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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 155479 times)

Offline lcyitz

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Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #180 on: May 04, 2012, 03:58:14 PM »
Amex won't work with a freeze ( if they usually pull exp.) from what I read.

Offline netzih

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Re: Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #181 on: May 04, 2012, 04:42:28 PM »
Amex won't work with a freeze ( if they usually pull exp.) from what I read.
I did a freeze on my experian before applying on amex got approved instantly for 2 cards than 2 days later applied for another amex and they wanted my experian pin (they approved me regardless I was just scared of too many recent inquiries) which means last time they did not pull experian, so I guess ymmv

Offline Yeki89

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Re: Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #182 on: May 06, 2012, 01:02:02 AM »
I did a freeze on my experian before applying on amex got approved instantly for 2 cards than 2 days later applied for another amex and they wanted my experian pin (they approved me regardless I was just scared of too many recent inquiries) which means last time they did not pull experian, so I guess ymmv
was that NY

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #183 on: May 06, 2012, 01:19:46 AM »
was that NY

Irrelevant. Amex typically pulls from EX in NY (if that's what you're asking), but regardless of what they pull in whatever state, they'll insist on you providing them a pin to view the report they pulled.
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Offline sim

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #184 on: May 06, 2012, 07:10:42 PM »
I froze my ex and did 3bm with chase, on 2 cards their asking for the pin to unfreeze ex, and 1 card i got approved through recon. anyone had chase ask for pin? i  had this with amex before never with chase

Offline dealvr

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #185 on: May 06, 2012, 07:23:43 PM »
They've asked me. Just ask them nicely to pull a diff bureau. You may want to have a reason for the freeze.
Or if you know which they pulled for the first one, ask them to use that.
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Offline SPGCont

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #186 on: May 07, 2012, 12:41:37 PM »
Can anyone who tried this in CA reply how Chase responded?

Did they approve apps?

Did they pull from other agency or did they request an unlock pin?

Thanks.

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #187 on: May 07, 2012, 02:49:06 PM »
Can anyone who tried this in CA reply how Chase responded?

Did they approve apps?

Did they pull from other agency or did they request an unlock pin?

Thanks.

I'd imagine it should work the same for Chase in all states.
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Offline SPGCont

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #188 on: May 07, 2012, 05:24:10 PM »
I'd imagine it should work the same for Chase in all states.

How long does the freeze take to take effect?

Is it instant?




Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #189 on: May 07, 2012, 05:25:20 PM »
How long does the freeze take to take effect?

Is it instant?

Typically, yes. The simple way to know is to try and freeze again, it should tell you it's already frozen. Also, you can wait 15 minutes just in case, though I don't think that's necessary.
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Offline MnM1130

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #190 on: May 07, 2012, 05:28:49 PM »
if amex asks you for the pin- and you give them the pin- does it unfreeze your account? when you do it online it costs money (?) does it also cost money if they unfreeze it?

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #191 on: May 07, 2012, 05:43:11 PM »
if amex asks you for the pin- and you give them the pin- does it unfreeze your account?

No, it just gives them access to your report, at no cost to you.

when you do it online it costs money (?) does it also cost money if they unfreeze it?

In most states/cases it cost to freeze and unfreeze your report.
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Offline lcyitz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #192 on: May 07, 2012, 06:01:54 PM »
When a bank pulls a credit report from a bureau, what can they see all my credit cards, or just the ones which pulled from the bureau?

Meaning if i apply to a citi card (eq) will they see my recent chase (exp)?

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #193 on: May 07, 2012, 06:06:10 PM »
When a bank pulls a credit report from a bureau, what can they see all my credit cards, or just the ones which pulled from the bureau?

Meaning if i apply to a citi card (eq) will they see my recent chase (exp)?

They see pulls from that bureau and all cards reported to that bureau. Issuers typically (though not always) report each of your cards to all three bureaus, regardless on which report(s) they pulled.
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Offline lcyitz

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #194 on: May 07, 2012, 06:22:24 PM »
So freezing, just helps your chances with a certain bureau being that, that bureau( the one your pulling from) doesn't have many pulls?

Like freezing exp.will help with a chase app because exp has to many pulls and tu and eq dont have many.

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #195 on: May 07, 2012, 06:40:25 PM »
So freezing, just helps your chances with a certain bureau being that, that bureau( the one your pulling from) doesn't have many pulls?

Like freezing exp.will help with a chase app because exp has to many pulls and tu and eq dont have many.

One of the things credits look at when examining your report is how many inquiries (hard pulls) you've got. Too many (recent) inquiries and you look like a credit risk. So (for example) in a state like NJ, where the big three (Amex, Chase and Citi) typically pull from EX, people freeze as a way to get Chase to pull from EQ or TU so that they don't see all the Amex/Citi pulls, and also when Amex/Citi pull EX they don't see the Chase pulls.
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Offline lcyitz

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Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #196 on: May 07, 2012, 06:57:04 PM »
  also when Amex/Citi pull EX they don't see the Chase pulls.

So they see cards but not pulls? ( ( so they would not see recent inquiry's?

Offline Saver2000

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #197 on: May 07, 2012, 06:57:49 PM »
So they see cards but not pulls? ( ( so they would not see recent inquiry's?


Correct.

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #198 on: May 07, 2012, 07:50:56 PM »
So they see cards but not pulls? ( ( so they would not see recent inquiry's?

If Amex and Citi pulled EX and Chase pulls your TU report, they won't see the Amex/Citi pulls.
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Offline karen

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #199 on: May 09, 2012, 10:23:50 PM »
One of the things credits look at when examining your report is how many inquiries (hard pulls) you've got. Too many (recent) inquiries and you look like a credit risk. So (for example) in a state like NJ, where the big three (Amex, Chase and Citi) typically pull from EX, people freeze as a way to get Chase to pull from EQ or TU so that they don't see all the Amex/Citi pulls, and also when Amex/Citi pull EX they don't see the Chase pulls.
If you freeze EX, how can Amex/citi pull from it? Do you freeze EX, apply Chase card, then unfreeze EX, apply Amex and Citi? Do you do freeze/unfreeze online?