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Credit Bureau Info:

Experian: 800-493-1058 With A Report Number

Experian: 714-830-7000 (Without A Report Number) Call and Press 0. You will get connected to the switchboard operator. Tell them you just called in and entered your report number and the automated system disconnected you. Ask them if they can get a human on the line for disputes. That's the only way you'll be able to get through to a live person at Experian without a Report Number.

Equifax: 800-846-5279

TransUnion: 800-916-8800


Comparison between FAKO from Credit karma and FICO from Barclays and Citi.


Cards that give you free monthly FICO's


AMEX personal cards = EX 08 Switched to FAKO (VantageScore 3.0)
Chase Slate = EX (either 08 or Bankcard enhanced)
PSECU = EX 04

Citi branded cards = EQ 08 Bankcard enhanced
Citi AA = EQ bankcard enhanced
DCU= EQ 04
PenFed = EQ NextGen
Elements Financial (Credit Union, score available for without opening CC) = EQ 5

Barclays = TU 08
Discover it = TU 08
Walmart (store or MC) = TU 08
« Last edited by Lev26 on April 13, 2022, 02:28:07 AM »

Author Topic: credit score  (Read 809559 times)

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2420 on: March 01, 2016, 06:56:42 PM »
I was denied because I have too many new accounts. What would you say? I tried 2 times and then gave up. It was a waste of a pull.

What does the rest or your report look like?

Oldest account age?
$2 trick?
A lot of short term cards?
Internal history of only using cards for the bonus?
Heavy usage?

Offline newdealseeker

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2421 on: March 01, 2016, 06:59:15 PM »
Chase: I see you've opened up a lot of credit recently. Why do you want the BA card?"

Me: well I had been using my United a lot, but I am planning on flying AA a lot more since they own my local airport. It would compliment my UR cards very well.

Chase: well I do see that you use all of your cards and have a history of making large purchases and paying in full. It also appears that you use all of your cards regularly and didn't stop using them after the signup bonus.

Me: yes, Chase and Amex get most of my business and you'll notice that I don't carry any balances. I hate paying CC interest and manage my cards closely.

Chase: Normally this application would be denied, but since you have a good history with Chase and use all of your cards regularly I am going to approve your application.

That was my last conversation on a Chase recon call after they reviewed my report and application for a few minutes.
By me I tried explaining that I have excellent credit history with them. And they agreed. And that I really want a CSP for its travel benefits, a card which I don't have. So they told me that I can upgrade my "un"preferred to preferred.
I was basically going around in circles.

Offline newdealseeker

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2422 on: March 01, 2016, 07:05:43 PM »
What does the rest or your report look like?

Oldest account age?
$2 trick?
A lot of short term cards?
Internal history of only using cards for the bonus?
Heavy usage?
Oldest account is 7.5 years.
Short term only business charge cards, though they do show up on my report.
Internal use: I have 2 Freedom cards which are my everyday spend card, plus a Sapphire card. The only card I have only for the bonus is a co-branded airline card which I didn't use after bonus. That's it.
Most of my cards closed soon after opening are not Chase.

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2423 on: March 01, 2016, 07:13:15 PM »
Oldest account is 7.5 years.
Short term only business charge cards, though they do show up on my report.
Internal use: I have 2 Freedom cards which are my everyday spend card, plus a Sapphire card. The only card I have only for the bonus is a co-branded airline card which I didn't use after bonus. That's it.
Most of my cards closed soon after opening are not Chase.

Are you talking about a Chase Biz app?  They won't check your Biz report for a personal card.

How many new Biz cards?

How many cards are on your report that were closed after a few months?

$2 trick or no? How much reported utilization?

How much usage on your Chase cards?

How many Amex AUs do you have reporting?

I already have a good idea of a few reasons. Some of the things I see people do here make their reports stand out as a churner. That's only part of it.

Offline PETERP

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2424 on: March 01, 2016, 08:28:23 PM »
Chase: I see you've opened up a lot of credit recently. Why do you want the BA card?"

Me: well I had been using my United a lot, but I am planning on flying AA a lot more since they own my local airport. It would compliment my UR cards very well.

Chase: well I do see that you use all of your cards and have a history of making large purchases and paying in full. It also appears that you use all of your cards regularly and didn't stop using them after the signup bonus.

