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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 155566 times)

Offline ye

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #260 on: December 11, 2012, 10:49:47 AM »
Can anyone confirm if freezing officially no longer works for Chase Business cards?

I called 3 times, and all 3 reps told me that they just recently implemented a new rule, that if your report is frozen, they may ONLY pull from the frozen report (i.e. the report they initially attempted to pull from), so you either need to unfreeze your report, or you need to provide them with the pin in order to process the application.
I just called recon for 2 biz accounts, the first time they said I need to provide the pin for Experian and would not budge, called back they said they need the pin for TU since that is the report they tried pulling, and I said that I spoke to someone earlier and he told me to unfreeze Equifax, after a 5 min. hold he said I see that Equifax is not frozen, and approved both cards.

Offline compddd

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Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #261 on: December 14, 2012, 01:16:22 PM »
I have my EX frozen and I called Chase recon and asked them to pull my TU, and they said sure, but why is your EX frozen? and I stupidly said "because I got a fraud alert on ID monitor so I froze it" and now they won't pull TU and they notated my app to say I need to unfreeze my EX before they'll process it.

Am I SOL? Should I just apply again and when they ask me why it's frozen for the new app, I can tell them something else?

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #262 on: December 14, 2012, 01:20:06 PM »
I have my EX frozen and I called Chase recon and asked them to pull my TU, and they said sure, but why is your EX frozen? and I stupidly said "because I got a fraud alert on ID monitor so I froze it" and now they won't pull TU and they notated my app to say I need to unfreeze my EX before they'll process it.

Am I SOL? Should I just apply again and when they ask me why it's frozen for the new app, I can tell them something else?

HUCA and tell them a diiferent reason and the rep you spoke to last time must of not understood you

Offline compddd

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Re: Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #263 on: December 14, 2012, 01:25:36 PM »
Just did and the new rep told me they changed their policy and they can't pull other bureaus now.

:/

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #264 on: December 14, 2012, 01:46:58 PM »
Just did and the new rep told me they changed their policy and they can't pull other bureaus now.

:/

HUCA HUCA HUCA


Offline compddd

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Re: Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #265 on: December 14, 2012, 01:53:16 PM »
HUCA HUCA HUCA

They are notating my app each time I call, like Barclays does

This sucks, I'm tempted to say screw it and just unfreeze my EX

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #266 on: December 14, 2012, 01:56:34 PM »
They are notating my app each time I call, like Barclays does

This sucks, I'm tempted to say screw it and just unfreeze my EX

I know its aggravating but you will eventually get a rep that won't realize but it might take time...


Offline compddd

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Re: Chase Recon with frozen EX
« Reply #267 on: December 14, 2012, 06:59:49 PM »
HUCA x 10 and no dice, they always say that someone put a note on my app about the EX fraud alert.

I'm thinking just submit another app and wait for the rejection letter with reference number and then call recon again?

Offline compddd

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What excuse do you give recon when they ask why one of your reports is frozen?
« Reply #268 on: December 18, 2012, 01:11:11 PM »
I did a new app and I have my EX frozen, and I'm trying to deal with Chase recon, in the past they've always said no problem and pulled TU, but now they ask me why my EX is frozen.

What reason should I give? I can't give the fraud reason because then they clam up and refuse to do anything.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2012, 01:26:19 PM by compddd »

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #269 on: December 25, 2012, 10:02:33 PM »
I have a fair amount of inquiries on my experian and TU profiles, but only one old one on my equifax. I would like to apply for a chase card, citi card, spg card, and amex blue card for my next app o rama. What would be the best way to do this? Thanks

Offline MosheP

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #270 on: December 27, 2012, 11:36:51 AM »
I froze my EQ and EX this morning. I then did a 2BM for the UA and Ink Plus biz cards. I called recon after 20 minuets and the guy asked me a few questions about the business, asked me to hold for 3-4 minuets, when he came back he told me he approved both cards.

What happened?

Did the freezes not take effect yet? (no mention of that anywhere on the confirmations)
Did he pull TU? 1 pull or 2 pulls?

 

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #271 on: December 27, 2012, 11:44:15 AM »
I froze my EQ and EX this morning. I then did a 2BM for the UA and Ink Plus biz cards. I called recon after 20 minuets and the guy asked me a few questions about the business, asked me to hold for 3-4 minuets, when he came back he told me he approved both cards.

What happened?

Did the freezes not take effect yet? (no mention of that anywhere on the confirmations)
Did he pull TU? 1 pull or 2 pulls?

Check your credit report.
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 MosheP

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #272 on: December 27, 2012, 11:49:00 AM »
Check your credit report.

I'm using Citi IdentityMonitor, AFAIK they only update once per day. I already got today's report and I don't want to wait until tomorrow. Has anyone had experience with a freeze not taking place instantly?

Offline gloreglabert

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #273 on: December 27, 2012, 02:26:36 PM »
I tried getting an IB with EX frozen.  They tried to pull EX, failed obviously.  Called recon and tried to get them to pull anything else.  Failed.  HUCA x4.  All failed.  Every one of them cited the (apparently recent) rule that if the computer chooses a CRA, they aren't allowed to pull anything else.

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #274 on: December 27, 2012, 03:01:18 PM »
Seems to be the case with Chase business cards...
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 MosheP

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #275 on: December 31, 2012, 10:28:51 AM »
I froze my EQ and EX this morning. I then did a 2BM for the UA and Ink Plus biz cards. I called recon after 20 minuets and the guy asked me a few questions about the business, asked me to hold for 3-4 minuets, when he came back he told me he approved both cards.

What happened?

Did the freezes not take effect yet? (no mention of that anywhere on the confirmations)
Did he pull TU? 1 pull or 2 pulls?

 

It has been 4 days since my app and Citi identity Monitor hasn't reported any hard pulls. I just called Chase Lending Services and the CSR told me that they pulled TU for both apps. He didn't know if it was a single pull (2bm) or 2 pulls.

I don't know how this happened, but I'm not complaining.

My only question is, why didn't Citi report a hard TU pull?

Offline elizmm

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #276 on: January 08, 2013, 01:31:27 AM »
It has been 4 days since my app and Citi identity Monitor hasn't reported any hard pulls. I just called Chase Lending Services and the CSR told me that they pulled TU for both apps. He didn't know if it was a single pull (2bm) or 2 pulls.

I don't know how this happened, but I'm not complaining.

My only question is, why didn't Citi report a hard TU pull?
What state do you live in?
It is all from Hashem and he will continue to give!

Offline elizmm

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #277 on: January 08, 2013, 01:41:51 AM »
Would this work:

If I were to change my address to a Florida address (relative) and wait a month or 2, do you think this would help with Citi and Amex so that they would not pull on EXPR?

Based on this : http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?app=creditpulls most ppl's citi pulls are from tu/eqf
It is all from Hashem and he will continue to give!

Offline MEIR613

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #278 on: January 08, 2013, 04:23:19 AM »
Would this work:

If I were to change my address to a Florida address (relative) and wait a month or 2, do you think this would help with Citi and Amex so that they would not pull on EXPR?

Based on this : http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?app=creditpulls most ppl's citi pulls are from tu/eqf
You will have to go through the verification dept.  Citi might make you send proof of address. Big Pain. Not worth it IMO.

Offline MosheP

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #279 on: January 08, 2013, 07:31:00 AM »