@Anonymous wrote:Going to make this PenFed Data Points Share my 1st post, hopefully of many, in order to give back as so many have and do with ANY posts and sharing...Thanks to ALL of you! Old Schoolers and Newbies (your data helped as much or more in my education!) alike...I am truly grateful to you all! I will make a post documenting my journey from the start to share with others that credit can be achieved after being tagged a no go for a long time...AND when done with knowledge acquired from studying what is so freely shared on this forum...doesn't have to be throwing blind darts. I digress (just so amazed and excited at the affect MF and this post has had on my ride in a short time!)
This was my 3rd APP, but my 1st backed with some knowledge...and the results are nothing short of AMAZING!
Product(s) approved and Limit(If approved for multiple products please include date if not immediate): Platinum Rewards Visa Signature $18K@ @ 17.24%- Only APP done so far, 7 days after joining (App Done 1/20/17)
EQ 08 Fico: 718
Penfed Nextgen: 686Instant or Review?: Instant, but required me to call for ID verification (said address verification at first, see below)
POI?(If yes, what type of proof of income) None
AAOA: 3.5 yrs. (1 Acct) as AU on a BofA w/ $1K CL - Had a recently paid Child Support on there for 15 Yrs (see below)
Derogs?: (If you have a BK please list type and discharge date!):Util: 11%
Total EQ Inquiries:
Last 12 months: 3 (2 Mtg Pulls, 1 Local CU)
Last 6 months: 3 (2 Mtg Pulls, 1 Local CU)
New Accounts in last 12 months: 0 (on Report) - got approved by Local CU Same day
Last 6 months:0 (on Report) - got approved by Local CU Same day
A couple other Data Points that I wish I would have seen shared (still grateful!) to help me see which profiles I more closely resembled, or that may or may not have had an affect on my approval:
I only had 1 account as an AU reporting good for 3.5 Yrs (VERY thin file, not even scoring yet on TU or EX)
As I only score EQ (and am working on getting a CR from them - I have MF 1B) I am unsure if the following account is factored into my AAoA?
Had a Child Support Account Showing with starting date 1/2001 Paid Off 10/2016 - showing $0 Bal but shows on CR:
Current Status: At least 120 days or more than four payments past due
And 20+ 90 Day lates, showing from 5/2016 going back (disputing this on EQ, in Round 2...another post!)
I joined pfcu on 1/14/2017 with $5 in Savings, did not apply immediately, received a statement on 1/17/2016 and applied for my CC on 1/20 with above results.
Joined my local CU same day, before CR pull at PFCU and they gave me a $500 SL Visa (thought I was doomed!), that follow by a DENY from Discover IT (humbled some more)...both prior to above
Had a FICO 08 (pulled from Mtg) 639 score on 8/10/16...
@@baller4life - where are ya? Missed your presence in the last month of posts or so...? You starting this post and the others that took the time to participate are AWESOME!!!
Thank you all!
One trick for navigating HUGE threads like this is: in the URL Addy Box - ex: Pentagon-Federal-Credit-Union-Data-Share/td-p/4591561/page/80 <<< you can skip to middle pages if you want to jump forward or back...just change the page #
I'm lurking in the shadows. 
So many awesome members have stepped up and helped our fellow Penfed members, that I've been able to take a much needed break from posting. But, I am checking in and answering pms. 
Happy New Year baller...great to 'see' you and hope you are enjoying the much needed break!
Margaritas are on me when you're back, since I never would be a part of PenFed without your encouragement and wisdom!
Everyone's invited to the 'thank you baller' party!!!
@Anonymous wrote:Happy New Year baller...great to 'see' you and hope you are enjoying the much needed break!
Margaritas are on me when you're back, since I never would be a part of PenFed without your encouragement and wisdom!
Everyone's invited to the 'thank you baller' party!!!
Awww you are so sweet!! Thank you very much! I am so glad you have found this thread helpful. Thank you to each and every one of the members who have been so kind to contribute their valuable data to this thread! You guys ROCK!!
@ blackswizz750, hang in there, it can be worth the wait.
You have no idea what a 'thin' file is, compared to what I looked like when I applied lol! In a nutshell, 10 months out of Chapter 7 discharge, only a Cap One MC and a Credit One Visa with 8 months of history. To make matters worse, I applied at THE END of an app spree where I aquired several new cards and really didn't have a chance in hell of a Promise Visa let alone a recon. I got an instant approval for a card with a $3300 SL. So of course I reconned..go big or go home, right? Lol!!