Me: yes, Chase and Amex get most of my business and you'll notice that I don't carry any balances. I hate paying CC interest and manage my cards closely.

Chase: Normally this application would be denied, but since you have a good history with Chase and use all of your cards regularly I am going to approve your application.

That was my last conversation on a Chase recon call after they reviewed my report and application for a few minutes.


I would think the fact that you use all of your carsds  regularly , as opposed to many of us who open them , and then put them in the sock drawer is an important consideration .

I will try spreading my spending around. Re history of large purchases , any of that MS ?

Offline Venilla

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2425 on: March 01, 2016, 08:32:54 PM »
I've tried to learn what I can here and share what I know.
I'm all ears :)


Oldest account age? 21 but my AAoA is very low... I've gotten too many bonuses :)
$2 trick? No
A lot of short term cards? Many, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get the bonus on the cards like the Amex Platinum, Citi Prestige without paying $450...
Internal history of only using cards for the bonus? I try to use all my cards every so often.
Heavy usage? How do you manage to utilize all of your cards? I have over 25 active accounts, impossible to use them all...
« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 08:39:13 PM by Venilla »
I like vanilla but my name is Venilla.

Offline PETERP

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2426 on: March 01, 2016, 09:29:12 PM »
I'm all ears :)


Oldest account age? 21 but my AAoA is very low... I've gotten too many bonuses :)
$2 trick? No
A lot of short term cards? Many, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get the bonus on the cards like the Amex Platinum, Citi Prestige without paying $450...
Internal history of only using cards for the bonus? I try to use all my cards every so often.
Heavy usage? How do you manage to utilize all of your cards? I have over 25 active accounts, impossible to use them all...

Have you been looking at my notes  :) Similar problems , same questions .

Offline Zalc

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2427 on: March 01, 2016, 09:52:27 PM »


I already have a good idea of a few reasons. Some of the things I see people do here make their reports stand out as a churner. That's only part of it.
So how would someone without a large spending ability "not stand out as a churner" when they have 15+ open accounts?

What's the other part of it?

Offline newdealseeker

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2428 on: March 01, 2016, 10:31:08 PM »
Are you talking about a Chase Biz app?  They won't check your Biz report for a personal card.

How many new Biz cards?

How many cards are on your report that were closed after a few months?

$2 trick or no? How much reported utilization?

How much usage on your Chase cards?

How many Amex AUs do you have reporting?

I already have a good idea of a few reasons. Some of the things I see people do here make their reports stand out as a churner. That's only part of it.
Not a biz app, a Sapphire preferred.
About 8 closed Biz cards.
I started $2 trick only after that application.
My Chase card usage is very nice. Of course it varies from month to month but I don't have that many Chase cards and mostly use all of them every month. But then I usually paid them down to $0 even before statement closing. (Now I leave $2 on one of them.) So I don't know if internally they realize that they're all being used.
And only 1-2 Amex AUs.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 10:58:46 PM by newdealseeker »

Offline yochiek93

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2429 on: March 01, 2016, 10:39:26 PM »


Not a biz app, a Sapphire preferred.
About 8 closed Biz cards.
I started $2 trick only after that application.
My Chase card usage is very nice. Of course it varies from month to month but I don't have that money and mostly use them all every month. But then I usually paid them down to $0 even before statement closing. (Now I leave $2 on one of them.) So I don't know if internally they realize that they're all being used.
And only 1-2 Amex AUs.

Why wouldn't they realize that you used it won't look like high utilization on your CR but they know if it was used

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2430 on: March 01, 2016, 11:54:54 PM »
What does the rest or your report look like?

$2 trick? That only works for fico score which doesn't hell for chase.

A lot of short term cards? Unless your paying all the hefty af's, your going to have those

Internal history of only using cards for the bonus? Alot of people can't manage to put serious spend in every single one of their cards. It's just not possible.

Heavy usage? Again, you can't always manage heavy usage on so many cards, unless you have a personal business.
Life is as good as you make it...

Offline D93

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2431 on: March 02, 2016, 12:53:33 AM »
Chase: I see you've opened up a lot of credit recently. Why do you want the BA card?"

