As my FICO improved I started getting offers for cards from lenders that I have stiffed in the past. When you apply for credit the lender checks credit reports and their own files. Anyone else suspect like me that this is an attempt to track people down in order to collect a past debt?
The lenders that you have "stiffed in the past" could be doing one of two things. 1. They could have purchased lists from the CRAs for names and addresses of individuals who fall within, for example, a specific scoring range. In that case your criteria caused you to be included within the list. Of course, if you applied for the card you could be discovered to be on the creditor's blacklist (and this could open a door you may not want opened) separate from your being judged based on your credit report. 2. Your creditors have mailed what appear, on the surface, to be standard card offers. In fact, these could be attempts to collect on your debts to them (and will state so somewhere within the offer).
I received offers that said if you make payments of $xx dollars your account will have a limit of 1/2 of $xx dollars. I assume it was on the up and up but I never checked it out. I have now forgotten if it was a OC or a CA.
If you are receiving offers from "The Credit Store" beware - they are most likely attempting to collect an old debt. Read very carefully. Generally speaking, do not accept offers from creditors you have stiffed in the past. They have long memories.
I should have been more specific. Last year I was in the low 600's to high 500's. This year with the help of this website I'm in the low 700's to high 600's. In the past few months I received what look like legit offers for platinum cards from MBNA and a few other lenders. I just can't fathom that their IT system is so screwed up that they can't scrub their direct mail list with their own records.
Re: Re: CC offer as a collection attempt? I can go into a long dissertation about pre-approvals and how they purchase lists from the CRAs, etc. and criteria used, but it's not important in your case. What IS important (IMHO) is that you don't apply for a cc with a company that may have you on their blacklist...unless you're prepared to satisfy a previous debt as a start and then plead your case for a second chance. But that's just one person's opinion.
