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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 155442 times)

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #200 on: May 09, 2012, 10:29:06 PM »
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?

You give them the pin.

You can, yes.

You can, yes.
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Offline karen

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #201 on: May 09, 2012, 10:50:39 PM »
You give them the pin.

You can, yes.

You can, yes.
Thanks for response. Another question, if Chase asks you why they can not pull your EX  and ask your pin, how do you explain yourself? It is not like you can tell Chase that I donot want you to see.

Offline netzih

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Re: Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #202 on: May 09, 2012, 10:54:43 PM »
You give them the pin.

You can, yes.

You can, yes.
but remember depending on where you were it can cost to freeze and unfreeze it

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #203 on: May 09, 2012, 11:22:06 PM »
Thanks for response. Another question, if Chase asks you why they can not pull your EX  and ask your pin, how do you explain yourself? It is not like you can tell Chase that I donot want you to see.

Kindly ask them to simply pull "one of your unfrozen reports."

but remember depending on where you were it can cost to freeze and unfreeze it

Yes.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline karen

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #204 on: May 09, 2012, 11:45:24 PM »
Tht will sound that i am hiding something.  :)
Kindly ask them to simply pull "one of your unfrozen reports."

Yes.

Offline dealvr

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #205 on: May 10, 2012, 01:43:26 AM »
Tht will sound that i am hiding something.  :)
You can say you do it for identity theft purposes
Hey there! I am using WhatsApp.

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #206 on: May 10, 2012, 02:01:52 AM »
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?

I think it depends on what's frozen and what I'm applying for at any given time. You can freeze unfreeze online.
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Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #207 on: May 10, 2012, 11:42:32 AM »
Tht will sound that i am hiding something.  :)

No it won't. There are many reasons one would freeze a CR. Many on here have done it w/o incident.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline karen

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #208 on: May 10, 2012, 10:34:45 PM »
No it won't. There are many reasons one would freeze a CR. Many on here have done it w/o incident.
Ok, i will take your words. But I really like to know what the reasons are someone freeze his/her CR other than applying credit cards. If you say identity theft, why do you freeze other two CRs too?

Offline aryeh1

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #209 on: May 10, 2012, 10:37:53 PM »
they never asked me for some reason

Offline bruce

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #210 on: July 02, 2012, 12:36:11 PM »
My last experience with freezing Experian did not allow for a 3bm to pan out with chase.

Chase automatically sends you a letter saying that they cannot approve because Experian was frozen.

I called them and said that they can check my trans-union which they did.

However once you do that, that seems to "ruin" the 3bm because they will only apply you for one and the others will each require their own separate pulls.

Does that make sense? should I keep trying? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #211 on: July 02, 2012, 12:38:51 PM »
Try to do on the same call.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #212 on: July 02, 2012, 12:41:54 PM »
Try to do on the same call.

has tht worked for you in the past?

i was under the impression tht 3bm wont work on a frozen report precisely for the reason tht bruce mentioned!

Offline bruce

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #213 on: July 02, 2012, 12:43:54 PM »
On the call the rep said that once the first card goes through, I can try calling back.

I did a few times but they seem adamant that a new pull is required.

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #214 on: July 02, 2012, 01:14:13 PM »
has tht worked for you in the past?

i was under the impression tht 3bm wont work on a frozen report precisely for the reason tht bruce mentioned!

It has worked for me, yes.

I did a 2BM with frozen E's and got one pull.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline bruce

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #215 on: July 02, 2012, 01:16:02 PM »
Did you first get one card and call again, or was it on the same phone call?

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #216 on: July 02, 2012, 01:22:03 PM »
Did you first get one card and call again, or was it on the same phone call?

Try to do on the same call.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline SGF

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Re: Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #217 on: July 31, 2012, 06:30:03 PM »
but remember depending on where you were it can cost to freeze and unfreeze it
does it - and if yes how much does it - cost to freeze and unfreeze, EX in NYC?

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #218 on: July 31, 2012, 06:57:41 PM »
Easily found on google.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline SGF

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #219 on: July 31, 2012, 11:39:57 PM »
Easily found on google.
thanx,
once i found DDF i forgot about google  :D