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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 155474 times)

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #420 on: March 20, 2014, 11:19:12 AM »
15 HUCAs with chase and not one rep willing to pull a different bureau. I think freezing EX with chase is pretty much dead...

You called recon 15 times, and to just pull a different bureau?

A man with a death wish, IMO.
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Offline ushdadude

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #421 on: March 20, 2014, 11:45:01 AM »
my ex is frozen and i just got an inquiry alert from protectmyid. how is that possible?

Offline Penguin711

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #422 on: March 20, 2014, 12:01:14 PM »
I had the same thing yesterday - my ex isn't frozen but I got an alert from protectmyid and it was an alert from TU

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #423 on: March 20, 2014, 12:20:31 PM »
another change seems to be that now they write notes on the apps from previous calls, something that wasnt there last year. so that might hinder the process as well.
Got that impression with Citi.

Offline wonderlust

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #424 on: March 20, 2014, 11:04:32 PM »

Offline TAVI

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #425 on: March 21, 2014, 11:25:31 AM »
You called recon 15 times, and to just pull a different bureau?

A man with a death wish, IMO.

naa, just pure old stubbornness i guess :)

Offline yoshi

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #426 on: March 25, 2014, 09:11:57 PM »
When freezing Experian do they take you off the list to receive pre-approved credit card offers? I froze my Experian and I got in the mail that my name was removed for offers for five years. I'm assuming this was connected to my report being frozen. Cmiiw.

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #427 on: March 25, 2014, 09:16:42 PM »
When freezing Experian do they take you off the list to receive pre-approved credit card offers? I froze my Experian and I got in the mail that my name was removed for offers for five years. I'm assuming this was connected to my report being frozen. Cmiiw.

normal procedure

Offline yoshi

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #428 on: March 25, 2014, 09:19:25 PM »
normal procedure

So how do I get my name back on? When I unfreeze it's automatic or do I have to specifically request it?

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #429 on: March 25, 2014, 09:31:42 PM »
So how do I get my name back on? When I unfreeze it's automatic or do I have to specifically request it?

should be a form on the bottom of the letter they sent. you can also try calling

Offline yoshi

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #430 on: March 25, 2014, 09:35:31 PM »
should be a form on the bottom of the letter they sent. you can also try calling

No form. Only if I want to stop it permentally. I guess I'll call. Thanks for the help. :)

Offline rivkao

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #431 on: April 01, 2014, 05:36:25 PM »
If I froze my Experian would Chase be able to report that they closed my cards?

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #432 on: April 01, 2014, 06:10:15 PM »
If I froze my Experian would Chase be able to report that they closed my cards?

yes.

Offline aradisc

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #433 on: April 01, 2014, 07:14:01 PM »
Chase here (MD) pulls both Equifax and Experian at the same time. Freezed Experian and they're happy to go forward with just Equifax.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 07:17:50 PM by aradisc »

Offline Ephcc90

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #434 on: April 01, 2014, 07:36:25 PM »

Chase here (MD) pulls both Equifax and Experian at the same time. Freezed Experian and they're happy to go forward with just Equifax.
Did u have to call?

Offline rivkao

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #435 on: April 06, 2014, 11:46:49 PM »
Can I check my credit if I froze my experian?

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #436 on: April 07, 2014, 11:19:34 AM »
Can I check my credit if I froze my experian?

should be  able to

Offline SamKey

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #437 on: June 17, 2014, 03:33:33 AM »
Does it make sense that experian wants $ to unfreeze my report???

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #438 on: June 17, 2014, 07:15:42 AM »
Does it make sense that experian wants $ to unfreeze my report???

yes...should be nominal though

Offline Boruch999

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Re: Credit Freeze to Improve Your Experian Score
« Reply #439 on: August 10, 2014, 03:02:26 AM »
Chase here (MD) pulls both Equifax and Experian at the same time. Freezed Experian and they're happy to go forward with just Equifax.

Did you have to call them, or apps just went through?