Since reading this board it has come to my attention that some companies offer credit line increases w/o pulling hard inquires. I have been able to get increases from Target and Sears this way. Target came from calling cs and Sears was online. Amex wanted lots of additional info and Macy's pulled a hard. Since it's not certain that I'll receive an incease, I don't want tons of inqs. on my rpt for nothing. (Actually, I don't want tons of inqs. on my rpt for something.) Does anyone know of other cards who do this w/o a hard inq? Thanks in advance.
Are these online or thru cs and do you have to talk to someone or go thru the menu? The reason I ask is that I am a wimp about talking to the live person sometimes.
Citi pulled a hard inquiry on me in December 2001 when I asked for a CL increase. Turned me down flat. BTW, Breeze, you'll remember this, with your help, as well as Marci and Doc, about a week after being turned down flat, I did the BDD thingy and got two new Citi AA cards with a total CL of $13.5K. The next day I combined them onto the Classic Mastercard they wouldn't give me a CL increase of $500 and converted it to platinum. All in all, a good week that was.
MandyB, When you received your Sears increase, were you presented with a pre-approved increase or did you have to fill in the form? That's what I get when I click the link, but don't want to "request" an increase with a hard inquiry. Thanks
Re: Sears increase The didn't tell me that I was preapproved. I just went to see if it would work. I went to their website and clicked on a credit increase option and answered "yes" to a CL increase. The system came back and said that I was approved. It didn't ask for further information. When I tried the same thing w/ Amex Optima, they wanted me to fill out what amounted to a new application.
Re: Sears increase With Cap One, call the CS number, go through the phone menu, but when it seems like it is over, don't hang up - keep waiting - another menu begins, and that is where the CL increase is, it is "push a button, get an increase, or get declined" - no inquiry. DMB, I called them, ask for some "goodies" - "I've been a good customer, this is my fave card, I would like to use it more, do I qualify for anything better?" Got APR reduced one time, CL increase another, special BT offer another. They always give me something.
Re: DMB Not familiar w/ them but will do a search. Got denied an increase w/ Cap 1. Will be interested in seeing the letter b/c acct is in good standing and always has been. Don't think that I have ever asked for an increase and I've had acct since '99.
Re: DMB SEARS did a "HARD"...even though they do a "SOFT" every single month... SEARS is getting a letter that will say something like..."I have been a cardmember since 1979 NEVER OVER-LIMIT, NEVER LATE, I went on-line and filled out the form to request a limit increase...a "HARD" was pulled from TRANS UNION and I was DENIED the increase. This is what I propose you do...REMOVE THE "HARD" inquiry from TRANS UNION or CLOSE THE ACCOUNT" I didn't expect $70,000 increase...just like $700 or $1,700...(I haven't had any limit increase for MANY, MANY YEARS).
Re: DMB When asking (on the phone) for a limit increase...I WOULD SAY..."I DON'T WANT A 'HARD' SINCE IT ADVERSELY AFFECTS MY F.I.C.O. SCORE)... You have to decide how important the increase is if they say they HAVE TO DO A "HARD"...I have said "NEVER-MIND"...
Re: Hard Inq. I guess I worry that they're going to pull the hard anyway even if I tell them not to. And it seems like once they do it's really difficult to get it removed.
