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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 155383 times)

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #120 on: October 06, 2011, 11:28:18 AM »
If you're doing a 2/3BM with AMEX (or Citi), how will unfreezing (in NY) TU or Equifax avoid multiple inquiries on Exp?

In NY you'd unfreeze EX so they don't have to (manually) pull it multiple times with the password, potentially resulting in multiple pulls reported.
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Offline Nitantnel

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #121 on: October 06, 2011, 11:29:36 AM »
meaning they will pull at the same time as oppose to waiting for you to unfreeze it, which in that case it will result in multiple pulls.

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #122 on: October 06, 2011, 11:33:54 AM »
In NY you'd unfreeze EX so they don't have to (manually) pull it multiple times with the password, potentially resulting in multiple pulls reported.

It won't but unfreezing Exp will avoid multiple inquiries on Exp

Ah, right right.

meaning they will pull at the same time as oppose to waiting for you to unfreeze it, which in that case it will result in multiple pulls.

Yes, at least some of the time.
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Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #123 on: October 06, 2011, 11:41:59 AM »
Yes, at least some of the time.

I already said that, stop being so difficult.
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Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #124 on: October 06, 2011, 11:42:35 AM »
Whoa. I was just answering the question asked. Sheesh.
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Offline ye

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #125 on: February 01, 2012, 03:10:50 PM »
Can anyone confirm how long it takes for an unfreeze request to take effect?

Also, if I plan on doing a 3BM app, is there any point in unfreezing both of my frozen reports, or only the one that the lenders usually pull from in my state?

Thanks

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #126 on: February 02, 2012, 07:37:52 AM »
Can anyone confirm how long it takes for an unfreeze request to take effect?

Also, if I plan on doing a 3BM app, is there any point in unfreezing both of my frozen reports, or only the one that the lenders usually pull from in my state?

Thanks


When doing it online, it's instant, I usually wait 15 minutes just to be safe.
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Offline ye

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #127 on: February 02, 2012, 09:40:44 AM »
When doing it online, it's instant, I usually wait 15 minutes just to be safe.
Thanks!

Offline tuvz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #128 on: February 08, 2012, 11:56:39 PM »
Myfico wont give me my score bc my equifax score is to low to be
reported
Can i freeze this score as i would like to apply for a chase card who pull from experian or equifax?
Or this wont help/is unnecessary?

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #129 on: February 09, 2012, 09:31:23 AM »
Myfico wont give me my score bc my equifax score is to low to be
reported
Can i freeze this score as i would like to apply for a chase card who pull from experian or equifax?
Or this wont help/is unnecessary?

Generally speaking, you can "force" Chase to pull from a certain bureau, so if you freeze two out of three (perhaps in this instance EQ+TU), then they will pull EX. Or, you can just go ahead and freeze EQ if you don't mind a pull on EX or TU.
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Offline tuvz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #130 on: February 09, 2012, 09:37:43 AM »
Generally speaking, you can "force" Chase to pull from a certain bureau, so if you freeze two out of three (perhaps in this instance EQ+TU), then they will pull EX. Or, you can just go ahead and freeze EQ if you don't mind a pull on EX or TU.

Thanks alot for that
I think ill go ahead and freeze my eq then
If the account is frozen will it still get reported too buy my credit cards etc tho?

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #131 on: February 09, 2012, 09:50:03 AM »
Thanks alot for that
I think ill go ahead and freeze my eq then
If the account is frozen will it still get reported too buy my credit cards etc tho?

YW, but not sure what that last line is asking.

To clarify (before you clarify): You don't freeze accounts, you freeze entire credit reports.
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Offline tuvz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #132 on: February 09, 2012, 09:56:49 AM »
YW, but not sure what that last line is asking.

To clarify (before you clarify): You don't freeze accounts, you freeze entire credit reports.

To clarify, can a credit report still be affected by reporting from credit card agencies while its frozen?

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #133 on: February 09, 2012, 10:04:03 AM »
To clarify, can a credit report still be affected by reporting from credit card agencies while its frozen?

IME, the issuer (Chase/Amex/Etc) will still be able to report to the frozen bureau the opening of a new account.

But why does that matter?
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Offline HelpMe

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #134 on: February 09, 2012, 10:06:13 AM »
To clarify, can a credit report still be affected by reporting from credit card agencies while its frozen?
Yes.
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Offline tuvz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #135 on: February 09, 2012, 10:12:34 AM »
IME, the issuer (Chase/Amex/Etc) will still be able to report to the frozen bureau the opening of a new account.

But why does that matter?

It matters as i would still like to build up the report, yet i just need to freeZe it now to
increase my chances of getting accepted for this particular card

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #136 on: February 09, 2012, 10:24:02 AM »
Got it.

So you should be good.
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Offline tuvz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #137 on: February 09, 2012, 10:31:16 AM »
Got it.

So you should be good.
[/quote

Thanks again!

I assume i could find this information somewhere in the thread but wud be easier just to ask ::)
Does freezing and unfreezing effect ure report/score at all?


Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #138 on: February 09, 2012, 10:34:55 AM »
Does not effect your score. Of course it affects your report, it freezes it :) (but no real effect other than that.)
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Offline tuvz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #139 on: February 09, 2012, 10:45:54 AM »
Does not effect your score. Of course it affects your report, it freezes it :) (but no real effect other than that.)

Haha i should have written 'negatively' affect it.
According to the agencies websites it says it takes up to 3 days for the freeze to start
Most people here on ddf report otherwise
How long do you estimate it will take fpr the freeze to take effect?