When I sent in the survey, I made sure that I could explain why I wanted the higher limit and the manager who called me was incredibly nice. He asked me a couple of generic questions but didn't grill me at all. I explained that I really wanted to take advantage of the 4.25% rate on BT's because as a rebuilder, I had a couple of high interest balances I wanted to move. I explained that with a $3600 starting limit, I was grateful to be a part of the family but I wouldn't be able to transfer balances and stay under a reasonable utilization. He was definately looking at my credit report because he said he saw the balances which looked like about $1800 and asked me if that was correct. I said yes and he said that if he raised it to $10,500. that should keep me where I wanted to be with utilization. Seriously, I was stunned, he made it so easy.
I transferred the balances as I had mentioned and PIF before the next statement cut. This is probably way TMI ha, ha but I wanted you to know that I think having a plan definately helped me with the call. The manager couldn't have been nicer and more helpful. I felt like he was interested in my plan and my relationship with PenFed.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that you connect with the loan officer sometime over the next few days. I would NEVER think a survey response to anything would translate to an actual benefit but PenFed was the exception. Thanks to all my fellow MyFico family who shared their experiences and gave me the courage to roll the dice.
Keep us informed and once again, best of luck!
Chapter 7: Discharged November 2015
Total Revolving Credit Lines January 2016: $2600
Total Revolving Credit Lines January 2017: $148K
11/15 Fico 8: EQ-585, TU-550, EX- 551
01/17 Fico 8: EQ-695, TU-703, EX-673
Advantis CU Siggy Visa $25K, NFCU Cash Rewards Visa $4600> $22K, NFCU CLOC $15K, NFCU Go Rewards Visa $5,500, PenFed Promise Visa $10,500, PenFed Platinum Rewards Siggy Visa $5500, Redi+ Siggy Visa $5K, SPGVisa $4,500, Cap One Platinum $2K>$4K, Cap One Quicksilver $3K, Good Sam Visa $1800, Discover $1800>$2K>$2300, Lowes $6K>$17K, Overstock $7K>$7300>$7700, Evine $1K>$5K, HSN $3750, PenFed Thrifty $500, That's right...Credit One Visa is G-O-N-E!
@baller4life wrote:I'm lurking in the shadows.
Comforting to know your are still here! And good to know on both counts!
@baller4life wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:erick_mac1003 wrote:
The Promise I didn't need.. Its more of Pushing My Luck..Smiley LOL
How long do the cards show up on your doorstep? Still haven't receive my Plat Rewards card.
I applied over the phone on Tuesday Morning.
On Friday Morning my card was delivered via FedEx.
$15 gets it overnighted and no chance for being lost in the mail.
in the age of Identity Theft, I demand it be overnighted, signed for, and tracked every step of the way.
Can't believe I didn't see this until 1am when they emailed me 12 hours earlier that the card was in the mail, after my approval...THIS IS GOOD INFO!!!
I would have done this for sure and could've, as I had to addy verify via phone anyway...I'm still a day late and a dollar short!
@baller4life - is it a good idea to put this on page 1? I could have benefited from it, but then again...if EVERYONE starts doing it, might not be a good idea to flood PFCU with FedEx Requests...hmmm.
Also for what it's worth...I heard mention a few times in the last 6-7 pages that people have been told that new Members can only get 2 products until a relationship is established (i.e. 2 CCs or 1 CC and 1 PLOC or 1 auto loan and 1 CC, etc...) not sure if this is 100% - but would definitely be a good data point on page 1 if it is the case, as I didn't get the feeling that was the case in the earlier posts...Just trying to help out.
Disregard if not a help...
I can add the info to page 1 about the option to have card sent via FedEx for $15. However, the fact that the poster "demanded" they send it FedEx gives me pause that it really is an option for all new cardholders. I will need to verify that first.
I will look into the only 2 products being allowed at the beginning. That has not been the case in the past.
FWIW - I ended up calling a CSR first thing this morning just to inquire on the possibility to expedite (didn't demand) - and the response didn't appear to be a "we don't do that" attitude, but in my case, that since the card was printed and already in the mail AND it is Saturday, that it would be a lil late to do it...I feel like if I had requested it when I did the final phone verification, that it may have been possible...I think I was in too much of a shock to think that fast
I am so grateful to have an opportunity to work with such an awesome CU and build with a decent starting point...I have had 3 CSR convo's and every one was SUPER pleasant with warm receptions (something that appears to be a lost art everywhere else across the board, not just lending institutions) - Customer Service is NOT overrated!
Going for Quality, not Quantity...