Me: well I had been using my United a lot, but I am planning on flying AA a lot more since they own my local airport. It would compliment my UR cards very well.

Chase: well I do see that you use all of your cards and have a history of making large purchases and paying in full. It also appears that you use all of your cards regularly and didn't stop using them after the signup bonus.

Me: yes, Chase and Amex get most of my business and you'll notice that I don't carry any balances. I hate paying CC interest and manage my cards closely.

Chase: Normally this application would be denied, but since you have a good history with Chase and use all of your cards regularly I am going to approve your application.

That was my last conversation on a Chase recon call after they reviewed my report and application for a few minutes.

Thanks for taking the time to write this out.

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2432 on: March 02, 2016, 01:42:13 AM »

I would think the fact that you use all of your carsds  regularly , as opposed to many of us who open them , and then put them in the sock drawer is an important consideration .

I will try spreading my spending around. Re history of large purchases , any of that MS ?

Yes, that's probably a big part of it. 

I do some MS on those cards, but Chase UR cards are part of my regular everyday spending.  Even without MS, it adds up to quite a bit.

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2433 on: March 02, 2016, 01:46:20 AM »
I'm all ears :)


Oldest account age? 21 but my AAoA is very low... I've gotten too many bonuses :)
$2 trick? No
A lot of short term cards? Many, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get the bonus on the cards like the Amex Platinum, Citi Prestige without paying $450...
Internal history of only using cards for the bonus? I try to use all my cards every so often.
Heavy usage? How do you manage to utilize all of your cards? I have over 25 active accounts, impossible to use them all...

AAOA is overrated.  Oldest account age is much more important for FICO and in many cases, for an UW looking at your report.

$2 trick improves your report as much as possible.  There's no reason not to do it.

I realize the tradeoff with churning cards.  There are ways to keep cards open longer though, which should be considered.  You can always PC to a different product or if it's an AF card, at the very least wait the full year before closing it.  I'm sure having your reports littered with cards that were open for 1-2 months doesn't help.

I have as many cards as you do and although I track them in an Excel spreadsheet, have no issue using them all regularly and tracking them in my head.  Some of my cards will never see more than a 50 cent Amazon gift card purchase to keep them active.

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2434 on: March 02, 2016, 01:47:52 AM »
So how would someone without a large spending ability "not stand out as a churner" when they have 15+ open accounts?

What's the other part of it?

Churner = you opened the card for the bonus and either closed it right away or stopped using it.

Having a lot of open accounts that have been open for years is completely different, and helps to stabilize your FICOs long term with a solid AAOA.

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2435 on: March 02, 2016, 01:49:53 AM »
Not a biz app, a Sapphire preferred.
About 8 closed Biz cards.
I started $2 trick only after that application.
My Chase card usage is very nice. Of course it varies from month to month but I don't have that many Chase cards and mostly use all of them every month. But then I usually paid them down to $0 even before statement closing. (Now I leave $2 on one of them.) So I don't know if internally they realize that they're all being used.
And only 1-2 Amex AUs.

For a Sapphire Preferred, they aren't going to check your business credit.  The only thing they may check is their own internal records for business credit history with Chase.

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2436 on: March 02, 2016, 01:50:57 AM »

Why wouldn't they realize that you used it won't look like high utilization on your CR but they know if it was used

+1

And payment history is reported by many creditors anyway. 

My Chase cards always report $0, and they certainly know that I use them heavily.

Offline D93

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2437 on: March 02, 2016, 01:53:47 AM »
Being that all my cards close at $0 except for 1 card,  do recon reps see it as if I'm not using those cards at all?

Offline Mendelssohn

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2438 on: March 02, 2016, 01:55:14 AM »
Being that all my cards close at $0 except for 1 card,  do recon reps see it as if I'm not using those cards at all?

No.  In most cases, they can see usage.  Payment history is reported by most issuers, so the statement balance is not all that they see.

I do this every month and have never had issues showing heavy usage.

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Re: credit score
« Reply #2439 on: March 02, 2016, 01:57:25 AM »
No.  In most cases, they can see usage.  Payment history is reported by most issuers, so the statement balance is not all that they see.

I do this every month and have never had issues showing heavy usage.

Got it! Thanks.