the BA and United Simultaneously a month after getting the CO card. got the BA approved true the recon department. i tried multiple times to get the  United  card approved they came back with the same "we have a 30 day policy" and since you got the CO recently plus the BA a couple of days ago  theres No way we can approve this.
So After reading this, i decided why not try one more time. after moving around some Credit lines they approved it
Thanks Asher
same here i guess I'll try again too

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #49 on: May 16, 2011, 12:08:02 PM »
I applied for the BA and United Simultaneously a month after getting the CO card. got the BA approved true the recon department. i tried multiple times to get the  United  card approved they came back with the same nullwe have a 30 day policynull and since you got the CO recently plus the BA a couple of days ago  theres No way we can approve this.
So After reading this, i decided why not try one more time. after moving around some Credit lines they approved it
Thanks Asher

Yup. I'm thinking of hitting the Sapphire preferred soon (before unfreezing my Experian), so I can get it approved as soon as 30 days are up, any idea when the SaphPred 50k promo expires?
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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #50 on: May 16, 2011, 12:19:59 PM »
Does anyone have a positive experence with Amex with a credit freeze. i only found one report that they made him unfreeze his report.

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #51 on: May 26, 2011, 01:46:24 PM »
Does anyone have any experience pro or con regarding doing a credit freeze and then applying for Citi?

Offline Yeki89

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #52 on: May 26, 2011, 05:09:51 PM »
tried amex didnt work

Offline yaakov s

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #53 on: May 26, 2011, 05:17:59 PM »
tried amex didnt work
where , what , when and how.

Where do you live.
Where do they usually pull from.
What happened when you applied.

Some more info would be appreciated

Thanks

Offline kayef

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #54 on: May 26, 2011, 11:35:28 PM »
After racking up 12 inquiries on experian (i live in nj) i decided to put on a freeze. i plan on going for 2 or 3 chase cards now - hyatt, sapphire preferred, and united. i got the priority club visa (part of crack the case promo) about a month ago which pulled experian of course. will that affect my chances now that i froze experian? Also is it still possible to get instant approval even with the freeze?
« Last Edit: May 26, 2011, 11:37:43 PM by Dan »

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #55 on: May 31, 2011, 04:47:38 PM »
One app, but my Experian was frozen, so I guess that triggered it. Equifax was pulled at the time of the application, TransUnion seems to have been pulled two days later.

Did they mention any other Chase cards you had open?

Currently have Chase United and Chase CO card. Want to try for Hyatt and Saphire with freeze. TU report is clean.

Try for both at one time and use open 2 cards as leverage for reconsideration or just go for one and not make trouble?

My Experian has 15 pulls in 12 months. I think it needs a rest

Online AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #56 on: May 31, 2011, 05:57:13 PM »
Did they mention any other Chase cards you had open?

Currently have Chase United and Chase CO card. Want to try for Hyatt and Saphire with freeze. TU report is clean.

Try for both at one time and use open 2 cards as leverage for reconsideration or just go for one and not make trouble?
I don't think they looked at my other cards, but IIRC they did see them. It's really the inquiries that are working against you. If you're reporting a decent income and you have good credit (low score, low utilization, no derogatory info, not overextended with Chase or other banks), you'll be just fine IY"H.

Freeze your Experian and apply for both IMHO, you have a good chance for success with recon.
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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #57 on: May 31, 2011, 06:56:14 PM »
i was speaking to citi csr after being denied because of too many inquiries, and she 'advised' me that i can call experian and ask them to remove inquiries that are more then 6 months old. anyone have such experience?

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #58 on: May 31, 2011, 07:01:53 PM »
i was speaking to citi csr after being denied because of too many inquiries, and she 'advised' me that i can call experian and ask them to remove inquiries that are more then 6 months old. anyone have such experience?

I've never heard of that, but you're welcome to try it and post back sharing your experience.

The ones within six months are the ones that really count.
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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #59 on: June 01, 2011, 04:37:59 PM »
I don't think they looked at my other cards, but IIRC they did see them. It's really the inquiries that are working against you. If you're reporting a decent income and you have good credit (low score, low utilization, no derogatory info, not overextended with Chase or other banks), you'll be just fine IY"H.

Freeze your Experian and apply for both IMHO, you have a good chance for success with recon.

Thanks.