Talked with a VERY helpful supervisor about EVERY question I've ever had about Prov. 30 minute conversation. Here's the info: Prov classic to gold: 3 ways to now get it. Mail solicitation, phone solicitation (by them mind you), and YOU REQUEST IT~~ This changed several months ago in response to so many people wanting a gold card and being tired of waiting for it to magically arrive. 120 day rule applies. If you've accepted/ asked and gotten an over 200 line increase you CANNOT upgrade your account to Gold by request. If it's been over 120 days then you can ask, they input into magical computer, and see what happens!!! For all those who have been so helpful to me, the update on my account is that since I got 1000 on 1/9 I need to let it go w/out asking for anything else for the 120 days. She said I should get an offer for Gold this time around (with an added credit line increase attached to it). Course, I'll call and ask for it before that! And if they send me an upgrade offer w/fee I'll try to get the fee waiver!!! I'm learning! My interest rate is better than gold or gold premiere... so we'll see how that factors. I won't change and go UP in interest rate by 2-3 points. The difference btn Gold and Gold Premiere is mainly 1 thing. Gold Premiere has a 1 time balance transfer option. All other Prov. gold cards do not offer any balance transfers. The max limit for any Prov card is 15K but you can have multiple cards. Platinum is still by invitation only. You won't see this invition before 24 months of activity. And yes, Virginia, they really are adding upgrade packages this summer w/better interest rates/ grace periods/ etc!!! Esp for those wanting to cancel their cards. They are trying also to retain their longtime customers with these new packages. So the lesson here certainly is to be persistent in asking for improvements to your account! Have fun calling them!!!
RE: That's the exact same info that I've gotten when I've talked to the Supervisors. It's seems we have something in common with (harrassing) Providian. The only thing I was told differently was the maximum limit on the classic card was 10,000 and the platinum was 25,000. We'll I guess I'll know the limit for the classic in a few months. I've went from 500-9,879 in 28 months. My major increases has been in the last year. I've gone from 2,500 to 9,879 in the last 9 months.
RE: 24 months to platinum. Not Minimum... doesn't mean you'll get it and I'm being so NICELY aggressive w/improving my card with them. Keep my profitability/ utilization healthy, call in somewhat regularly, etc! They should upgrade me! I'll deserve it for all the work that's gone into this account
RE: That's the exact same info Oh, I like your tenacity!!! What are you doing in the last 9 mos? Are these paid increases??? Do tell!!! That's a HUGE jump. I could see, since we were mostly talking classic/ gold that their limit is 15K with Platinum being different (though she did make it sound like any card)... who knows, with every question I tend to get 4 different answers from 4 different people
RE: That's the exact same info Just got off the phone with Providian. Got my interest rate reduced to 16.9....YAHOOOO! Now, what the person told me was that I can't request increases, they're only given by solicitation. I was thanks and thought to myself, WHATEVER!!!! In 4 months, I'll call for a credit increase. Thanks guys (and gals)
RE: That's the exact same info Shantel wrote: "Now, what the person told me was that I can't request increases, they're only given by solicitation." If you can't lie without blinking, don't apply for a job w/ Proidian LOL Congrat's on the APR reduction! Saar
You can always ask for increas Just make certain it's been OVER 120 days since your last increase of over 200 (200 or under is ok). Also, if you got upgraded to gold you have to wait until 120 days. They want you to wait for the offers so you can PAY to upgrade. If all you want is an increase in credit ASK. Course, this does put off THEIR upgrade process 4 months (and I think they don't really like missing it). You could always wait and see what they offer, then call and ask anyway (like you didn't get the offer in the mail) that way you wouldn't have to pay an upgrade fee maybe.
RE: Thanks.... Marie, I see that we are on the same page with Providian. I haven't paid for any increases. Unless you count Health Advantage and Destinations, and their 400.00 total in xtra credit. I haven't paid for any upgrade offers, mainly because I hadn't gotten any. I got my first offer in 11/00 for 500.00 + 99.00 fee. I didn't get that. I've gotten my increases by threatning to close my account because I wasn't satisfied with my limit. I've gotten 3 consecutive 2,000 increases and it "wasn't" a 120 days apart. I can't wait that long, because I know I'm a GOOD customer, and they know it too. I've always carried a balance, and paid at least 10% of my balance each month. My highest balance has been 5100. When I requested my last increase, my balance was only 24.00, so they knew I meant business, because it had only been 2 months since my last 2,000 increase. I'm on a roll with them. Also, I've done the same thing with my hubby's Aria account. His limit has went from 500 to 6,000 in one year flat. We have paid for two of his increases. One was for 1,000 and the other was 500. I sure hope I'm on the top of the list when they start sending out their Platinum upgrades, since this is one account I'll probably never close.
IMPRESSIVE!!! Ok, I'll get more aggressive. In comparison to you I've been downright reasonable! ARe you just building credit... or are you Rebuilding credit (I'm 2 years post BK) but I really don't think that affects them a bit!
RE: IMPRESSIVE!!! Yeah, that's impressive...from 500 to 6000 in a year? It's been more than 120 since my last increase of $1000 (that was in July). I paid for it. I've been a paying customer, on time. I went over the limit once (one of those Auto Advantage things) but I called and had that charge reversed. That was back in Oct or Nov. Oh yeah, the guy also said credit increases also depend on 3 things: Paying on time, paying at least the mininum, stay under the limit AND use the card every month!! I thought, Oh yeah? Now, it was obvious he was reading from a script but I'll call and try to work them. Marie, did you get a rate decrease AND a credit line increase at the same time, or within that 120 days?
RE: I am building...... my credit. Providian was actually my second card in 9/98. My first was Macy's with a 100.00 limit. I have now build a power house of credit, along with my hubby. I started building his right after mine. I am extremely happy because we are still young and we got a late start on building our credit, and now our major limits total about 90,000. And that's a big jump for us considering, six months ago, our total limits were less than 30,000. I can tell anyone that you don't have to have a high fico score to acheive high limits. (But you need that high score to get the best interest rates) Our scores range from 580-640 and that's with NO negatives.
This is what you do: call 1-80 Rate decreases you can ask for anytime and it doesn't seen to affect anything else. BUT, if you haven't gotten a line of credit increase in 120+ I'd do this: Call up and be as nice as can be Tell them you really like them but your credit must be improving because you're getting offers for better cards, isn't that great!!! Tell them a good friend of yours (who also has a Providian card) told you to call up and just ask for a line of credit increase b/c Providian can do that... LET THEM PROCESS THE INCREASE FIRST... then, after they tell you how much your increase is say something like: Now, while I've got you and you're so nice, let's go ahead and fix the interest rate so I can really stay w/Providian for a long time. My friend just has a classic card and she got a 16.9 from 23.99 in just one call! SEE what they say... They'll probably offer 19.9 (that seems to be their standard first offer of a decrease)... be polite, but say you really had your heart set on 16.9... If they'll only take it to 19... take it and call back a week later. Interest rate decreases seem to be the easiest. By the way, the 19% rate is their gold rate and 16.9 is their best rate, period. Have fun!!!
